In this day and age, everyone has experienced burnout—and this is especially true for jobs that require you to constantly interact with people. Social exhaustion can impact your performance and your day to day life.
As a sales representative, burnout can greatly affect your performance at work. If not properly addressed, your client and work relationships can suffer. Here are six tips you can follow to deal with burnout in sales positions.
What is burnout?
While difficult to describe, it’s likely that you’ve experienced burnout before. Whether it be from your job, education, or just an overall stressful situation. Generally, it’s a strong feeling of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion.
It can also come with a depressive attitude and lack of desire to do what you would usually do. This can prevent you from wanting to go to work, hanging out with friends, or even taking care of yourself. Prolonged stress can create feelings of hopelessness.
What are the signs of burnout?
Symptoms of burnout vary from person to person. According to Darling Downs Health, symptoms can manifest as high blood pressure, headaches, and fatigue. They might also be in the form of emotional issues like snapping at people, depression, and feeling overwhelmed.
If addressed in a healthy way, burnout is usually temporary. Working in sales requires a good attitude and positive outlook, since you are interacting with people constantly. A proper work-life balance can help to prevent burnout. Here’s some ways to recover from burnout in your sales job.
1. Take Breaks
The main cause of burnout is doing too much, so stepping back for a short period can greatly relieve your stress. But taking a break doesn’t necessarily mean quitting your job or taking a month long leave.
Just pacing yourself as a sales representative can help you mentally. While high productivity is valued in the workplace, it’s alright to take a breather between each of your calls. Resetting your mind can help you in sales, especially if the previous call did not go as you’d like.
If the burnout is more severe, it might be time to take a short vacation or leave. Usually, time away from your desk is the perfect remedy for a bad case of burnout. Working long hours might benefit you financially but it takes a mental toll.
2. Enjoy Your Solitude
Even the most extroverted people can become socially overwhelmed. For a sales rep who has to constantly be on the phone with people, conversations can become tiring. Your breaks are the perfect time to unwind and not have to listen to someone’s voice.
Activities like reading, listening to music, or watching Tik Tok on your phone can help you to relax alone. Of course there are many people who can never be alone, with either a full house or children around. Even so, try your best to take care of yourself, especially if you are used to taking care of others constantly.
Take note not to completely isolate yourself. Humans need social interaction to function properly, cutting off everyone could turn your burnout into a depressive slump. Do not take your solitude to the extreme.
3. Change Your Routine
Monotony can easily bore you. Even though schedules are clean, orderly, and easy to follow, they get old quickly over time and can make every day boring. Changing your routine can start small, with something as simple as starting a different task or going to a different place for lunch.
Try to take on challenges instead of what you’re used to. Feeling excited about your work or an obstacle is a great way to overcome burnout. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be a great change in your routine, instead of staying where you are.
Your routine doesn’t just refer to your schedule. Trying on a different outfit or different foods can lead to more excitement in your life.
4. Exercise
As horrible as exercising feels in the moment, the relief of finishing a workout can be invigorating. It also benefits your physical and mental health, sitting at your desk all day can make you restless.
Working out does not mean intense weight training. Going for a jog or a walk is a great way to get fresh air as well. If you are more comfortable indoors, finding a local gym might be right for you. Many offer classes in activities like yoga, Pilates, or cycling.
Completing exercise goals can reenergize you and boost your morale. Exercise is useful for distracting yourself, especially if one project or challenge at work has stumped you. Sometimes it’s best to step back and reevaluate.
5. Talk It Out
Speaking with those around you is another obvious solution to burnout. Vocalizing your concerns or issues relieves you of your burdens, of course you should discuss it with someone you trust. Coworkers may not be the right audience for you, unless they can relate to it.
For more professional help, seek out a therapist to talk through it. Mental health is still stigmatized all over the United States, but it’s important to address and overcome it. There is no shame in seeking help. Avoiding the issue can result in physical health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
6. Practice Self-care
The notion of self-care is different for everyone. For those who watch “Parks and Recreation,” a “treat yo’ self” day might be your to-go form of self-care. Whether it be buying fancy shoes or a Batman suit, rewards are a vital part of self-care.
Self-care doesn’t just refer to occasional rewards, but also to grooming and health. Instead of showering, consider taking a bath to soak away the stress from the day. Setting aside a few hours or a day to use facial masks, eat sushi, and pamper yourself can help regain your sense of motivation.
Level Up Your Career with Barton
Ready to start working with our team? Check out our job openings to see opportunities available at our nine offices nationwide.
