Busy, Busy, Busy. That's all we ever seem to hear in the modern workplace. The antidote is simple: Engagement. Active participation and interest. Work that is challenging, compelling, meaningful and moves you ahead day-by-day.
Having too much responsibility is exhausting. Having too little is deflating. Idle time and pointless tasks undermine energy.
Idle people are easily bored. Work can be a grind, but burnout happens when it feels overwhelming for too long. Motivated people balance what's meaningful with what is manageable to stay engaged and motivated, even over the long haul.
The thing is, burnout and boredom are the same problems. Both are caused by imbalance. If you have too little to do at work, you'll be bored. But if you have too much to do, you'll be overwhelmed and burnt out. To fix this, carve out more time for what's meaningful, reduce the overwhelm with your email inbox or to-do list, and watch as all your goals – both professional and personal – become easier, more exciting … and straightforward.
A workplace is a place for people, for relationships, for health, for meaning—the real reasons we're there. Getting work-life right begins with getting to the heart of what really matters to us: balance. balance is the why and how of our lives at work.