When you work a 24/7 roster which encompasses some pretty ruthless hours, shift work burnout is going to be inevitable.

Considering sleep deprivation is often unavoidable and many employees have to work harder in today’s economic environment – burnout is becoming increasingly common amongst employees around the world.

But can you reduce the effects of shift work burnout?

You bet. And it all begins by watching out for the symptoms.

These may include things like headaches, stomach aches, high blood pressure, back and neck pain and even skin rashes. They are basically warning signs that your body is not at its optimum. In fact when you suffer from shift work burnout you can become more susceptible to viruses and other infections.

You may even begin to feel disillusioned at work and loose enthusiasm to do things. These are all warning signs. Some people may even develop a negative attitude and become quite cynical which can lead to varying degrees of depression.

Basically you begin to question what you are doing and why – which can lead to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

You may even feel so frustrated and dissatisfied in your job that you begin to take more days off than usual and begin looking for a new job so that you can resign.

And you know when things are getting particularly bad when it begins to affect your personal life. This may be a change in personality which at its worst, leads to aggressive behaviour towards your friends and family.

Not a good sign.

So there is no denying that shift workers are prone to burnout as sleep deprivation can be one of the major contributing factors.

There are however some things which you can do to help reduce the effects of this burnout:

Ten Tips to Help Reduce Shift Work Burnout:

1. Use an imaginary bubble to help separate yourself from what’s going on around you. Try to detach yourself and become less emotionally involved with things that are happening in the workplace.

2. Find ways to relax and recharge. Listen to some music, meditate or practice yoga to help clear out the mental clutter.

3. Don’t try and be a martyr – you are not a machine. Despite what society seems to dictate these days, you don’t always have to appear strong.

4. Have realistic expectations. Shift work is tough – it really is, so you have to accept that feelings of burnout is actually normal. In fact it’s inevitable, so it’s important that you start taking care of yourself.

5. Try not to become too involved and take work problems home with you. Once you leave work turn off that imaginary switch in your head.

6. Seek help – talk to family and friends. Just admitting that you are experiencing burnout can make you feel better.

7. Cut out the overtime. Working exceedingly long hours in the fastest way to accelerate shift work burnout.

8. Allow yourself time to enjoy yourself and have a good laugh – guilt free. Treat yourself to some nice things for a change.

9. Be less intense at work – don’t take it seriously. Be carefree and have some fun.

10. Book yourself in for a check up. Just like your car needs servicing regularly – so does your body.

So it’s important to realise that you can never eliminate shift work burnout. It will come and go throughout your career for as long as you continue to work irregular hours.

However in order to reduce the debilitating effects, you must learn to recognize the symptoms (and don’t ignore them) so that you can begin to apply some simple strategies to help manage these feelings the best way you can.

As shift workers we often feel like we’re on a constant uphill battle trying to achieve optimum health. The irregular hours, disruptive sleep patterns and work-related stress place an enormous amount of strain on our bodies every single day.

But what price do you place on your shift work health?

Many shift workers say they take good care of themselves, but are you really? Are you really doing absolutely everything possible to take care of your health?

Take a moment to think about your answers to the following questions.

1. Do you avoid buying ‘health’ food products because you think they’re too expensive?

2. Have you chosen not to join a gym, health club or yoga class because you believe they charge too much?

3. What about those dancing classes you’ve always wanted to sign up for but keep saying to yourself you can’t really afford to do them?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, then it might be time to re-evaluate.

Healthy food is not expensive – it’s how you perceive it to be.

When Cyclone Yasi wiped out 70% of the banana plantations in North Queensland last year, the price of bananas went up – no question. But even though a banana cost $1.50 at the time I still bought one because it was cheaper than buying a chocolate bar or a bag of chips.

And for a shift worker who is starved of energy, eating a banana is always going to be a much healthier and better option than eating a chocolate bar or a bag of chips.

The same goes for buying fruit or vegetables. Even though I do try and buy things when they are in season (you know they are going to be fresh this way as well) – I don’t NOT buy them just because the price is higher than normal.

Why? Because I know my shift work body can function so much better if I provide it with the right kind of fuel – that is, the right kind of nutrition.

The same can be said about exercise. You don’t have to join a gym or class to enjoy the benefits of exercise. There are lots of outside activities that are free, but sometimes joining a club or signing up for a class is a great way to meet new people and you are more likely to work that bit harder than if you were exercising on your own.

So never underestimate the value of your shift work health.

Many people spend their whole lives eating all of the wrong foods and doing all of the wrong things because at the time they appear to be the ‘cheaper’ and easier option. But if you consistently abuse your all-ready-struggling shift worker body with bad food choices and little exercise it will eventually catch up with you when you get older – guaranteed.

“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Shift work health is all about prevention. Spend your hard earned money taking care of yourself now, so that you don’t have to spend a fortune correcting it when you’re older.