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It's rare that I would base an entire article on a single e-mail, but I recently received one that caught my attention because it's something we can all relate to: burnout.

I was asked what intraneters can do to relieve the stress associated with the daily grind of managing a corporate intranet, or in some cases a global extranet. There are so many variables associated with intranets -- many of which are beyond our direct control since intranets involve the participation of multiple disparate teams. To add to the mix, all of these groups have their own set of specific requirements and, more often that not, have their own interests and objectives at heart. It's not hard to understand how some people can feel the pressures of having to keep all of this together. So, here are some things I learned from the trenches of working on a large corporate intranet:

Work to live, don't live to work
Remember the "world's collide" theory from Seinfeld? It simply means you should keep two separate and distinct lives separate. If you're constantly in work mode wherever you go, you'll never fully enjoy anything you do. And this problem is heightened with the persistent connectivity provided by portable devices such as the Blackberry. This need to be constantly plugged into the office is a fabrication. Unless lives are at stake, learn to unplug yourself and leave your work at work.

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Get a life
Try to maintain an active life outside work. Don't allow your job, no matter how stressful, to consume your entire life. This means you need to stop taking the office home with you. Admittedly, this isn't easy. Too many people define themselves by what they do, but it's vital to separate your work and personal life or both will suffer. If work is all you have, every little setback or minor hiccup will be magnified tenfold and will creep into what's left of your personal life. You'll wind up sacrificing an outside life -- canceling plans with family and friends -- for the sake of work. Do this too many times and work will be all you have left. You need to draw a line between the two halves of your life.

Find an outlet
"I've got to go punch the hell out of something..." is a typical comment I got from a high-strung former colleague who was unable to deal with the stress of having to manage a dozen content providers, and editing and validating all their entries. While punching the hell out of something might be a good idea if you're a boxer preparing for a title bout, it's probably best to find a more productive way of releasing your stress. Try running, cycling, yoga, meditation, tai chi, shooting hoops; anything to get your mind off work.

Most people find physical activity -- especially within a group setting -- more effective than sitting still or being active alone because they're not used to slowing their mind down. In the silence they'll probably end up obsessing over their troubles. Physical activity is also proven to increase the levels of serotonin in the brain, a chemical known to combat aggression, anger, and depression. The important thing is not to indulge in activities that can lead to obsessive or addictive behaviors such as gambling or drinking. This will create a whole slew of other more severe problems.

Take a vacation
Working non-stop over a long period of time is probably the biggest contributing factor to worker burnout. Even machines need some time to recharge or cool down. You're given vacation days for a reason, so take them. Don't worry, the world's not going to end if you do. You're not standing guard over a big red button marked KA-BOOM. As long as you don't take your vacation during important dates such as system roll-out, the company will be fine without you for a week or two.

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