You’re feeling burnt out in your sustainability career. What can you do to recharge?

Burnout is real, and sustainability careers can be demanding. Be honest with yourself. Are you experiencing fatigue, insomnia, irritability, or reduced creativity? Feeling less motivated or satisfied with your work? These could be signs of burnout. Ignoring them won't make them disappear. It's time to prioritize self-care and recharge.

Please be aware if you stay in the same point without evolution for many days … interrupt this process and take a time, more than 15 days to go back to this issue again . If repeat the vicious circle interrupt for 3 months, if in not enough please change the work for ever .

Once you admit you're burnt out stop pushing yourself further. Disconnecting is crucial. Consider paid time off, a staycation, or a digital detox to truly step away from work, often unproductive meetings, emails and news. Disconnecting allows your mind and body to reset. Immerse yourself in the natural world, after all saving it was your original aim to go for that career, right?. Go for hikes, spend time in parks, or volunteer for environmental restoration projects. Nature has a restorative effect on mental well-being. Prioritize activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit. This could include exercise, meditation, yoga, spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or getting enough sleep. Once you feel regenerated try projects

. Set Boundaries: Stop being a one-person show. Prioritize tasks, delegate, and say "no" to misaligned requests. Protect your time for self-care and recharge. . Reconnect with Nature: Immerse yourself in the cause you fight for! Hike, garden, or volunteer in a local conservation project. Remember, nature revitalizes. . Seek Support: Talk to colleagues or a therapist. Don't bottle up your struggles. A supportive network can make a world of difference. . Fuel Your Passion: Rediscover what ignited your sustainability journey. Read inspiring stories, attend conferences, or find a sustainability mentor. Reignite your fire!

Eco-depression is real. It is all too easy to get worn out by the grim news in sustainability - and the constant fight inhouse and externally for engagement and funds. Here, LinkedIn can be invaluable for creating a support group. LinkedIn messaging can be used to form groups of like-minded professionals where you can vent privately to other folks who get it. The support of peers who understand the pressures - and the challenges - can be such a lifeline. I find solace in the LI groups I have been invited to join through messaging. We share not only resources but open up about the good days and the bad. Professional help like counselors and coaches is always out there - but sometimes all you need is the shoulder of a caring colleague.

Reconnect with sustainability concepts again and try to explore new area of sustainability other than your skill set. Learn the new skill and master the competency to get yourself back on track to pursue and excel in sustainability professional. As we all know sustainability spectrum is massive and it’s not possible for one professional to master all areas under the umbrella of ESG dimensions. Moreover, sustainability is evolving on day to day Baiis based on changes in regulations, new standards, UN requirements etc. keep yourself involved in exploring and adopting new areas to keep the interest level going from one dimension is sustainability to another.

Aligning with the “something new” concept I like to look for synergies with other fast growing sectors such as Digitization or macroeconomic trends such as Near Shoring. This allows to switch to slow gears as you learn a new topic with a large sustainability toolkit that might create new pathways for sustainable growth within critical applications. For me, this process allows the mind to reignite drive and escape burnout in an active way.

Explore new ventures within sustainability. Look for new topics in the field which are relatively new or came into existence due to regulators, statutory obligations, UN agenda, nee certification etc. new concepts will keep an individual interested in exploring, learning, and mastering the area. This will help in gradually building and diversifying your portfolio.

Feeling burnt out in your fight for a greener future? Remember, you're not alone. Sustainability can be a demanding field. Combat cynicism by surrounding yourself with other passionate professionals. Sharing experiences and strategies with a supportive network of sustainability champions can rekindle your purpose and offer fresh perspectives to navigate the challenges, together.

We all need time to recharge, and in my experience one of the best ways is to get outside; spend ‘down time’ in nature. No special ‘tools’ needed. Just disconnect. Leave your phone at home! Not just on silent, where you’ll be tempted to check. Resist photographs. Just immerse yourself in your environment. Reconnect with #Nature. Take the time to stop and enjoy the view. Listen to the birds. It will help you to ‘switch off’ and, hopefully, at the same time re-energise you on your personal sustainability plans.

Work life balance must be planned and stuck to with as much urgency as that big pitch to Google or AXA. Be your own best friend and listen to your inner voice. Invest time in your loved ones including friends (it ain’t just family) but make sure you are shutting down the noise that fills a working day. My escape is motor sport (driving) and fly fishing. Both equally addictive in a good way.

One thing that has helped me is exploring the "slow lifestyle movement". It gives good guidance of how to slow down your life, so that you could achieve more with doing less. As usually burning out comes from the wish to achieve more and more, then this could be a helpful concept to learn more about.