Marie Unger discusses how employees can prioritise their health and prevent end-of-year fatigue, as 2024 draws to a close.

While many of the symptoms are the same, there is a significant difference between tiredness and being burned out or fatigued. While tiredness can impact you in the short term, for example you may be more irritable and less productive in your working life, it can typically be rectified after a couple nights of decent sleep.

Fatigue on the other hand is not only feeling tired, but rather, exhausted to the bone, mentally burned out and lacking in control in many areas of your life. Not only does it further affect your ability to sleep well, but it can have a serious impact on your physical as well as your emotional health, with research suggesting sufferers can experience hallucinations, headaches and a lowered immune system. 

Linked to a range of health conditions, fatigue can be a symptom of a number of different pre-existing issues, however, another common cause is end-of-year burnout, in which people become so overburdened and overwhelmed by their workload, coupled with other obligations, that they find themselves mentally and physically drained, beyond reasonable limits. 

For Marie Unger, the CEO of organisational development company Emergenetics International, the end-of-year period, when work is supposed to wrap up and the demands of the New Year are coming into focus, can bring immense pressure to meet targets and move projects over the finishing line, resulting in tension and burnout. 

“As the year ends, it’s often a perfect storm of amplified work pressure combined with increased family demands that arise from the holidays, which can lead to overload burnout,” she told SiliconRepublic.com. 

“It can be a frenetic time for many individuals, who, in times of stress, are more likely to neglect their needs, which may cause a ripple effect that can spread far and wide. Left unchecked, burnout ultimately leads to higher absenteeism, challenges with productivity and increased turnover.”

Managing burnout

For Unger, managing the stressors that lead to burnout, in order to prevent becoming overwhelmed or fatigued, takes considerable effort and an acute awareness of how you can support your own needs. 

“For some that could include boundary setting or self-care. Others may benefit from a strong support system in, or outside of work. Employees can also reduce burnout by building skills in areas like resilience and prioritisation. Getting clear on your personal tendencies, values and non-negotiables is an effective way to set yourself up to navigate stressful times successfully.”

She noted, when people recognise that they have reached a point of burnout, the tendency can be to put on a brave face, push through and go on as normal, however, this has the potential to worsen the effects. “Instead, I recommend a pause,” explained Unger.  

“Taking a breath, stepping back and surveying everything in front of them is an important step to regain perspective. From there, prioritise mental and physical health, determine what you can say no to and find one thing to do that will bring you joy, to reset.”

She would encourage employees to put themselves in the best possible position to tackle all of the challenges that the new year will bring. Not just because they want to be productive and proactive in their working lives, but so they can seize every opportunity, mentally and physically recharged and find personal and professional success in the year ahead. 

Workplace support

But for that to happen, she is of the opinion that employers can always do better. They need to acknowledge how delicate an ecosystem the workplace can be and their own obligation in addressing well-being concerns, consistently throughout the year, as when any one factor is out of balance, all others are impacted. 

Additionally, to support employees and align company objectives with wider organisational culture, employers should strive to be open and transparent about the importance of creating a positive, in-touch working environment. This can be achieved by acknowledging burnout as a real and prevalent issue. One that can be both prevented and supported when it does occur. 

“Communication is essential in building healthy workplaces. One of the best things an organisation can do to support its employees is to create an environment where burnout is acknowledged and can be talked about. A few ways to encourage open communication are to train managers to support direct reports, encourage HR to have open office hours or open a chat channel on mental health.”

Ultimately for Unger, the end of the year and the beginning of a new one, is an ideal opportunity to carve out some personal time and reconfirm what is truly important. 

“I recommend writing it down and scheduling monthly revisits to reflect, so you can identify areas of alignment or discord. Over time, the disconnects may become a source of stress. Give yourself 12 chances to create healthy habits and mitigate the potential of burnout.”

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.