The holiday season is the season for the USPS. However, this fact can result in a large amount of burnout for USPS employees. It doesn’t matter if you’re sorting the mail, working at the counter, delivering packages, or working in a corporate setting. The holiday rush is a busy time of year for many industries, especially the USPS.
It is important to do the best work you can during this time, but it is also important you take care of yourself as well. Excessive, prolonged stress is not good for your mental health or for your body. We’ve provided some techniques to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Always be sure to put your physical health first. Don’t skip your lunch during work hours to get a bit extra done. Staying up late to finish extra work leads to a lack of sleep which is poor for your body and will likely impact your quality of work the next day. If you need three cups of coffee in the morning to function it’s a good sign you aren’t sleeping enough. If you feel lethargic and shaky during the day you probably aren’t eating well. Employees such as letter carriers should take some time to relax, while employees who don’t work some sort of route such as window clerks should make sure to exercise weekly to maintain good health.
You don’t have to completely separate yourself from your job when you go home. Believe it or not, a lot of stress comes from people believing they must completely switch gears when they go home after work. We spend a great amount of time at work, and those hours lead to skills that we can apply to our regular life. For example, some letter carriers tend to believe that because they are on their feet all day, they should not be active when home. If you want to go for a hike, play a round of basketball, or even stop at the gym, don’t stop yourself just because you walk all day at work! Different aspects of your job can lead to better organization, new hobbies, and a wide variety of personal interests. That’s not to say you should obsess over work while at home, but don’t completely turn that part of your head off.
Don’t obsess over your job regularly while you are away from work. Doing this means you are not only stressed while you are on the job, but while you are home as well. It is rare that obsessing over work while you are home will change anything. The holiday season is a time to spend with family and friends, and this incessant worrying can create distance which makes it hard to enjoy the holidays. Granted, it is impossible to stop your mind from drifting to work on occasion, and that’s fine. Just don’t let it consume too much of your free time.
Always be sure you give yourself time to do things that revolve around you and not work. Instead of spending your days off checking email and making lists, go see a movie or go out to dinner. Instead of ruminating about how you can deliver along your route faster, read a good book or spend some time with friends. Let your mind take the time to relax.
The holiday season is a busy and stressful time, even for people who don’t work for the USPS. Use this advice to not get burnt out while on the job.
