Work and fatigue: Coping strategies for fatigue in professional environments

When fatigue becomes a problem in everyday work

Chronic fatigue can be the cause of exhaustion that is physically, emotionally and mentally severe and cannot be compensated for by sleep and rest over a period of weeks.

Fatigue can occur as a disease in its own right as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or as a concomitant symptom of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Long Covid or cancer.

Both the physical and mental symptoms can make everyday life and therefore also work more difficult. For example, constant exhaustion and feelings of weakness impair the ability to perform physically demanding work. Concentration problems, lack of drive and tiredness can get in the way of cognitive tasks.

All of this affects not only how much and how quickly those affected do their work, but also their precision and accuracy. Depending on the job description, this can affect the safety of everyone involved. If this leads to a feeling of being overwhelmed, additional stress can be triggered, which can lead to an increase in fatigue - a vicious circle.

Although this situation is often frustrating and sometimes frightening for those affected, there are a variety of strategies and support services in the professional context that those affected can make use of.

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Coping strategies in everyday working life

Many of the principles that can help deal with fatigue in everyday life can be applied regardless of location and contribute to the organization of everyday life.

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Predictive planning

Planning and energy management are key principles for dealing with fatigue. The aim is to understand which tasks are particularly important and urgent and at what time of day the greatest energy reserves are available to complete them. For example, if you have realized that you feel most energetic early in the morning, schedule important, demanding tasks for this time.

Prioritizing tasks additionally, i.e. arranging them according to importance and urgency, can avoid stress, as less time is spent on less important tasks. Breaks should also be planned in to ensure rest and relaxation and prevent crashes. Which work structure and regeneration strategies work best depends on the individual. It is therefore important to try out which measures work best - be it a walk, a cup of tea or perhaps a short nap (power nap).

Depending on the working environment and general conditions, it is advisable to talk to your line manager and, if necessary, your colleagues about changes in behavior at work (e.g. more breaks, fewer work results) in order to prevent frustration and prejudice.

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Adjust the work environment

The environment can influence fatigue. This includes the working atmosphere, workload, background noise and lighting conditions. Which environment is comfortable is individual and can vary.

Is it possible to work in an individual office or is working from home an option? Tools such as to-do lists or post-its can also help to ensure that nothing is forgotten despite concentration problems. Voice-activating programs can be used in addition to reading and writing to counteract physical fatigue.

Try to create a working environment that is as trouble-free as possible and supports you in doing your job to the best of your ability.
Open conversations with colleagues and/or supervisors can also help to counteract prejudices and a lack of understanding.

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Reduce stress

Studies have shown that both stress from your environment and self-imposed pressure have a negative impact on fatigue. This is especially true when a feeling of loss of control spreads and these thoughts and feelings remain unexpressed. Open conversations and a proactive approach can help to deal with fatigue in everyday life.

Relaxation methods such as meditation and breathing exercises and behavioral approaches such as attention or acceptance-based exercises can also help in dealing with fatigue.

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Adjust your lifestyle

As fatigue is not limited to the workplace, it is important to integrate the best practices for proactive fatigue management into your overall lifestyle. The four main pillars are

• Good sleep management,
• a healthy diet
• exercise and
• social support.

In a professional context, the topic of sleep must be considered separately. Regular sleep in as constant a rhythm as possible and good sleep hygiene are important factors in fatigue management. Shift work and night shifts that affect the sleep rhythm can make symptoms more difficult. Here too, an open discussion with the supervisor can be helpful in order to define solutions that everyone involved agrees on. It may be possible to temporarily schedule a fixed work schedule in day shifts or there may be an opportunity to pursue another activity within the company that is compatible with the current state of health.

The feeling of social support at work and in the private environment is associated with a lower level of fatigue - another advantage of a proactive approach.

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Adjust working hours

Despite the above strategies, fatigue may of course be too great to cope with the workload or meet safety requirements. If incapacity to work is not an option for personal reasons, a middle way may be to reduce the number of hours. A flexitime model can also help to be able to react more flexibly to health requirements.

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Retraining

Another alternative is retraining in order to pursue new activities in a different working environment if the profession you have learned is no longer feasible.

Help is available from the Federal Employment Agency, disease-related advice centers (e.g. German Cancer Society, German Multiple Sclerosis Society, Federal Association ME/CFS) and rehabilitation clinics.

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Should I talk to my employer?

In principle, health is a private matter. As an employee, no one is legally obliged to inform their superior about an illness as long as the illness does not pose a risk to the person affected or others. However, if fatigue leads to massive restrictions in work performance or if the job is associated with excessive demands and therefore stress, open communication can help. Only if an employer knows what is bothering employees can supportive measures be introduced.

Studies have shown that early communication was associated with a higher level of job retention. On the other hand, patients with higher work pressure and fewer opportunities to adapt at work showed higher levels of fatigue. Avoiding problems rather than proactively addressing them was linked to increased fatigue in those affected, which suggests that actively seeking a conversation is a good idea. However, whether or not talking to your line manager is the right approach remains a personal decision.

It is also important to note that employers are obliged under Sections 164 and 167 of the German Social Code (SGB IX) to make every effort to end their employees' incapacity for work, prevent further incapacity for work and maintain their jobs. In addition, many larger companies also have specialized company health promotion schemes and effective company integration management (BEM), which you may be able to make use of.