You're working long hours in a marketing career. How can you avoid burnout?

Don't work long hours.... There's economy of scale for efficiency, a point where the extra work you put in isn't worth the output. You can't manage others if you can't manage yourself. You can't advocate for your client or company either. That doesn't meant walk out the door at 5:01. It does mean picking your spots to not go 8000 RPM and using your vacation. Successful people rest.

Know that you're not paid for the hours expended, but for your results. That requires a few things: Always prioritizing, knowing what work will have the biggest impact; Focusing and unitasking rather than attempting to multitasking (which us doing lots of things, none of them well); and doing what needs to be done to clear your mind to approach each meeting and task with an engaged brain.

Make sure I sign off at a normal time (5pm), don't answer emails well after hrs. Take time off, don't check in, prioritize to keep my day in order.

In my journey, I've learned that setting realistic goals is crucial for mitigating burnout. It's about leading by example and establishing both team and personal goals that are truly attainable. When leadership sets achievable goals, it sets a positive tone for the entire team. Overextending leadership places undue pressure on everyone else. By setting specific and achievable goals from the top down, we can foster a healthier, more productive environment where everyone can thrive.

It is important to set clear boundaries between work and personal life. Defining specific work hours and checking emails or responding to work-related messages only during these hours can help achieve this.

In my experience, the key to trusting delegation starts with having trust in your hiring process. If you cannot trust the vetting process from the outset, how can one expect to delegate efficiently? Hire people whom you can trust and empower willingly.

Use the Eisenhower matrix to help organize what you are better deprioritizing vs delegating. It might not be worth your team's effort either. If you are going to delegate, be sure both of you are clear on what needs to be done, when and how. Then, let them handle it. Respect their way of doing things as long as the aligned upon objectives are met.

- Utilise the calendar app fully and make everyone familiar with your working style - Link your calendar with Slack/Teams to reflect your availability - Set focus hours: Block your calendar for the work that needs your full attention and set up auto rejection - Avoid unsolicited calls - Block time for everything that you have to deliver during the day. Other folks would avoid calling you if your status says you are busy - Ask for details before meetings - Don’t accept invites without context. Ask the organiser to add details for everyone to come prepared and have productive use of time - Avoid multitasking - It might not be productive for everyone - Respect your work hours: Put OOO on your calendar after your work hours end

There’s no such thing as ‘managing time’. We can’t. It flows relentlessly and waits for nobody. You can manage your ‘use of time’ and that means self discipline. Make a list of what matters to you (10 minimum) Things like. Family Work Travel Learning Hobbies Etc. Give each a score out of 10. Then add them all up (100 being max. 0 being minimum) Look at your 3-4 lowest scores. Realise these are things you’re not giving time to these things that you said are important to you. Set goals AND dates as to the actions you’ll take to pump up those percentages. After all, time will march on, and can you afford to waste it?

I agree with you. However, to feel a sense of accomplishment each day, the to-do list should provide clear guidelines. One valuable lesson I learned from a top operator is the concept of outlining five key tasks. By prioritizing these tasks each day, it's easier to achieve a sense of ease and accomplishment. Focusing on these small victories daily allows them to accumulate into a series of significant wins over time.

You have to have space. Create healthy habits where you disconnect on weekends and weeknights. Remember, the to-do list is NEVER going to end. It is up to you to tell yourself "I have done enough".

To prevent burnout in the marketing field, prioritizing work-life balance and setting boundaries is crucial. Effective time management, seeking assistance from colleagues, and ensuring adequate rest and sleep are of paramount importance. Introducing variety into daily tasks, encouraging healthy communication with coworkers, and skill development all contribute to enhancing work quality and preventing burnout. Additionally, stress management and mindfulness about the need for mental relaxation are effective strategies in this regard. These integrated measures not only improve efficiency and job satisfaction but also safeguard against burnout in the marketing domain.

I would love to talk about work life balance but tbh, I have never had much of that at any point during my 20 year old marketing career. It is not the companies I have been part of, it is the field. There is so much to learn, so much to apply, so much change to adjust to, that it is easy to constant be in "go mode". The best advice I got was give your company your best, but not your all. Prioritize your development as a professional so that even if you are let go or restructured, you have learned important skills. Use every resource your company provides to level up. Take every single day of PTO you are allowed, including weekends. I have not been successful with that last bit of advice but that is my goal for 2024!

Burnout isn't caused by long hours. Burnout happens when you no longer see the point or the value of putting in long hours. Burnout is when you stop thinking that the work you do matters. And since most marketing departments are understaffed, if that's how you're feeling in a marketing job, something is VERY WRONG.

One thing I find helpful is ruthless prioritisation. Allow the team to focus on the narrow important few to prevent burnout. Some things will need to be sacrificed, as you can't have it all. Focus on the most strategic battles.

Automation has really changed the game for marketers. Marketing is filled with repetitive tasks, it’s worth spending some time considering what could be automated and planning a way towards that. Of course you have to understand the process or task first, and then finding time to do the work to automate it. But I find that if you can see long term benefits to spending the time to automate something well, then it becomes easier knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel.