Five Steps to Avoiding Burnout and Improving Life at Work
According to Canadian workplace wellness and happiness expert Dr. Gillian Mandich, there are five simple steps people can implement to give themselves a pick-me-up in their daily work routine.
What Is Stressing People Out?
Many factors contribute to work-related stress, such as heavy workloads, economic uncertainty, increased cost of living, long commutes, and emotional exhaustion. All of these can stem from trying to sustain high performance for prolonged periods. Mandich, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba, notes that there is also growing pressure to optimize every part of our lives. Ironically, even attempts at productivity and self-improvement can become another source of stress.
According to 2024 data from Mental Health Research Canada, one in four working Canadians experience burnout most of the time or always. Burnout is rarely caused by one difficult week; rather, it is an accumulation of chronic stress without enough recovery. Humans are remarkably adaptive, but we are not designed to operate in a constant state of output without pause.
Mandich says one of the most overlooked findings in happiness research is that well-being is often shaped less by major life events and more by repeated daily experiences. It is the small and connecting moments that matter. Citing a recent survey by Loacker Canada, Mandich explains that Canadians often associate happiness with simple moments such as taking a break, sharing food, and connecting with others, allowing small amounts of joy during stressful days. Those moments may seem minor, but psychologically, they can act as important interruptions to chronic stress cycles.
Five Steps to Improve Your Work Life
When it comes to improving your work life, things will not magically change overnight. However, Mandich recommends these five steps to increase happiness moments and prioritize daily well-being.
- Set Expectations Early: Open communication about workloads and expectations is essential to relieve stressful situations and conversations down the line. It is necessary to be proactive with your needs to ensure you are able to manage upcoming tasks before pressure becomes too much to handle.
- Prioritize Boundaries: Logging off on time and protecting your personal hours helps prevent burnout from overexertion. Not everything is urgent, and sticking to clear boundaries builds a routine that actually leaves room for what you enjoy most, whether that is trying a new recipe or fitting in a workout. The things you love are not meant to be saved for the weekend.
- Write Out Your Agenda for the Day: From a behavioural science perspective, repeated small choices shape identity. When we choose moments of goodness, we reinforce a narrative: I am someone who prioritizes balance. Starting your morning with a clear plan for urgent tasks allows you to be realistic about what can get done. The best way to ensure the information sticks is by physically writing it out with pen and paper. We cannot always oversee last-minute requests, but when we can visualize how they fit into the schedule through clear overviews of upcoming expectations, this relieves any risk of overloading our schedule and making unkept promises to colleagues.
- Schedule Micro-Moments of Joy: Happiness is not built in grand gestures; it is built in micro-moments. Research in positive psychology shows that small, repeated positive experiences accumulate and meaningfully influence well-being. Intentionally create one goodness break during your day to step away and slow down. Whether it is a five-minute pause, a shared snack, or a moment of sunlight, these micro-moments can make all the difference.
- Form Connections: Strong workplace relationships help create a positive environment where people can truly thrive. Canadians often benefit most when they build a strong sense of self at work, which can be fostered through simple moments like lunch breaks, after-work hangouts, and genuine effort to grow relationships with colleagues. Social connection is also one of the strongest predictors of happiness and longevity. Increasing shared experiences at work can help amplify positive emotions and allow us to widen our attention when we take a mindful moment.
Greater Sense of Balance
Mandich says she hopes people stop thinking of happiness and well-being as something that only happens after work is complete or when life slows down, and instead focus on prioritizing mindful moments throughout ordinary life. However, that moment never fully arrives for many people. A five-minute pause, a conversation with someone you care about, stepping outside for fresh air, slowing down on purpose long enough to actually enjoy something instead of rushing through it mindlessly—these small actions matter.
Mandich hopes people become more intentional about recovery. Rest, connection, and small moments of enjoyment are not distractions from performance. They are part of what helps sustain us. Whether it is taking a short break during the workday, connecting with coworkers, or enjoying a small treat mindfully, these moments can help interrupt stress cycles and create a greater sense of balance. Sometimes the smallest shifts in our daily routines can have the biggest impact on our overall well-being.
