Leadership Burnout

Burnout is a rampant problem for business leaders. A recent Harvard Business Review found that 50% of mangers reported feeling burned out. 28% of US employees report burnout symptoms and 1 in 3 report feeling workplace stress. Leaders are the most influential factor in burnout of their direct reports and company employees. As a leader, you set the company’s culture.

How to Know if I’m Burned Out

Most leaders do not know how burned out they are. In fact, others usually know before the leader knows. Burnout is a state of emotional, mental and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Here are some common symptoms of burnout.

Preventing Burnout

How can you pour into your business without sacrificing your own mental health? The most important thing you can do to keep your direct reports and employees from burning out is to set an example and keep yourself from burning out. In addition to your relationship with God, here are some actions you can take to help you prevent burnout.

1. Take care of your earth-suit – This world is not our home but as long as we are alive we need to take care of the suit we where while we are still here. That means getting the proper amount of sleep and nutrition. It means dealing head on with any health challenges and regularly getting your body moving.

 “Just because you dealt with the stressor doesn’t mean you’ve dealt with the stress itself. And you have to deal with the stress – “Complete the cycle” – or it will slowly kill you.” – Emily and Amelia Nagoski.

2. Complete the stress cycle – When you get triggered, God built your brain to dump a huge amount of chemicals into your body – so you can run or fight. When you deal with the stressor, don’t forget that you also need to do something with the stress. That means physically spending the dumped chemicals.

“The stories we tell ourselves shape our reactions, influencing how we lead and interacte and significantly impact our leadership effectiveness.” – Kandi Wiens

3. Increase self-awareness – The more you know yourself, the better the leader you will be. Leaders who are unaware of the internal thought and emotional climate are dangerous. If you do not know your wounds – the stories you tell yourself about who you are – you will bleed on everyone around you.
4. Connect with supportive relationships – God said that it is not good to be alone. He built us with a  deep desire for connection. As leaders we must let go of the myth of solo success and forge deeper and broader connections. Healthy relationships buffer stress and directly prevent burnout.

More than 7,200 souls have discovered more of who they are and are living intentionally toward their goals in authentic community with others because they experienced the transformational work of a Crucible Men’s Retreat or Women’s Retreat. Step out of the schedule and electronic connection of your busy life. Set aside a weekend of self-discovery. See what blessings from God are awaiting you on an upcoming retreat. You and those you lead will thank you God for such a purposeful 44 hours.