Ask a woman how she is and after the initial, cursory ‘All great, thanks!’, you’re likely to hear the word ’ tired’. Most of us – apart from those annoying people you know who are somehow always glowing and free of dark circles – are bloody exhausted. We’re so busy rushing around and getting stuff done that we’re in desperate need of proper rest, and when you chuck in all the issues we can face when it comes to sleep, the wiped-out cycle continues.
This, inevitably, affects our work. And work affects our exhaustion. There’s another fun cycle for you.
Women, in particular, are hit hard by this. The exhaustion gap is a term that refers to the overwhelming impact of work (both in the office world and at home) exhaustion on women, pointing to stats that show women are more likely to experience burnout and stress as they juggle the demands of their careers with household and caregiving responsibilities. We’re struggling to find any semblance of work/life balance, with long, busy hours leaving us with little time or energy to do even the basics of self-care, let alone pursue our other goals.
“It’s evident that women in the workplace experience higher levels of burnout and exhaustion than men,” LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davies tells Stylist. “We’ve all felt the additional strain from the last few years, and while flexible working arrangements have been designed to help, our research still shows that one in five women believe that it’s harder to achieve a work-life balance now compared to 20 years ago.
“Without the right balance, burnout can occur, and if we don’t spot the signs and tackle them early on, then our health can really suffer. It’s important to have open and transparent conversations about the help and support we need when things are getting too much, and know where to find the tools that will help better manage these particularly challenging periods in our lives.”
How do we start to navigate the imbalance and tackle our tiredness? Davies shares five tips ahead.
Be open and honest when you’re struggling
“It’s much more beneficial to you and your employer to acknowledge when you’re struggling and feeling overwhelmed, rather than suffering in silence,” Davies says. “Having an open, honest conversation with your boss and coming up with a plan together can help to manage your workload and avoid the exhaustion gap.”
Get comfortable saying ‘no’
Here’s a tough fact to swallow: you can’t do everything. You can’t just keep ‘pushing through’ when your workload is too much to bear and you can’t keep taking more and more on because you’re a people-pleaser and perfectionist who just wants to be great at their job. Sometimes, you do have to say ‘no’ and ‘I’ve got too much on’. Sorry!
Davies notes: “Nearly half (47%) of women who think it’s more difficult to maintain a positive work-life balance now say that a ‘grind culture’ is one of the key contributors to this, according to recent research commissioned by LinkedIn. It’s important to be able to set boundaries in both our work and personal lives to ensure we have time to rest and recover.”
Find techniques to help you feel in control
“Finding the right tools can be instrumental in helping you keep calm and feel in control in tricky situations and also means you’re more likely to be able to switch off after a stressful working day,” Davies suggests. “LinkedIn Learning courses such as Building Resilience, or Embracing Unexpected Change can set you off on the right foot.”
You might also like to try mindful meditation or block off time in your calendar just for strategising or repeating affirmations. Play around to find what works for you to help you feel less overwhelmed by your day-to-day tasks at work.
Make self-care a priority
Another fact that can be tricky to accept: you can’t do your best work if you’re not your best self. And in order to be your best, you need to look after yourself. That means getting enough sleep, taking time off, eating nourishing food, getting outdoors and consciously taking steps to manage your stress levels.
Davies recommends: “Try to commit to doing the things that make you feel that little bit less stressed – it can be something as small as a lunchtime walk around the block. The more you put into yourself, the more you’ll be able to give to both your work and personal commitments.”
Find the right place for you
“Often, managing your work-life balance, no matter the skills and techniques you put in place, can still be difficult if your workplace doesn’t support it,” Davies tells us. “If you’ve tried some of the above and you’re not satisfied with where you are, it could be time to start looking elsewhere. Using LinkedIn’s Job Search Filter can help you find companies that prioritise the work-life balance of their employees.”
Images: Getty