What we have been working on this week:

  • Kim, Laura and Lucinda are mocking up a way for internal staff to report problems or request something from ICT.
  • Shaun has published new guidance on dewatering mines and air quality assessments for planning applications. He’s also been working on a few incorrect water discharge applications.
  • Toyah has been working on some iterative changes to the marine band 1 application form.
  • Toyah has also been working with marine colleagues on revamping certain pages ahead of new advice and assessment reports being published in late June.
  • Lucinda has been creating screen designs on Figma for new features to be added to the flood warning systems.
  • Lucinda has also been sharing the Figma design system, Miro maps and feedback responses from the job application form with the recruitment team ahead of them moving to a new recruitment system.
  • The phonetics feature (a way to make sure words are pronounced correctly during flood warning phone calls) is now in the user acceptance testing phase. Lucinda has been sitting in to see what users think.
  • Hannah, Sophie and Kim have been working hard to get the publishing backlog down.

2 lemurs, one looking very busy digging and the other sat back looking like it's having an existential crisis

We are keeping things short this week as we’re all busy and tired. Totally unrelated, here’s some helpful tips on burnout….

Burn out – the signs to watch out for and how to manage it…

Feeling burnt out? According to Mental Health UK, 91% of UK adults report that they experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year. Adults aged 35 - 44 (96%) are most likely to have experienced this level of stress.

As common as burnout is, it is often misunderstood and stigmatised.

Burnout is a gradual process that can happen over time. It can affect you physically, emotionally and behaviourally. It can occur when you have repeated and prolonged high demands that exceed resources. It’s likely that burnout, whatever the cause, will impact your wellbeing at work, personal life and even relationships.

The consequences of burnout can be severe, so it’s important to recognise it before it saps energy and motivation and becomes overwhelming.

Physical symptoms of burn out include:

  • Feeling tired or exhausted most of the time
  • Reoccurring insomnia and sleep disturbances
  • Frequent headaches
  • Muscle or joint pain
  • Gastrointestinal problems, such as feeling sick or loss of appetite
  • Frequent illness due to lowered immunity
  • High blood pressure

Emotional signs of burnout include:

  • Feeling helpless, trapped, and/or defeated
  • Self-doubt, feeling a failure or worthless
  • Feeling detached and alone in the world
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Feeling demotivated, having a cynical/negative outlook
  • Lacking sense of satisfaction and achievement
  • Loss of interest and enjoyment
  • Persistent feelings of dread, worry and anxiety

Burn out can even affect our behaviour, such as:

  • Procrastinating and taking longer to complete things
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Decreased output and productivity
  • Becoming isolated and withdrawing from other people and responsibilities
  • Being irritable and short-tempered
  • Being late for work and/or higher absenteeism

Since burnout can be a risk factor for developing mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, it should be taken seriously.

Here are some tips to avoid burnout at work:

  • Structure your day: If you work from home, you can think of your workday in the same way as if you were going to the office. Set up a dedicated workspace, ideally a quiet place away from others and distractions. Make sure you have everything you need there for your working day. Plan your start, break, lunch, and end times. Sticking to an end time can be as important as a start time. Recharging our batteries after a busy day is important!
  • Make sure to take breaks: Taking a five-minute break away from your screen each hour can improve your wellbeing, productivity and improve your concentration.
  • Set boundaries: When faced with excessive workload or unrealistic deadlines, ascertain if there is flexibility around delivery times and what further support would be helpful to alleviate pressure and stress. When working from home, it can be difficult to separate home and work life. Setting boundaries about when and where you do and don’t work.
  • Stay in contact: Make time to talk to your colleagues throughout the day. Keeping in touch with others can benefit your wellbeing and it is good to check in with others. Book in regular contact with your manager and other colleagues.
  • Manage your time: Time management in your job can influence your wellbeing and mental health. When you have a lot of things to do at work, it can be hard to decide what to do and when to do it. Use the four Ds when managing your workload: Ditch (does this task need to be done?), Defer (could it be done at a later date?), Delegate (could someone else complete it?), and Do.
  • Understand and manage stress: Use tools like the Stress Bucket to identify challenges and positive strategies for managing stress.
  • Create a Wellness Action Plan: Reflect on what good mental health looks like for you and identify steps to take if you or others notice signs you’re struggling in our Wellness Action Plan
  • Communicate with your manager: Don’t forget to discuss your workload and expectations with your manager. Be honest about challenges and request support when needed.
  • Utilise workplace support: Take advantage of support provided by your workplace, if available. Speak to your GP if additional or longer-term support is needed to manage your wellbeing.

Read more in Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report 2025.