Fighting Burnout
Do you often work long days, staying way later at the office than you know you probably should, and find your desire for a social life has all but disappeared? Lacking motivation, waking up in the morning with a pit in your stomach, getting aggravated at others over the smallest things, and feeling just plain depleted?
If so, chances are, you’ve got burnout. We’ve all been there to some extent, and it’s not pleasant. The good news is that your Myers-Briggs personality type can help you better understand why you might be getting burnt out and how to deal with it, so you can hopefully try to avoid a similar situation in the future.
INTJ: The Architect
INTJs get burned out by too much social interaction or environmental stimulation. Spending a lot of time around people or in bright, noisy areas can send you over the edge. You also tend to have high standards and hold yourself to ambitious goals, which can be discouraging or overwhelming.
To cope: Make your alone time a priority in your schedule. Set aside space each week to get away from the busyness of life and focus your mind on something you enjoy doing by yourself. Look back at your past wins to recognize areas where you’ve succeeded. Give yourself room to fail sometimes and focus instead on learning from them.
INTP: The Logician
INTPs get burned out when they feel too limited by rules or structure. You need a lot of freedom in your work, and running into constraints can be aggravating. Too much social interaction or feeling expected to open up to others frequently can drain you.
To cope: Take time to be by yourself and allow yourself the freedom to work on things at your own pace. Slowly dive back into a project or hobby you enjoy but haven’t dedicated much time to recently. Finding a task you can work on that has a logical solution can be a good way to get your mind back on track.
INFJ: The Advocate
INFJs get burned out by not having enough time to recharge. Strict routines, highly detailed tasks, or a lack of meaningful work can leave you feeling depleted. Your tendency to disregard your own needs in order to put others first can also exhaust you.
To cope: Start prioritizing your own needs as much as the needs of others. Carve out time in your schedule to do things you enjoy. Find activities you can do by yourself, or with a close friend, that make you feel refreshed and recharged, and commit to doing those things on a regular basis.
INFP: The Mediator
INFPs get burned out when they don’t feel they have freedom to be creative. Working with data and details, instead of ideas, can be overwhelming and stifle your artistic side. You have a high level of empathy, so dealing with other people’s emotions for an extended period of time can leave you feeling worn out.
To cope: Take time for yourself to get re-energized. Take on a fun project and stretch your creative muscles. Learn to draw healthy boundaries with those around you and allow them to take responsibility for managing their own emotions, instead of feeling like you need to take them on yourself.
ISTJ: The Logistician
ISTJs get burned out by unpredictability and taking on more responsibility than is realistic. You desire routine, and feel uneasy if things don’t go as planned or when someone tries to push you out of your comfort zone. A lengthy unfinished to-do list stresses you out.
To cope: Set small goals and start tackling them one-by-one to regain a sense of control. If you’ve taken on more than you can reasonably handle, start delegating. Make time for familiar things that make you feel comfortable.
ISFJ: The Defender
ISFJs get burned out by people-pleasing. You put other people before yourself, which causes you to neglect your own needs over time. Taking on too many responsibilities can leave you feeling empty. You also tend to get overwhelmed quickly by conflict or stress.
To cope: Learn to say no when necessary. Don’t feel responsible for going out of your way to help whenever anyone asks. Take time for yourself to rejuvenate your energy and focus on your own needs. Talk things over with a trusted friend to help you gain outside perspective.
ISTP: The Virtuoso
ISTPs get burned out when boxed in by too many rules or commitments. You want the freedom to go about things in your own way and make decisions in the moment. You also feel exhausted when others constantly expect you to engage with a large group of people.
To cope: Find an activity that gets you physically or mentally active. Doing something outdoors that gets your heart pumping or working on a mentally-stimulating game can help ease some of your pent-up emotion. Spend time by yourself to recharge.
ISFP: The Adventurer
ISFPs get burned out by having too many restrictions that don’t allow them to use their independence and creativity. Frequent social interaction, especially in the form of small-talk, makes you feel drained. You also tend to burn out faster when you don’t feel your efforts are appreciated.
To cope: Dive into an activity that allows you to express yourself openly and creatively. Pay attention to your feelings and acknowledge them in healthy ways, instead of trying to dismiss them. Spend time alone to recharge your social battery.
ENTJ: The Commander
ENTJs get burned out by working too hard and pushing themselves for long periods of time without allowing any breaks. You tend to burn the candle at both ends in order to accomplish the long list of things you want to do, and it leaves you exhausted.
To cope: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in one day. Don’t overload your schedule, but instead be selective about what you add to your plate. Make time to relax by spending a few hours with friends to have fun and be honest with them about how you’re actually doing.
ENTP: The Debater
ENTPs get burned out by their own fear of missing out. You want to see and do it all, which ends up overwhelming and exhausting you. Before you’ve even finished one thing, you’re already moving on to the next, constantly craving something new and exciting.
To cope: Recognize your limits. You can’t do it all, nor should you try. Set goals, methodically work towards meeting them, and only allow yourself to move onto the next thing once you’ve completed the task at hand.
ENFJ: The Protagonist
ENFJs get burned out when they ignore their own needs in order to care for others. You tend to spend most of your energy helping those around you, which usually leaves little left over for you to use taking care of yourself. Taking on too much without asking for help causes you to feel worn out.
To cope: Make time to take care of yourself. Remember your own dreams and goals, and create actionable steps to help you start working towards them. Don’t be afraid to say no sometimes when others ask you for help because you can’t do it all yourself.
ENFP: The Campaigner
ENFPs get burned out when they push themselves too hard. You put 110% effort into everything you do…and you tend to do a lot. You work hard, and sometimes play even harder, which can be draining over time. You like to make your own rules and feel confined when others try to control you or impose too much structure.
To cope: Slow down and relax for a little while. As you’re planning out your agenda for the upcoming weeks, schedule in some time to put your feet up and rest. Finding a task or activity you have complete control over can help you deal with the areas where you feel out of control.
ESTJ: The Executive
ESTJs get burned out when they constantly work hard and take on many responsibilities. You start feeling defeated when you think you’re not accomplishing enough or finishing tasks as efficiently as possible. Chaotic situations stress you out and make you feel disorganized, which wears you down over time.
To cope: Take a break from the stress every so often and do something that brings you joy. Ask others for help when you’ve taken on too much responsibility. When you feel out of control, find a few small tasks that have been weighing on you and dive into those first.
ESFJ: The Consul
ESFJs get burned out by continually catering to everyone else’s needs and ignoring their own. You crave connection, and helping people is a way that makes you feel close to them. However, it becomes a problem when you get overloaded with other people’s problems. You start to feel burdened and unable to help anyone.
To cope: Be discerning about when to offer your help and when to hold back. Not everyone may want, or really need, your well-intentioned assistance. Find other ways to connect with people that don’t include offering them a helping hand. Make time in your schedule to take care of yourself and do things that you enjoy.
ESTP: The Entrepreneur
ESTPs get burned out when they’re expected to adhere to structure and traditional methods. You prefer having flexibility and like to experiment with new solutions. When someone’s rules don’t allow you to do these things, your frustration quickly grows.
To cope: Take time for yourself to do things you enjoy. Keep your options open during that time so you can feel free to make spontaneous decisions and let off steam in a way that helps you the most. Giving yourself opportunities to live in the present moment can help you accept the places you feel you’re less able to do so.
ESFP: The Entertainer
ESFPs get burned out by full agendas and hard deadlines. You prefer leaving things unplanned and keeping plenty of wiggle room in your schedule, so strict plans can leave you feeling exasperated. You also get stressed when you don’t feel you have enough opportunity to socialize.
To cope: You’re a person who would rather take action than sit around and worry about things. Staying active can keep your mind occupied, instead of ruminating on your stressors, so get out and do something productive yet fun. When you feel isolated, be intentional about socializing with others.
When’s a time you experienced burnout? Give us a shout @myuserguide and let us know how you dealt with it.
