Running ads, updating social media accounts, creating content, writing and responding to emails, and tracking marketing campaign results – it’s safe to say that digital marketers always have their hands full every single day. While everything mentioned above is part of their job description, these tasks can often become too overwhelming, especially when they forget to take breaks in between.
Unfortunately, this is the reality for many digital marketers. The constant pressure to go above and beyond their client’s expectations can weigh them down, eventually leading to them putting in long hours, taking on more tasks than they can handle, and losing sleep.
With that, they become more prone to extreme stress and burnout. If you’re experiencing one of these, you may be at risk of experiencing burnout. When it happens, it can take a serious toll on a digital marketer’s life.
What are the Signs of Burnout?
One of the problems with burnout is that people often fail to realize that it’s already happening to them. They may blame their unproductivity at work for lack of sleep or their irritability because of heavy workload – when all these could be their body’s way of telling them to slow down.
The signs of burnout can vary from one person to the next. However, the most common symptoms include:
- Extreme fatigue and exhaustion
- Cynicism
- Feeling useless
- Lack of motivation
- Job dissatisfaction
- Lack of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Irritability
- Reduced performance at work
- Trouble focusing and concentrating
- Insomnia
- Constant headache
- Digestive problems
If you’re experiencing two or more signs mentioned above, it’s highly possible that you’re experiencing burnout, and you should take steps towards addressing it. Burnout can have a far-reaching impact not only on your professional life but also on your personal relationships. If left unaddressed, it can lead to poor work performance, unproductivity, and certain health issues like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental problems like depression.
Ways to Deal with Burnout
Prevention is better than cure. But let’s face it: we can’t always prevent burnout. Sometimes, it just happens – regardless of how much you love doing your job.
The good thing about burnout is that it’s not a permanent issue, and you can take steps to overcome it. Below, we’ve outlined some ways to help you recover:
- Identify the Source
The first step towards overcoming burnout is knowing what’s causing it in the first place. With that said, several factors can contribute to workplace burnout. This includes:
- Unclear responsibilities
- Heavy workload
- Poor company culture and communication
- Lack of support
- Toxic work environment
- Poor time management
- Lack of boundaries around work
- Unrealistic job expectations
If you’re feeling the different signs and symptoms of burnout, take a step back and try to evaluate the things that have been keeping you on edge lately. Once you’ve identified the cause, try to develop different solutions to lessen or mitigate them.
For instance, if the primary stressor causing your burnout is a heavy workload, communicate it to your manager as they may not be aware of this, and maybe do this to others without realizing it. With that, they can create solutions to resolve the issue, like delegating marketing tasks like email marketing or ad campaigns to other team members.
- Structure your day
Binding yourself in more rules may seem to burn you out more, but a structured day can actually add some organization and prioritization to your life. This is true especially for digital marketers who always have their plates full every single day.
When all your tasks are all over the place, doing your job can seem overwhelming, making it harder for you to focus and complete your tasks. On the other hand, by bringing structure to your day, scheduling tasks, activities, and break time, you’ll get a sense of control back in your day. You’ll know what to tackle first.
Plus, you can find the right tools that can help you make your work more efficient. If you’re a Digital Marketer, for instance, a Link Builder, finding the right link-building tools will help you save more time in accomplishing your work.
Also, you can schedule breaks in between – which is extremely important not only in preventing burnout but also in recovering from it.
If you’re not sure how to start structuring your day, here are a few ways you can do to get you started:
- Set an hour or two aside after waking up to spend on the things you enjoy (e.g., exercise, reading, meditation, etc.). This will help get your mind ready for the entire day.
- Do a time audit and assess where most of your time in the day usually goes. Doing so lets you determine the tasks you’re spending too much time on, which could be the one disrupting your schedule. You can then make the adjustments based on your gathered data.
- Do a quick rundown of your tasks and prioritize. Ideally, you should tackle the most important one first thing at work while your energy levels are still up. For instance, if there’s an upcoming client, preparing for your pitch should be the first thing you work on once you get to work. You can then follow minor tasks like email marketing, tracking results, etc., after your most prioritized task(s).
- Talk to someone
It might seem cliché, but oftentimes, talking can also help unload the burden we feel. Venting to someone you know won’t judge you for your opinions can make you feel like you’re not alone in this and that there’s someone there to support and encourage you to move forward. That, alone, can be a great mood and motivation booster.
Moreover, stress can be mentally overwhelming that you can’t clearly see what’s causing it or how to address it. Sometimes, by talking to someone, you can get a fresh perspective of the things you’re going through, helping you figure out the root cause. This, in turn, makes it easier for you to take steps to address the issue.
Talking to a therapist could also help. If you can’t figure out the cause of your burnout, a psychiatrist may be able to help you figure it out. They’re trained to decode your conversations and help you in finding solutions.
- Take Some Time Off
Taking charge of your physical and mental wellbeing is one of the key factors in burnout recovery. Once your body shows signs of burnout, it might be its way of telling you to slow down.
With that, try taking a day off (or two!) and forget about work for that day. Use the time to alleviate your stress. You could go to the beach, treat yourself to a spa day, or just spend the entire day at home recovering and relaxing. Regardless of your activity, use this as a chance to help your body bounce back.
- Evaluate your options
Unfortunately, recovering from burnout isn’t always going to be a straightforward process. Even if you’ve done all the steps outlined above, your motivation levels might not come back. In that case, you may have to step back and evaluate your options.
If work is causing you too much stress (e.g., you have a toxic boss or coworkers), or your workload remains the same even after talking to your supervisor, it might be the right time to evaluate what your options are. If you think self-evaluation of even enrolling in workshops will be beneficial, you can also check some available options around the net. Custom media training workshops, for instance, can be helpful for those struggling to find ideas and motivation on their working environment.
If you feel stuck in your job and see no opportunity for growth and development anymore, consider applying for a job from another marketing company that respects and recognizes your capabilities. Although it’s easier said than done, staying in a job that doesn’t respect you as an employee will further cause damage to your mental well-being. Sometimes, you just have to move on for your sake.
You Can Do It!
Remember, burnout isn’t a permanent condition, and you can take steps towards reversing it. Most often than not, recovery starts by identifying the root cause. From there, you can curate the next steps and create habits that will let you reclaim control over your life. With that, you’ll be able to commit to a healthier and happier work-life balance.