How to Manage Mental Workload at Work

I was laying on my bed and I couldn’t move. I felt paralyzed, like my brain and body were malfunctioning. It was the third day of horrible sleep, apathy, a low mood, and complete disinterest in work. At first, I thought I was getting depressed again. I could feel the shock of fear spread throughout my body. Then I paused and took a deep breaths. I realized I had been working 15-hour days for the past two weeks without giving my brain a chance to recover. I was burnt out. The hardest part? I did it to myself. I run my own business. I choose my hours. And I still pushed myself too far. Now imagine those who don’t have that choice. Many companies create toxic cultures that demand more without offering recovery. In fact, 82% of employees in tech experience burnout. (CharlieHR) So I made a change: – Took two days off to reset – Got a therapist to help with the mental load – Capped my work hours Peak performance is an endurance race, not a sprint. If you’re burned out, here are a few things that helped me: 1️⃣ Speak up early. Talk to someone you trust before it spirals. 2️⃣ Schedule micro-recovery. Even 10 to 15 minutes of real breaks between deep work helps. 3️⃣ Track your energy. Not just your hours. Know what drains you and what fuels you. 4️⃣ Prioritize sleep. Like your next promotion depends on it. Because it does. 5️⃣ Set boundaries. A hard stop time is non-negotiable. 6️⃣ Ask for help. You don’t have to carry it alone. To sum it up… You wouldn’t expect your phone to run on 1%, so why expect that from yourself? Rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement. For more tips on #burnout, overcoming a #toxicworkplace, and achieving #PeakPerformance, follow Alex Wisch.

May is Mental Health Month. So, let me ask: How are you doing? Seriously. How are you REALLY doing? I speak to so many clients who wait too long to make a change. They endure difficult and demoralizing work climates, hoping that things will get better. While they wait, their confidence is eroded, making a job search that much more daunting. Please, don't let this happen to you. No job is worth your mental health. If you: ➙Don't get any satisfaction in your work ➙Routinely deal with people who are difficult ➙Do the work of 2 people (or more!) ➙Lack the resources to do your job well ➙Get no support from your direct supervisor ➙Are bullied or taken advantage of by co-workers ➙Find it difficult to muster the energy for your workday Then, your mental health is at risk. That is not okay! Here are 6 strategies to take care of yourself: 1️⃣ Map Your Triggers ↳ Document specific situations that drain you ↳ Track when your stress peaks ↳ Notice when you are withdrawing or in conflict 💡Action: Make adjustments where you can, based on what you learn 2️⃣ Create Non-Negotiable Boundaries ↳ Set firm work hours for yourself ↳ Block "recovery time" in your calendar ↳ Turn off notifications during deep work 💡Action: Communicate these changes with key people 3️⃣ Master the "Strategic Pause" ↳ Take micro-breaks (2-5 minutes every hour) ↳ Use lunch for actual lunch, not more work ↳ Practice quick breathing exercises between meetings 💡Action: Put these items in your calendar and set alarms to take care of yourself. 4️⃣ Control Your Controllables ↳ Organize your workspace ↳ Structure your day around your energy peaks ↳ Focus on what you can influence, not what you can't 💡Action: This is a habit. Keep coming back to what’s in your control when frustration builds. 5️⃣ Build Your Support System ↳ Connect with trusted colleagues ↳ Consider tapping into your Employee Assistance Program ↳ Look into professional counseling 💡Action: Ask for help, even when it makes you feel uncomfortable. You are worth it. 6️⃣ Prepare to Make a Change ↳ Activate your network and have casual conversations to test the waters ↳ Update your resume and your LinkedIn profile ↳ Build a list of target companies and research your options 💡Important Point: These steps aren’t a decision to leave. But, they will make it easier and quicker if you decide to do so. Reminder: Your mental health is non-negotiable. Protect it fiercely. 🎯 What's your best strategy for maintaining mental health at work? Tell us below! ♻️ Repost to support colleagues who might be struggling 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career and workplace strategies

Last week, while speaking to a leadership team about reducing burnout and embracing joy at work despite increasing instability, someone asked: “How do you handle the stress of a never-ending workload without, as you say, burning crispy?” Oh, I felt that. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what level or job you’re in or what crisis you’re facing, the to-do list just keeps growing. When your workload feels like an endless winter storm, here’s what helps: ✔️ Start with three. Each morning, lock in three things that matter—things you can move forward. Not everything is urgent. Ask yourself: “What moves the needle today?” ✔️ Clarify the chaos. Before you start sprinting, check in with your boss or team: “What’s the real priority here?” If someone dumps a last-minute task on you, say: “Happy to help—let me check in to see what I could, if possible, move around to make it happen?” Reduce the guessing and stressing. ✔️ Work smarter, not solo. Don’t suffer in silence—ask teammates for their best hacks, share the load, or find ways to streamline. You don’t get bonus points for doing it the hard way. ✔️ Give yourself a breather. Overwhelm creeping in? Take 10 minutes to reset—walk, stretch, breathe. Sometimes a little fresh air is exactly what you need. You’ll get more done without running yourself into the ground. How do you keep your workload from taking over your life while managing your stress? #burnouttolitup #leadership #work #daisyaugerdominguez