What do you do if you're a product manager experiencing burnout?

Burnout happens when you expend more energy than you receive. To address this, identify the sources that drain your energy, such as stress or a toxic work environment, and the areas where you lack positive emotions, like recognition or personal fulfillment. To combat burnout, pinpoint the imbalances in your energy flow and work towards restoring equilibrium. Set boundaries, practice self-care, seek support, and focus on activities that bring you joy.

To deal with burnout, you must first be aware of its existence. If we have the following signs, we may have burnout: 1- Feeling sleepy during the day 2- Unwillingness to attend meetings 3- Aggression 4- Hassiness 5- Lack of interaction with colleagues 6- Escape from tasks 7- Doing low quality work 8- Continuous fatigue

Product managing is all about, how can the product serve the costumer. Because if you serve, you benefit. These are the terms of KARMA. What value can the product offer to the customer? How can the company guarantee the service? Very often the product manager has to settle in between the product producer and the client. Two parties to serve. From the point of view of the product producer there is always a pressure to produce good sales figures. From the point of view of the client you have to offer the best product which serves the requirements. To avoid that your product manager experiences burnout settle clear, ethical agreements. Because the way you act, comes back to you. KARMA!

If you're a product manager feeling burned out, it's important to take care of yourself. Start by talking to someone you trust, whether it's your manager, a colleague, or a friend. They might have some helpful advice or just lend a supportive ear. Take breaks when you need them, even if it means stepping away from work for a bit. Prioritize tasks and focus on what's really important to avoid feeling overwhelmed. And don't forget to make time for things you enjoy outside of work to recharge your batteries. It's okay to ask for help or delegate tasks if you're feeling stretched too thin. Remember, your well-being matters too.

Recognize the signs of burnout, among other things: Chronic fatigue, Reduced motivation, Increased negativity, Difficulty focusing, Lower productivity, and Social withdrawal. More importantly if there is a change of attitude from when you start the job you're probably burnt out.

Take a mental health day or days off work to pause, and regroup. It might not solve the underlying problems that lead to burnout but time out can relieve the stress. Mental health is still a taboo topic but more and more employers are recognising the need and offer mental health days to employees.

By nature, a PM's role and activities may appear be totally without boundaries, and hence it's important to do what's in your control - at least define some time boundaries. Clearly block out times on your calendar for when you can't be expected to be available to work. Burnout can also happen when even within the working time window, you're spending most of the time in meetings, and getting very little done in a day. To prevent this, block time separately for meetings with the team, and time separately for deep work (discovery, requirements, roadmap updates, etc). Successful PMs who overcome burnout know how to draw boundaries, and stick to them.

Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout from spreading into other areas. This might involve setting specific work hours, limiting after-hours communication, and prioritizing self-care activities.

Managing priorities is key to preventing burnout. Start by distinguishing between tasks that are urgent and those that are important, prioritizing actions that deliver the most value to your product. One way I prioritize my features is to look at customers needs through sentiment analysis and support tickets analysis to deliver the low hanging fruits.

I'll try to prioritize tasks as per urgency and importance. Do First: Urgent and important tasks that require immediate attention. These are the non-negotiables that often have tight deadlines and significant consequences if not completed promptly. Schedule: Important but not urgent tasks. They require scheduled time to ensure progress without the pressure of looming deadlines. Delegate: Urgent but not important tasks. Delegating these tasks frees up valuable time for more critical work. Eliminate: Neither urgent nor important tasks. These are the distractions that can often be eliminated altogether. Cutting out these time-wasters is crucial for maintaining focus and productivity.

To avoid burnout, you should know how to manage priorities. First, differentiate between what is urgent and what is important. It means focusing on those activities that give your product the most value. To put it in another way, you can use tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks before delegating or postponing less necessary ones. This not only helps streamline the workload but also ensures progress on critical projects, which somewhat reduces the overwhelming feeling of having too much on your plate. Remember, you are the owner and responsible for training your brain and body.

Some things I have found helpful is 1- Find the right time to give yourself and the teams you handle a think week. This should be a break from the regular work and let everyone spend time on any topic (related to work in some form) that they do not get to during normal working weeks. This will help take a break but also upskill to some extend at the same time. 2- Dedicate a sprint or 2 to clear the backlog for existing features and tooling. Most of the time we try to think of something new and keep thinking about the unknown. But find the right time to stop thinking about something new and instead closing the gaps and iterating on things that are already out there. This will be impactful but also less stressful.

Many times priorities are not what you believe, sometimes you have to let your calendar speak and stop overestimating your energy with endless to-dos. Simple things to do: 1. Strict No-No to ad-hoc works 2. Task switching is okay(between people, is not) 3. Block your time for no screen time 4. Don't think others can't do it, rather empower them 5. Work to feed your creator conscience 6. Change where you sit for work 7. Be in the moment(Really, really, really)

我坚持每周至少跑步3次，每次3公里，另外23点前入睡，中午午睡40分钟，每工作1小时就会起来活动身体，这让我可以保持充足的精力。另外周六我会定期陪家人去户外活动，让身心得到彻底的放松，这让我在工作时更有激情。保持单位时间只做一件事，或者在某个特定时间专门思考一个问题，会让我们更专注。

Amidst the demands of overseeing projects, meeting deadlines, and navigating various stakeholders, it's easy to become overwhelmed and neglect self-care. However, incorporating moments of pause into one's daily routine is essential for recharging and sustaining productivity in the long run. Whether it's stepping away from my desk for a short walk; these breaks allow one to clear their mind, alleviate stress, and return to tasks with renewed focus and energy. By prioritizing self-care and recognizing the value of regular breaks, one can be better equipped to manage burnout and maintain peak performance as a product manager.

Incorporate self-care rituals into your daily routine to recharge and rejuvenate. This could include exercise, meditation, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. Making time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation is essential for combating burnout.

One of the bravest things someone can do is - to ask for help. As this means you are not running from the problem and want to be bigger than that. Talk to your manager or HR: They're there to help. They can see if there are any resources or accommodations they can offer, like adjusting your workload or providing additional support. Lean on your team : Don't hesitate to reach out and ask for help or even just a listening ear. Take time for self-care: It's important to prioritize your well-being. Make sure you're taking breaks, getting enough sleep, exercising, and doing things you enjoy outside of work. Consider seeking professional help: If you're really struggling, talking to a therapist or counselor can be incredibly beneficial.

Seeking support is vital when facing burnout. When you create a supportive system within your organization, it can immensely benefit you in this kind of situation. This might include working more closely with your team in order to split up tasks evenly, seeking out senior managers for mentoring purposes, or even joining peer networks and support group of product managers. Also, professional counseling or coaching outside work can provide strategies on how to cope with stress and improve work-life balance.

Remember that you are not alone in this. You have a team to work with you. Learn by delegating the less important tasks to other team members who can help you in this situation. Talk to people, and see if some of your existing load can be distributed. Seeking support is not a symbol of weakness.

Reach out to your manager, colleagues, or a trusted mentor for support. Share your feelings and concerns openly, and don't hesitate to ask for help when needed. Having a strong support network can provide valuable perspective and assistance during challenging times.

Well, it happens to the best of us. If you're finding it tough to cope, it might be time to consider getting some professional help. Yep, I'm talking about reaching out to a therapist or counselor. These folks are like your personal cheerleaders, but with strategies to tackle stress and help you bounce back from burnout. They'll listen to what's going on, offer some solid advice, and work with you to come up with a plan to get back on track. Plus, having someone with an outside perspective can really make a difference. Remember, taking care of your mental health is crucial. So, don't hesitate to reach out if you need it. After all, a healthier work-life balance is the key to being your best self, both personally and professionally.

If burnout persists despite your efforts to address it, consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counsellor. They can offer personalized strategies and coping mechanisms to manage burnout effectively and restore your well-being.

Burnout is a serious issue and it's especially common for product managers due to the demanding nature of the role. Here are some steps you can take if you are a product manager experiencing burnout: Recognize the signs: Be aware of the common signs of burnout, such as exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, decreased productivity, and difficulty concentrating. Address the root cause: Identify the factors contributing to your burnout. Is it your workload, lack of control, unclear expectations, or something else? Talk to someone: Don't bottle it up. Confide in a trusted colleague, mentor, or therapist. Set boundaries: Learn to say no to take on more than you can handle. It's okay to delegate tasks and prioritize your well-being.

Burnout is the result of high-intensity work that provides no sense of gratification. This shouldn't be confused with high-intensity work that constantly provides gratification & reward, under which burnout is not as common. Understanding this concept can help nail down the source. In product development, burnout is often associated with meetings, admin, vendor communication, and lots more. Tasks that don't pertain to building things can do this to you- so try to find the right balance. 80% building, 20% admin.

Evaluate workload, manage time effectively, develop skills, seek feedback, engage with the community, integrate work-life balance, practice mindfulness, plan career, and engage in self-reflection to address burnout. Prioritize self-care and seek support when needed.

I've learned the hard way how important it is to recognize the signs. A few months ago, I was juggling a major launch and side projects. I started feeling irritable, exhausted, and uncharacteristically demotivated. That's when I knew I was heading towards burnout. I spoke openly with my manager, and we were able to reprioritize my workload and delegate some tasks. I also made a conscious effort to truly disconnect from work during my off-time to recharge. Recovery took time, but this experience made me a strong advocate for recognizing burnout within my team. I make sure to check in with them regularly to discuss workload and encourage open communication about well-being.