There are approaches that can make everyday working life easier and reduce overload: From a 36-hour working week to strong team cohesion and appreciative clients, there are many things that can help to reduce the stress levels that build up.
I would like to present some of these ideas in more detail to show how we can work in a healthier and happier way.
The advantages of a 36-hour week
Many companies still adhere to the classic 40-hour model (or worse: beyond). However, studies and practical experience show that less is often more. Although a 36-hour week reduces working hours, it rarely reduces performance - on the contrary. Shorter weeks and regular working hours make it possible to concentrate better and work more consciously.
Imagine your day is clearly structured and you have enough breaks and free time to really take a deep breath and recharge your batteries. Flexible working hours and flexitime arrangements can also help: Instead of killing time or working unproductively because leaving early isn't possible anyway, they allow you to work more efficiently and consciously. The advantage is not only higher productivity, but also an increase in personal well-being. Instead of being constantly exhausted and longing for the weekend, the week starts without the feeling of being overworked. You are more motivated to push ahead with your projects and your free time creates space for relaxation and new inspiration.
In our opinion, this is essential for good work, especially in the creative industry: more input, more output.
Appreciative customers: Making all the difference
A crucial aspect of avoiding stress and burnout is the selection of and cooperation with clients. Sounds simple at first, but reality shows that not every client is right for every team. An appreciative counterpart who has respect and understanding for the creative process has an enormously positive effect on the working atmosphere.
A pleasant relationship with clients means that collaboration becomes an exchange and feedback is motivating. With appreciative clients, day-to-day work becomes a collaboration rather than a burden. Of course, it is a privilege to be able to turn down assignments, but sometimes it is worth saying no if the long-term health of the team is at stake. After all, overworking the team will have an equally negative impact on business in the short or long term.
Projects that can be completed quickly: Small successes count
Long projects with complex requirements are often normal in the marketing world, but they can also drag on and be exhausting. It is therefore important to build in projects that can be completed more quickly to encourage motivation and a sense of progress and self-efficacy. In a field where creativity and energy are key, it's often the small successes that make us feel like we're getting somewhere.
Team spirit and cohesion as burnout prevention
Nothing is more stress-reducing than a strong team. Together we overcome challenges, help each other and celebrate successes. Especially in an industry that is often demanding and hectic, it is important that the team functions as a unit.
Team spirit is a buffer against long-term overload. Everyone has a day when things don't go so well - but if the team sticks together, it's easier to get through these phases. Cohesion is also evident in small gestures in everyday working life: a sympathetic ear, lunch together, an after-work drink. An environment in which people can rely on each other strengthens well-being and provides lasting motivation.
A healthy error culture is crucial for reducing pressure and excessive demands in the workplace. In an environment characterized by fear of making mistakes, stress levels rise noticeably and the likelihood of overwork or exhaustion increases. Instead, an open error culture in which mistakes can be learned from promotes not only personal development, but also teamwork.
Additional strategies against burnout and overload
Avoiding burnout and overwork requires more than just a change in the scope of work or collaboration. It is also about how we actively manage our time (keyword: self-efficacy) and what values we set in our everyday lives. And the most important thing of all: listening to your own body, knowing and respecting your own needs and limits, and taking time for self-reflection.
Other measures and factors that can help prevent this:
- Create rituals for breaks: in busy times, we are inclined to skip lunch breaks or eat directly in front of the screen. But breaks are essential to recharge our batteries. A short ritual - be it a walk (physical activity helps to reduce stress-related adrenaline and cortisol) or a conscious coffee/tea break (regulation of the nervous system by consciously slowing down) - can work wonders and clear your head again.
- Set achievable goals: Instead of taking on huge packages of tasks, it helps to define clear, realistic goals or milestones. The joy of achieving goals motivates and counteracts the feeling of being overwhelmed.
- Flexibility and working from home: Working from home can help you take a break from the office routine and work in a relaxed atmosphere. Flexible working hours, where not every day is the same, also offer the opportunity to work in a more self-determined way and manage stress better.
- Promote a healthy work-life balance: Leisure activities, sport or simply spending time with the family can help enormously to recharge the batteries and promote productivity in the long term.
- Regular feedback and communication within the team: Open communication and regular feedback meetings create transparency and trust. If you feel understood and valued, you can also fall back on support from time to time and don't have to carry everything alone.
Conclusion: Reducing the risk of burnout - through a working environment that strengthens us
A demanding working day - especially in the marketing industry - not only brings challenges, but also opportunities to reconcile work and well-being. Approaches such as a 36-hour week, appreciative customers, small successes and a strong team are essential building blocks for a more sustainable working environment.
In the long term, however, it's not just about structures, but about a culture of respect, health and community. If we look out for each other, encourage openness and take our own boundaries seriously, we create an environment that prevents burnout and brings back the joy of the job - for more fulfilling and productive work.
