1 . It is recently reported that people’s collective stress has reached alarming levels.     1    . It can have serious consequences. A study found that people experiencing long-lasting burnout have up to a 35 percent greater risk of early death. Don’t panic. Here are some active steps you can take to prevent burnout:

Look for meaning at work

You can tolerate stress longer if you believe you’re doing something purposeful and worthwhile. You are more likely to experience bumout-inducing stress when something seems out of control, against your will, or totally meaningless.     2     .

Look for meaning outside of work

If you are struggling to make you work meaningful, giving priority to life outside of work might be especially beneficial. A research shows that people more likely to experience a greater sense of engagement when on the job are those with a hobby.

    3    

Use separate email accounts for work and personal life, and set up boundaries between work and personal life, then you will be especially more comfortable if you work from home.

Don’t neglect yourself

Physical activity is essential to shaking out stress hormones.     4     . But movement is the most natural evolutionary response to our body’s stress, even light movement helps “complete” the stress cycle.

Recognize when it has become too much

Talk to your boss when you feel your job should be manageable, rewarding and under your control. It’s common for bosses to increase tasks over time if you don’t communicate our needs or limitations, which may be overlooked.     5     .

9 . Today, being freelancers (自由职业者) is one of the most powerful trends in the way we work. According to a current study, there are 70.4 million freelancers in the US. By 2028, this number will increase to 90.1 million, or54% of the workforce, basically divided equally between genders.

It would appear to be solid guidance in today’s modern workforce to tell some one who wants the “3Fs”— flexibility, fulfillment, and financial independence — to “just go freelance”, right? The large numbers and data support this direction and suggest that it could be regarded as safe and wise advice.

However, telling someone who is unhappy in their current professional situation to “just go freelance”, is like telling them to climb Mt Qomolangma without oxygen: 5% of climbers have succeeded, so it can be done, but there will be hardship and a much higher chance of failure. Just as one should weigh the risks of attempting to climb the 8848.86m mountain without essential supplies, the idea of being freelancers must be truly understood.

The number is increasingly growing, however, actually three quarters of self-described freelancers in the USare part-time, meaning the vast majority are using freelance work as a side hustle (副业). What’s more, research shows that 70% of full-time freelancers participated in upskilling training. Besides, more than half (58%) of freelancers have experienced non-payment from clients, and most do not have retirement plans or affordable health insurance. Many freelancers fail after the first year as a result of making avoidable mistakes with only a third making it.

We can’t simply tell people to “just go freelance” unless we also tell them to invest in training and cooperate with like-minded, supportive communities to strengthen industry rights before they start their journey to the summit as an individual, but never alone.

10 . “We work four-day weeks because it makes our staff more motivated,” says Joe Munns, CEO and founder of Bakedin, which makes home baking kits and cake mixes.

Joe has put his 40 workers on a four-day week since he started the firm in 2013, when he was working for the computer giant IBM.     1     When he was at IBM, he actually reduced his hours down to a four-day week and had Fridays free, when he could work on Bakedin, which became his second job and he was devoted to.

    2     It means that he could do what he liked and took that opportunity to start the business with a four-day week. So they have the normal working week of Monday to Thursday—then everyone gets those three days off.

Because there is still some business to do on Fridays, such as dealing with customer enquiries, some of Bakedin's office workers volunteer to work on Fridays.    3    

Bakedin staff put in nine-and-a-half-hours on the four days they are at work.    4    “When we are together, we just find that we’re more productive. We get more done this way, because we don’t get that tired, Friday feeling.”

Many firms and countries. have started experimenting with four-day, rather than five-day weeks.    5     Bakedin is in the food industry, which has a very high turn-over rate for staff. “Every year, some 30% of employees in the food industry leave their jobs,” says Joe. “But at Bakedin, our staff turnover rate is under 5%. So a four-day week is an excellent way of keeping staff loyal.”