What do you do if your energy levels are plummeting and burnout is looming in product development?

Burnout isn't just a personal struggle; it can impact the entire team. As a leader, it's crucial to recognize the signs not just in yourself, but also in your team members. Look for changes in behavior, decreased productivity, or a drop in morale. Let me share my own experience. During the development of a new app, I noticed one of my star developers making constant mistakes and missing deadlines. It turned out he was juggling personal issues and was on the verge of burnout. Recognizing the signs allowed me to intervene early. We had a conversation, restructured his workload, and provided support. Early intervention prevented a complete breakdown and saved a valuable team member.

Below are some questions that may help by Adding visibility and proper governance Who are the owners and do they know the product from end to end? Are the teams equipped with the right resources? Is there scope creep adding more work to the deadline? How is this managed? Are the right folks monitoring this? What’s taking up unplanned capacity? If Agile what’s been the velocity trend? Are teams estimations getting better or worse? Is there any work being performed that’s outside the committed work?

Burnout is real. Often the subtle signs artart appearing mauch earlier then it becomes a blocker. Less engaged team, frequent interpersonal issues, increased attrition is some of early signals. The main reason for it is expectation mismanagement. As a leader one must be setting the right expectation from team.

Burnout is a serious issue that shouldn't be ignored. Your body and mind give warning signs of impending collapse. Pushing through only delays the inevitable crash. Take breaks, walk, practice mindfulness, and disconnect digitally. Spend time in nature, limit caffeine and sugar, and exercise regularly. Don't hesitate to share your feelings with others; it can lighten the load and provide essential support.

practice hooponopono. it is truly amazing. too many people replay data and meetings in their head instead of leaving it to your subconscious which thinks 11million times a second. See 9 videos on u tube by Dr Hew Len. he is the master who taught me.

There's no magic to making it disappear, but we can learn ways to both prevent it and cope with it when it rears its ugly head. Different personalities are energized or burnt out by different aspects of the job. Presenting to executives often might energize one person, while exhausting another. Receiving critical feedback may glide off one person, while deeply draining another. Get to know what builds energy for you and what drains it, keep a list. Set boundaries around what you can control, and buffer the draining moments that you can't.

Some great reads related to this- “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski - This book provides a deep dive into the science of stress and burnout, offering practical strategies for managing stress and completing the stress cycle. 2. “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport - Newport’s book is essential for anyone looking to improve their capacity for intense focus and productivity while establishing boundaries that protect personal time and space. 3. “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown - A guide to achieving more by doing less, focusing on what truly matters, and eliminating what doesn’t, which is crucial for preventing burnout.

Talking to a coworker, friend, or even a therapist can be a game-changer. They can be your cheerleader, brainstorming buddy, or just a listening ear. Remember, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It shows you're committed to tackling burnout and building a sustainable career.

Your colleagues understand the situation you are in better, than others outside the organisation. So discussing with them the issues always helps. They not only provide practical solutions but also might cooperate better, so the motivation to perform with a positive mind returns.

As an enthusiast for product innovation, it's common to find oneself trapped in the burnout cycle due to unwavering dedication. However, authentic innovation seldom emerges during periods of burnout. Instead, it frequently materializes during moments of reprieve and revitalization when taking a deliberate break. Some things that have helped me take those deliberate breaks are: ? Schedule breaks into your daily routine. ? Use alarms or reminders. ? Communicate boundaries with colleagues. ? Plan break activities in advance. ? Track break times for consistency. ? Find an accountability partner. ? Regularly reflect and adjust. Remember, prioritizing well-being benefits both you and your product's success.

Embark on a 3-day hiking trip. Being immersed in nature swiftly triggers reflective moments to review your action plan. Plus, the physical exertion releases dopamine, enhancing your mood and motivation.

Developing a growth mindset helps you embrace continuous learning and enables you to see mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn, not personal setbacks that have dealt your efforts futile. When you start reviewing mistakes and failure, you understand why things work out, and inform your future approaches with those learnings. Besides, not dreading failure and accepting it as part of your product journey eases its mental impact, if you come to dread it and miss out on opportunities for learning and growth.

It's always too soon to give up! Burnout, brain fade, and creative stagnation are all part of the game. There is no one magic way...realize that we all go through it. Put on your "big folks hat" and start again. Ya, take a break...but don't quit and never give up o your goals, ideas, and...yourself.

Here's another example from my experience. After noticing a dip in team morale during a extremely challenging project, I suggested to HR organize a team-building escape room challenge. It was a blast! Working together to solve puzzles rekindled the sense of teamwork and collaboration. We emerged from the challenge refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the next hurdles. So, early intervention for team member burnout is crucial, but don't forget the power of fostering a fun work environment. A little fun goes a long way in preventing burnout and boosting team spirit.

Building a product can feel serious, but that doesn't mean there's no room for joy. Take a dance break with your team, celebrate wins with silly hats, or learn a new coding trick together. A little fun can refuel your creativity and make the journey just as exciting as the destination.

Reflecting on a tale from a renowned software development company, they faced a major burnout crisis among their team during a crucial project phase. Recognizing the early signs of fatigue and disengagement, management took decisive action to reinvigorate their team's spirit and energy. They implemented "No Meeting Wednesdays," allowing developers uninterrupted time to focus on creative tasks or to simply recharge. Additionally, they introduced flexible work hours and encouraged the use of personal days specifically for mental health. To foster a supportive community, they organized team-building retreats focused not on work, but on relaxation and fun activities, effectively blending professional and personal growth.

Generally burn out results from constant execution wherein we tend to lose sight of the impact being driven. Couple of ideas to counter: 1. Regular practice - introducing ‘cool down week’ every other month where engg team focuses on cleaning up tech debt and PMs can do focused strategy work. 2. One-time measures - add a project on the roadmap to explore new technologies which could spark the interest again. Another potential project to focus on for a change could be a Product audit to gather deeper user feedback to inform strategy.

There are two things you can do to combat burn out. 1. Proactive: recognizing early signs, recognizing patterns, meditating, self care, taking breaks, taking vacations, establishing boundaries etc., 2. Reactive: acknowledging you’re experiencing burnout and taking a step back and doing everything listed above immediately. Except in this case it takes a lot longer to overcome than if you were to practice some of the things in (1) proactively from day 1

Burnout doesn't sneak up overnight. Constant fatigue, cynicism, and trouble focusing are all red flags. If you see these, take a step back, recharge, and don't be afraid to delegate or ask for help. It's better to hit pause than push through and crash.

If it's for me, I need to check in with myself and see what's happening why has it plummeted, once I become aware of it I will then do something that will aid in bringing back up my productivity wether it be fun or something I like doing. If it's team members the 2 things I would do is sit down with everyone individually for a check in, see what I can do to help them or do a spontaneous action and book my company or team members to go engage in a fun activity, something that has nothing to do with work... Sometimes it's that reset moment that helps us to regain the strong focus we already have within us.