You're a people manager who's feeling overwhelmed. How can you tell if you're headed for burnout?

1 What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by chronic stress. It can make you feel drained, detached, cynical, and ineffective at work. Burnout can also lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other health problems. Burnout is not the same as stress, which is a normal and sometimes positive response to challenges. Stress can be managed and resolved, while burnout requires more profound changes in your work environment, lifestyle, and mindset.

2 What causes burnout?

Burnout can be caused by various internal and external factors, and people managers are particularly vulnerable. Common causes of burnout for them include having too many or unclear goals and expectations, too little control or autonomy over their work, too little support or recognition from superiors or peers, too little feedback or communication from their team or stakeholders, too little time or resources to complete their tasks, too little balance or boundaries between their work and personal life, and too little passion or meaning in their work.

4 How can you prevent burnout?

Burnout can be prevented by taking proactive steps to reduce stress, increase resilience, and improve well-being. To do this, clarify goals and priorities that align with your values and purpose, and communicate them to your team and stakeholders. Delegate or eliminate tasks that are not essential or aligned with your goals. Ask for regular and constructive feedback from superiors and peers, and give feedback to team members. Build and maintain support networks with colleagues, friends, and family, and seek professional help if needed. Set and respect boundaries by saying no to requests or demands that are unreasonable or unrealistic, and protect time for rest, recovery, and reflection. Lastly, practice self-care by taking care of physical, mental, and emotional health. Engage in activities that bring joy, creativity, and fulfillment. Be kind to yourself.

5 How can you recover from burnout?

If you're already burned out, it's important to take urgent action to restore your energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness. Acknowledge and accept your burnout; don't deny it or blame yourself or others. Seek and accept help from trusted friends, family, or colleagues; consult a doctor, therapist, or coach. Take a break if possible and use this time to rest and recharge. Make changes to address the root causes of your burnout and set new goals and boundaries. As a people manager, recognizing the signs of burnout, preventing it, and recovering from it can help protect your health, happiness, and performance. You can also be a better leader, mentor, and role model for your team and organization.