5 Ways To Avoid Burnout As A Millennial

You’ll likely have heard of the Millennial age group – but if you’re unsure who fits into it, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of confusion on the subject. It’s widely argued that a Millennial is anyone who was born between 1980 to the mid-2000s. Generation X, on the other hand, typically describes birth years spanning 1960 to 1980. There’s another name for Millennials, though: the burnout generation.

So, what does this mean? And how can we avoid it? Let’s explore further…

What’s Leading To Burnout?

In contrast with their predecessors, Millennials have grown up surrounded by technology. Add in issues like the UK housing crisis, economic uncertainty and this country’s ageing population, and it’s easy to see why young British adults are stressed. According to research, 49% of Brits aged between 18 – 24 have endured extreme levels of stress, the highest record among all UK age groups. This could otherwise be described as burnout, a state of persistent stress that can result in us becoming physically and emotionally exhausted. If you think you may be struggling with burnout, don’t worry. Our top tips can help you to both avoid and overcome it.

Accept Your Feelings

Nobody can be happy all the time – most of us experience a raft of emotions every day. Though it may feel tempting to push down and ignore tricky feelings, such as anger, fear and sadness, doing so often heightens our stress levels. The solution? As hard as it sounds, it’s often best to embrace discomfort. After all, it’s a normal part of life. Adopt this method, and you’ll likely find that difficult emotions pass through you more quickly. And hopefully, this will help to reduce your stress levels, too.

Unlike previous generations, we’re more open about crucial topics like our mental health, so you have every reason to accept and share how you feel with others.

Switch off. Completely.

Ever heard of the phrase “digital detox”? As its name suggests, this involves people switching off and avoiding their digital devices for a set period of time. Very often, it’s highly beneficial. A recent study that saw Millennials temporarily ditch their electronics reported a largely positive outcome, with participants noting a big reduction in stress levels. So, why not try ditching your tech altogether for a brief period? It could do wonders for your mood.

Remember Your Value

Work is important – but it’s only one aspect of your life. A lot of the time, what causes burnout is the idea that our jobs define who we are – a myth that’s drilled into many of us from an early age. Seeing other people’s success on social media and TV can further strengthen this belief. And of course, social media plays a huge role in many Millennials’ everyday routine. But take a step back from your role, and you’ll realise that it’s simply a means to an end.

Write down your top ten qualities, and you’ll likely notice that few – if any – are directly applicable to your job. Just like everybody else, you’re worthy of respect and happiness. Remember your value, and you’ll be better able to deal with the tough times.

Stay On Top Of The Essentials

The world is fast-paced – and very often, it’s easy to get bogged down in unimportant things, like our social media posts and what others think of us. But do this frequently, and you risk losing sight of what really matters. During stressful periods, it’s crucial to stay on top of the essentials. After all, nobody wants to be surprised by bills or deadlines when they’re dealing with stress. Sort out your finances now, and you’ll be able to work out if you need financial help or advice well in advance, enabling you to avoid any unexpected issues completely.

Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Ah, caffeine. It has a reputation for fuelling us – but as you may already know, it can increase our heart rate, causing us to feel more stressed as a result. So, you might want to reduce how much coffee and tea you drink. This doesn’t mean that you have to cut out hot drinks altogether, though. You could try swapping coffee for a refreshing lemon and ginger tea, for example. Or how about trading your after-dinner brew for a peppermint tea? There are plenty of alternatives available.

Stress is never fun – but it can be dealt with effectively, so long as you know how. Follow our top tips, and you could easily avoid burnout.