Physical and mental fatigue can interfere with everyday life. If fatigue also has an effect on work performance and quality, or if work is barely possible anymore, many questions arise: How does fatigue influence work? Is it dangerous? What can I do myself? Do I need to talk to my employer?

‍

When fatigue becomes a problem in everyday work

Exhaustion, which is severe physically, emotionally and also mentally and cannot be compensated for by sleep and recovery over weeks, can be the cause of chronic fatigue.
Fatigue can occur as a separate disease as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or as a side effect of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, long Covid or cancer.
Both physical and mental symptoms can make everyday life and therefore work difficult. Constant exhaustion and feelings of weakness impair the ability to perform physically demanding work. Concentration disorders, lack of drive and fatigue can get in the way of cognitive tasks.
All of this influences not only how much and how quickly those affected complete their work, but also precision and accuracy. Depending on the job profile, this can impair safety for everyone involved. If this creates 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 a professional context that those affected can make use of.

‍

Strategies in everyday work

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

Predictive planning

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

Additionally prioritizing tasks, 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 to ensure peace and relaxation and prevent crashes. Which work structure and regeneration strategies work best is individual. It is therefore important to try out which measures work best - be it a walk, a cup of tea, or maybe a short sleep (power nap).

Depending on the work environment and framework conditions, when there are changes in behavior at work (e.g. increased breaks, fewer work results), it is advisable to seek a discussion with the supervisor and, if applicable, colleagues to prevent frustration and prejudice.

‍

Adapt work environment

The environment can influence fatigue. This includes the working environment, workload, background noise and lighting conditions. Which environment is pleasant is individual and may vary. Is it possible to work in an individual office or is home office an option? Tools such as to-do lists or post-its can also help you not to forget anything despite difficulty concentrating. 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, which helps you to do your work in the best possible way. Open discussions can also help here to counteract prejudices and incomprehension. Also can

Reduce stress

Studies have shown that both stress from your environment and self-imposed pressure have a negative effect on fatigue. This is especially true when a sense of loss of control spreads and those thoughts and feelings go unsaid. Open discussions and a proactive approach can help to deal with fatigue in everyday life. Relaxation methods such as meditation and breathing exercises and preservational approaches such as attention- or acceptance-based exercises can also help to deal with fatigue.

Adjust your lifestyle

Since fatigue is not limited to everyday working life, it is important to integrate the best conditions for proactive fatigue management into your general lifestyle. The four main pillars are

• good sleep management,
• a healthy diet
• movement and
• social support.

In a professional context, the topic of sleep must be considered separately. Regular sleep at as constant a rhythm as possible and good sleep hygiene are important factors in managing fatigue. Shift work and night shifts, which have an effect on sleep patterns, can make symptoms more difficult. Here, too, an open discussion with the supervisor can be helpful to define solutions that everyone involved agrees with. It may be possible to temporarily plan assignments on day shifts or it may be possible to pursue another job 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.

Adjust or retrain working hours

Even despite the strategies mentioned above, it may of course be that the exhaustion is too great to cope with the workload or meet safety requirements. If incapacity to work is out of the question for personal reasons, reducing the number of hours can be a middle way. A flexitime model can also help to respond more flexibly to health requirements.
Another alternative is retraining to pursue new tasks in a different work environment. Aid is provided by the Federal Employment Agency, disease-related counseling centers (German Cancer Society, German Multiple Sclerosis Society, Federal Association ME/CFS) and rehabilitation clinics.

‍

Should I talk to my employer?

In principle, health is a private matter — as an employee, no one is legally obliged to inform their supervisor of an illness as long as the illness does not pose any risks to the person concerned or others. However, if fatigue leads to massive restrictions in work results or if the job is accompanied by excessive demands and therefore stress, open communication can help. Supportive measures can only be introduced if an employer knows what is bothering employees.

Studies were able to show that early communication was associated with a higher level of work retention. On the other hand, patients with higher work pressure and fewer adjustment options at work showed a higher level of fatigue. Avoiding problems instead of tackling them proactively was linked to increased fatigue among those affected, which speaks in favor of actively seeking a conversation. However, whether or not talking to your supervisor is the right way to go remains a personal decision.

It is also important that, in accordance with Sections 164 and 167 SGB IX, employers are obliged to exploit all options to end the incapacity of their employees to work, prevent further incapacity to work and maintain the job. In addition, many larger companies also have specialized occupational health promotions and effective corporate integration management (BEM), which you may be able to make use of.

‍

synopsis

Combining fatigue and work can be difficult and frustrating. Small adjustments in everyday working life can help to manage energy resources and tasks and proactively counteract early disability. Reducing hours or retraining can also be helpful. Since social support, reduced work pressure and more adjustments in the workplace are linked to a reduced level of fatigue, a proactive approach with supervisors and colleagues can be recommended. Of course, the decision to deal openly with the disease is very individual and cannot be taken from anyone.

When making decisions, it can help to put yourself in the perspective of colleagues and supervisors: What do I think if a colleague withdraws for no reason, works less or is unavailable more often than usual? How do I react when a colleague openly shares his symptoms, fears and associated thoughts? Most people respond in a benevolent and supportive way. Supervisors also have an interest in maintaining and promoting the health of all employees — after all, good work results can only be achieved if the employees are doing well. It often makes sense to take a step back and promote health instead of increasing fatigue through additional stress, for example.

Information on the topics of disability, rehabilitation and professional reintegration can be found in our article on Work and fatigue - professional reintegration.