A few years ago I did a meditation class. This experience opened my eyes. The other participants were all in their late 30s, and early 40s. Doctors, architects, developers, managers. They looked healthy, super successful, and full in control but I learned all of them suffered from burnout.
They described burnout as something horrific, something to be avoided at all costs. All mentioned early warning signs they ignored: Burnout is something others have.
Many years later, as part of my CTA journey, I saw it again, people burning out. Out of a blue, they dropped from the journey, some for weeks, some for months, and some never returned.
I learned: Burnout is serious, but underestimated risk. In my line of work, I have to manage that risk every day.
Our line of work can be very demanding. Constant change, always stressful projects, and all the success from others we see on LinkedIn. This makes us, especially at risk for burnout. But nobody can be on high alert all the time. So please all of you amazing people out there, don’t underestimate the risk of burnout!
I for myself found that managing burnout is not something “I fix once” but is a daily task to manage.
A few strategies I found that work for me, maybe they are helpful for others:
1. Not work and study more than 40h per week on average
2. Breaks are mandatory
3. Do easy tasks in between
4. Family + Fun + Friends are mandatory!
5. Sport and meditation, every little thing helps
6. Look for early warning signs
7. If burnout happens, accept it.
8. Sleep enough
PS: Individuals can burn out but also whole teams or even companies.