What do you do if you're a burnt-out public speaker?

As a lifelong entertainer & former Disney team member I know how to fight burnout: PERFORM. Tip 1: Play for the Audience-Performers who tire of a role tune mechanics out and the audience in. Tip 2: Explore Alternatives-They look for variations in inflection, movement, look. Tip 3: Refine your Delivery-They rarely settle for what worked last time. The refinement never stops. Tip 4: Focus on Emotion-They focus on emotion behind what they do, not mechanics. Tip 5: Own the Material-They tunnel inside the performance. The performer becomes secondary. Tip 6: Reconnect your Purpose-They work for art not pay. It's not a job, it’s a calling. Tip 7: Make a Move-If they can't reconnect they quit. That's it: PERFORM and you can fight burnout.

1. Monitor yourself for the warning signs 2. Establish strong rituals of renewal (Different ways to re-charge) 3. Set clear limits on your work year 4. Celebrate milestones 5. Keep learning, both your subject and the speaking craft 6. Create control (Find ways to control your working life) 7. Get in the habit of checking in on yourself – and talking about how you feel 8. Create a community of fellow travelers and dish to them (Go to someone that knows what you’re going through because they’re doing the same thing, and connect regularly about the ups and downs of the road) 9. Finally, don’t take the whole speaking thing too seriously

They are all important we need to be kind to ourselves, rest and seek for help . There are people who have gone through this , therefore their advice could be of great help. Let' s control what we can control by improving ourselves on daily basis and let go of the rest . Perfection is not attainable in this world .

Your energy = the audience's energy. Take care of yourself first to do your best on the stage. People paid with their time. They deserve your best :)

As part of reassessing your goals, consider your mission statement. This statement should briefly describe your aims and how you plan to impact your audience, embodying your core values and principles. If you haven’t written one, now is the ideal time; it clarifies your motivations. If it exists, review it to ensure it matches your current goals, as personal and professional growth may shift your objectives. Regularly revisiting your mission statement aligns your career with your intentions, helps maintain focus, and reignites your passion for public speaking.

Surround yourself with people whom you trust and respect. Those people who can challenge and correct you. Don't do this alone, some people genuinely want to help you. You just have to ask them.

Slowing down is a great way to gain perspective and avoid burnout. You can’t be going 100 mph and firing on all cylinders and expect to be your best. Schedule time to reset your mind and body. This can be an exercise to channel your energy. Meditation to clear your mind and organize your thoughts. Journaling to keep your creativity flowing. Find hobbies and people that help you recharge your battery. You can also plan a staycation or a vacation and hit reset. Remember rest is an important part of the equation. Pumping the brakes and slowing down is a strength and necessary for the long game.

The church I pastor gave me a 40 day Sabbatical last summer. It was great for me but it was also beneficial for the church. A true Sabbatical isn’t time off but time to do something else. As a speaker week to week, that time for “something else” becomes the fountainhead of new content and fresh vision.

Sometimes, you are not really burnt out, but just exhausted. Take the time to relax and take a break. Go on vacation and travel. In my experience, going on a travel helps me not just regain strength but also relax my mind. Schedule your breaks and don't feel guilty when you rest. Resting is not a waste of time but a productive time because it can make your actual "work" hours more effective. After all, you are rested and not running on fumes.

Reset and regroup daily. Set a -schedule of rest breaks everyday. -Stay hydrated -make sure to stay on a nutritional diet and supplements -learn to say NO -plan ahead and know your boundaries. -understand that you come first.

A recent BBC article stated that it is important to get enough sleep, since if not, many of our cognitive and emotional capacities can diminish, including memory and emotional regulation. In this order of ideas, it is a fundamental part of the correct performance of the speaker, to take enough time to rest at night. On the other hand, we do not only rest when we sleep. We also rest when we give ourselves the opportunity to occupy our mind in activities that do not involve the work sphere, which sometimes takes a leading role that is not always appropriate.

Staying relevant is by far the most important aspect of being a public speaker. No two audiences are the same. But if you repeat your content longer than adequate times, you would be found out and your market will start to shrink. Keeping oneself up to date and relevant is an integral part of your job as a public speaker.

When you keep diversity in your content, you ensure that your audience remain engaged in one or the other way. It will keep the session more interactive because it is the most important thing that you ensure your people are as connected in the end as they were in the beginning.

Mindfulness is everything. Sometimes when I get stressed out or start to get burned out I just take some time and disconnect from electronics even if it’s just for an hour or so. So if you ever get that way just go out in the yard leave your phone inside and just BE for a few minutes. Remember we are human BEings not human doers!

I do believe that Mindfulness really helps. It ensures that your senses are under your control. It makes you to make the best use of your mind. It ensures that when you interact with your people next time, you come out more stronger, confident, calm.

If you want to remain relevant and updated for your people, you need to reskill, upskill yourself. Through new insights, tools , techniques you can better connect with your audience. Personally also it will boost your confidence.

It's always good to level up your skills. It can make you excited again and look forward to applying the new skills. There are a lot of free resources online, the most crucial thing is to execute the learning in your context.

I would like to add something else to this point, and that is that improving your skills will not only improve your performance in any activity but will diversify your purpose and sense of life. So, try something you always wanted, find a new challenge, enroll in that course, take a postgraduate course, or whatever, but take the first step! When you level up your knowledge, skills, and even hobbies, you not only build up a tank of strength, but you automatically build up the anecdotes, and with that, the activities you enjoy in life. So... when was the last time you enrolled in an activity that not only boosted your professional profile but was also enjoyable for you? Don't wait any longer to do it.

WHAT burnt you out when you would have been full of energy & enthusiasm when you started The root cause analysis needs to be done taking feedback, mentoring or coaching or looking at things with a fresh perspective & from a distance WHY is the feeling coming & how do i react to it - One needs to reflect deeply internally & introspect If what U did got U to the burnout, U need to change your strategy & tactics to surmount the issues. The earlier questions gave a lot of solutions which one needs to put into practice Renew you passion energy & enthusiasm afresh - It could be more of a mindset issue than a competency issue. Either way reset your mindset & upgrade skill sets. Start as a beginner with a learners approach with new goals

In my experience, for you to be energized in doing public speaking again, you need to find ways to get positive reinforcement so that it can encourage you to do so in the future. You can seek people for feedback and tell you what you are doing right and what you can do better. Don't just choose any person to give you feedback, look for someone who can give you technical feedback that can give you action steps on how to improve.