Handling Burnout When Your World is on Fire

As Laura began her newly appointed director role for a customer account team, the pressure to not only perform but excel was immense. She found herself logging out at 10 p.m. and spending weekends emailing clients to prove herself to her team, with no time for anything else.

Even as stress from her rigorous schedule began to bubble, Laura, like 63% of women leaders and founders, dismissed these feelings as a “rough stretch” or “the cost of growing.”

Before she knew it, that stress became something far worse. Her morning alarm became a source of dread. She found herself snapping at her team more and more. Once-a-month headaches grew into daily headaches.

Signs you’re headed towards burnout

When Laura spoke about her situation, I first ran through a list of red flags that can point to signs of burnout.

Neglecting non-negotiables

You find yourself neglecting activities or habits outside of work that are important to you. Sleep, nutrient-dense foods, daily body movement, and getting outside can all be non-negotiables.

Change or loss of values

Your core values are a guiding compass for so many aspects of your life. But when you find those values starting to slip or become more malleable, it’s time to realign and stand firm in your beliefs.

Changes in mood or behavior

Any time you see yourself coming off more unintentional than intentional in your behavior, such as jokes coming off more biting than playful, anger surfacing more, or even an emotional state that’s not settled, these are signs of something definitely not being in alignment, and it’s time to look into why that’s happening.

Loss of motivation

You find yourself needing more recovery time before or after work, scrolling through your phone, or even unable to get out of bed; these can be signs that you need to reaffirm your passion and motivation.

Unrecognizable life

One of the most severe signs of burnout. It’s characterized by an inability to pull yourself out of a hole, resulting in feelings of detachment and numbness towards your life and work.

Actions to take against burnout

Once we’ve identified a couple of those red flags, I suggested a few actions when dealing with burnout.

The importance of rest and sleep

An easy way to lower early burnout is rest. One of the first things we push aside for more time in our day is sleep. But our bodies aren’t machines designed to run that way. Find time for a nap, more sleep, or even a mental health day to recharge and recover.

Play the detective

It’s important when addressing your burnout to tackle it from a neutral perspective. It helps to visit a place that quiets the noise so you can focus on what you need. This place should be anywhere but home or work to avoid immediate distractions. It could even help to write your thoughts and feelings in a notepad, rather than a laptop or phone, to avoid distractions.

Reaffirm or establish new boundaries

Once you’ve played detective on the issues, think about whether you need smaller or bigger changes in your routine. Look for ways to cut back on your work and allow your energy to redistribute back into those non-negotiables, rest, or even fun for yourself.

Be honest with yourself and ask for help

Burnout isn’t something you should have to deal with by yourself. Identify areas in your life that you need help with and lean on your support groups, family, friends, and community.

By our third call, Laura had broken the burnout cycle. We set fierce boundaries with herself and her coworkers to prevent her late-night work sessions and weekend hours. Her evenings turned from late-night work sessions into pleasant walks in the park.

To begin your steps into taking action against burnout, reach out today to schedule your free Legacy call and start reclaiming your balance, passion, and well-being.

Related articles by Tristen Stawicki:

Stop Chasing, Start Attracting: How to Weave Your Non-Negotiables Into the Core of Your Business Strategy

Legit or Full of It? 5 Red Flags That Reveal an Unqualified Coach