Almost half of employees say they have felt consistently stressed at work over recent months, and about a third state they are exhausted or burned out. Specifically, three out of four senior-level women cite burnout as the reason they are considering downshifting careers or leaving all together, reported McKinsey & Company in a report 2020 Women in the Workplace.
It is vital for employees to set daily routines to prevent burnout or reset to eliminate burnout. Mandy O’Neill, Associate Professor of Management at the George Mason University School of Business and Senior Scientist at the University Center for the Advancement of Well-being, recently dug into burnout and a process to reset as shared on the HBR’s Women at Work podcast.
Identify that you may have burnout and don’t bury it. Health and relationships are affected negatively when we don’t stop and acknowledge this feeling or experience.
Connecting with our caring, close relationships helps end or prevent burnout. Mandy O’Neill calls it creating a “Emotional Culture of Companion at Love.” While together, incorporate belly laughs and laughter. It’s health for your soul and emotional and physical wellbeing. O’Neill talks about when we hear belly laughs in our place of employment, such is a great sign of emotionally healthy cultures.
Refocus on a different part of your job which will give you a refreshed and renewed outlook. In addition, reorganize your day so you are working on different parts of your job in the morning or afternoon. Don’t forget to set aside certain specific times to check email instead of a continuous response method.
Science doesn’t lie. Our batteries need to be recharged and burnout is lowered when we show up with a full charge for the challenges of the day. Start earlier aiming for a two-hour slowdown of activities getting both your mind and body ready to sleep.
Take the stressors out of your day and purposefully find gratitude in your opportunities and work. Companies that are built around the power of gratitude increase productivity. Try a daily gratitude journal or evening faith practices.
Lend help to another.
Lend a helping hand for another and you will indeed feel better. When we get our eyes on the needs of others our compassion grows as we engage in service.
Rally a network of trusted colleagues and friends that you can tap into when you’re a fish in water and you can’t see the water getting dirty. One such network is the Women Leaders Transforming Influence where women are coming together and supporting one another, gaining tools and strengthening their network.
To learn more about burnout
and Dawn's work in developing leaders and the
Women Leaders Transforming Influence
(WOLTI) network,
Reach out to Dawn Y. Graber,
Senior Consultant
Executive & Leadership Coach