Beating Burnout: A Practical Guide for Leaders in Chaos
Eric Anderton
?? Business & Executive Coaching + Leadership Development for Construction Executives. Serving Commercial Construction Companies doing $10M to $1B+ in Revenue
One of my clients recently faced the most intense burnout of his career. Let’s call him Ryan. We discussed this in a coaching conversation, and while I’ve adjusted some details for confidentiality, the process he went through remains unchanged.
Recognizing the Riptide: Avoiding Burnout Before It Hits
At 41 years old, Ryan found himself drowning in a sea of overcommitment and expectations. Between running the family construction business and taking on other ventures he had said “yes” to, the responsibilities had been piling up for a while.
His life felt out of balance and chaotic. He needed to identify the culprits of chaos and develop a clear plan to eliminate burnout.
Your situation may not be exactly like Ryan’s. Maybe you’re not drowning yet, but you can see the riptide in the distance, and you don’t want to get to that point. This awareness is actually a positive place to be because it means you recognize your risk of burning out. You can make key adjustments now to avoid crashing later.
The Good Is The Enemy of The Great
If you’re serious about eliminating burnout, start with the right mindset. Once you understand and embrace this way of thinking, it’s much easier to pinpoint the sources of burnout in your life. And remember, even if you already feel like you’re drowning, it’s not too late.
To steer clear of burnout, you have to be willing to declutter your life. Or, as J.D. Rockefeller said, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” This philosophy applies to both our personal and professional lives. When we identify the “great” and commit to prioritizing those specific areas, we take an important step in avoiding burnout.
When we say “yes” to everything, we get overwhelmed, and our lives become cluttered and chaotic. We might succeed at juggling everything for a while, but burnout isn’t far behind.
Identify Areas of Chaos
How do you pinpoint burnout sources and eliminate them? The goal is to identify areas of chaos that drain your focus, energy, and motivation. Once you name those, you can set up healthy boundaries that protect your time and energy. We’ll dive deeper into each of these, but here’s a quick overview:
Letting Go
Saying “No”
Don’t Be Afraid to Let Go
One of Ryan’s main frustrations came from the tension between the life he built in his 20s and his current reality. Some big life decisions, like the house he purchased and starting his construction business, happened over a decade ago. Now, as Ryan’s opportunities have expanded and his hobbies have shifted, he realizes some priorities he had in his 20s don’t align with where he is today.
The truth is, we cannot hold on to the life we dreamt up in the past. It’s important to let our aspirations and interests evolve. Don’t be afraid to let go of old dreams and embrace change. Accepting your new season of life allows you to move forward without being weighed down by your past.
Recalibrate Your Goals & Dreams
Can you remember the goals you had at 20? Or 30? Did any big decisions in that season of life influence where you live or the type of car you drive? Do those decisions still align with your life now? To simplify your life, reflect on these questions and answer them honestly.
Another aspect of your goals and dreams to consider is the timeline. Has your 5-year plan turned into a 10-year plan? Maybe there were pit stops and roadblocks along the way you didn’t anticipate. There’s no shame in that! But you need to admit when your original timeline has become unrealistic. Take what you’ve learned and chart a new course.
If you stubbornly push ahead without recalibrating, you’ll almost certainly wind up frustrated, disappointed, and — you guessed it — burned out.
Does That Hobby Still Bring You Joy?
Hobbies are another area in your life you need to take an honest look at. Are there any interests you’re clinging to simply because you’ve had them in the past? Are you holding on because your identity is linked to that activity or sport? Is the level of risk involved with certain hobbies (i.e., scuba diving, boxing, skiing) simply not worth it anymore?
It can be difficult to accept that something that once gave you joy no longer does. But guess what? As you grow, it’s natural for your hobbies to mirror that growth. Much like a professional athlete who eventually retires from their sport, there comes a time to close certain chapters of your life.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should abandon the things that still bring you joy. But being selective with your time and energy will increase your quality of life. Without the distraction of hobbies that feel like an obligation, you’ll be able to truly enjoy the activities you’ve consciously chosen to prioritize.
You Can’t Please Everyone
When you start letting go of the “old version” of yourself, chances are you’ll face resistance. People in your life have their idea of who you are and what they perceive your priorities to be. This part can be especially difficult when friend groups are tied to those perceived priorities. Maybe your skiing buddies are shocked when you tell them you’ll no longer be hitting the slopes. Some of them might understand where you’re coming from, and some may not.
Ryan, for example, decided to switch out skiing for golf. Sure, he didn’t get the same adrenaline rush from hitting the links, but he was happy to trade the possibility of blowing out his knee or running into a tree on the slopes for the milder dangers of a sore elbow on the golf course. It was a choice that better aligned with his current priorities, even if it meant some friends didn’t quite get it.
It will be difficult to make these changes, especially when you’re bristling against other people’s expectations.
Here’s the bottom line: Don’t let other people’s expectations stop you from simplifying your life. If you want to break free from the cycle of burnout, you have to be okay with not pleasing everyone.
The Power of Saying “No”
To protect your energy, eliminate chaos, and avoid burnout, set boundaries by saying “no” to commitments that aren’t priorities.
It sounds simple in theory, but of course, it’s a little more challenging to put into practice. So let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to eliminate chaos by setting healthy boundaries.
Protect Your Time & Energy
Time blocking is one of the best ways to set boundaries with yourself. That means, when you say you’ll spend X amount of time on a task, set a timer for yourself, and stop when the time’s up.
Ryan is a good example of how burnout can creep up when you don’t stick to the schedule (or time blocks) you’ve created for yourself. He committed to working a few half-days and a few full days at the construction company during the week. But what actually ended up happening? The half-days turned into full days. He failed to stick to the boundary he had set for himself.
After processing different options, Ryan created a new schedule. Instead of working two half-days and two full days, he committed to three full workdays. This new schedule is more realistic to stick to, making it a great improvement to his previous boundary.
Your schedule is not the only way to set boundaries for yourself. It could even be a boundary you set with your hobbies. Something like, “I won’t attend an event unless it’s centered around my family, my friends, or golf.” You might end up saying “no” to quite a few fun things, but the reality is you can’t do it all.
Whatever boundaries you set, they should protect your energy and help you focus on what really matters. It also helps to ask a trusted friend or mentor to keep you accountable to your boundaries.
Clear Communication Is Key
At the most basic level, setting boundaries with other people is about clear communication. Letting others know what you do and do not have the capacity for is beneficial for everyone; it’s considerate because now they can adjust their expectations.
It’s also helpful for you to verbalize your boundaries. When you say out loud, “I’ll only come into the office three days a week,” you’re making a public commitment to it.
That’s why setting boundaries for yourself is intrinsically connected to drawing boundaries with others. Boundaries are simply commitments to yourself that you’ve clearly communicated to other people.
Once you have that shared understanding, sticking to your priorities becomes a lot easier. In Ryan’s case, designating certain days at the construction company meant that his wife wouldn’t schedule anything during those times. On the flip side, it freed them up to schedule other activities and commitments for the rest of the week (without having to factor in the possibility of working late).
Here’s the bottom line: If you fail to set personal and professional boundaries, you’re inviting chaos into your life. Boundaries create the structure you need to live a life reflective of your priorities. Saying “no” empowers you to break free from the cycle of burnout.
Say “Yes” to The Great & “Goodbye” to Burnout
If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed and overcommitted, start by cultivating the right mindset. Let go of the good so you can say “yes” to the great. Take an honest look at the dreams and hobbies you’re holding onto after all these years—do they still align with the life you’re living today?
As you gear up for change, prepare for external resistance. Remind yourself that you can’t please everyone. Then start setting boundaries that protect your time and energy. Make sure you clearly communicate those boundaries to the people in your life.
Eliminating burnout in your life is no easy task, but it’s worth it. Breaking free from old commitments that no longer serve you is incredibly freeing. And as you give yourself permission to say “no” to less important things, you’ll gain the most valuable resource of all: time.
Turn Burnout into Breakthrough
Ryan was on the verge of burnout, but a coaching conversation with me helped him turn things around.
If you’re ready to eliminate burnout, sharpen your leadership, and take your construction business to the next level, let’s talk.
I bring deep industry experience and practical, no-nonsense advice tailored specifically for construction business owners like you.
Book a quick 10-minute chat , and let’s see how executive coaching can help you achieve the results you’re after.
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