Why Change Doesn't Have To Lead To Burnout

Hi there,

When I’m going through a crunch period of disruption, I always turn to a trusted companion...

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model of burnout*.

I know, I know. Not exactly a tub of Cookies & Cream. But hear me out.

Change and uncertainty cause havoc for lots of reasons. A big one is the extra demand they place on our already busy mental load.

You might think when these demands increase, your risk of burnout increases too. But, according to this research, that’s only true when the resources you have in place don’t support you to meet those demands.

In simple terms - when demands and resources increase concurrently, then positive wellbeing outcomes are more likely. But if resources don’t increase to meet demands, that’s when burnout is a risk.

So, I think of disruption as an extra demand on my time, energy and focus. And work out exactly what resources I need to see me through it.

Some resources are universal:

?? Good sleep hygiene, ??regular exercise & ?? healthy diet.

And some are essential in your working life:

????Great people on your team, ???? a supportive manager or ?? reliable childcare.

But I know that even staying on top of these all-important resources might not be enough to keep you afloat.

That’s why it’s useful to think through what additional resources you can keep in your back pocket when you hit a particularly intense phase of uncertainty.

In my recently published LinkedIn Learning course on this very topic, I suggest 8 ideas for you to try ????.?

Here are my top 3:?

1) Find autonomy??

Autonomy - agency over HOW we do our work - is one of the most significant predictors of workplace wellbeing. So much so, that I've come to think of it as a primary resource in my anti-burnout toolkit.

?? Pro-tip: Think through an important outcome you are working towards and take one step to exert more of your influence over that outcome.?This could mean asking your manager if you could take more responsibility for managing your workload. Or if you could have more say in where and when you do your work.

2) Find your support network?

When your path takes an unexpected turn, there are few resources more stabilising than a consistent group of supporters.?

There’s the practical support, like advice or tangible help. But don’t underestimate the emotional support you stand to gain too.

?? Pro-tip: Find 4 to 5 members of your network (making sure the reach is wider than your current organisation) and invite them join a ‘change-cooperative’…a group of people with the mutual interest of supporting each other through change. I have a number of these groups on the go – and I can honestly say they are THE reason I've made it through times of change and uncertainty.?

3) Find levity?

In her brilliant book, The Balanced Brain**, Dr Camilla Nord (neuroscience professor at Cambridge University) puts forward the theory that simply experiencing positive emotion frequently, can be a very powerful antidote to pain & discomfort.?

She highlights laughter (as one of the ultimate experiences of positive emotion) and explains that it releases natural opioids in the brain. This promotes pleasure and analgesia. In other words humour is our natural resource in the face of the discomfort of disruption.

?? Pro-tip: Humour is subjective. So, it’s best not to force it. Instead, focus on the moments at work that feel light-hearted. And with that in mind, together with your team, see if you can come up with more ways to find levity in your day-to-day.

These are just a few ideas to get you started but remember to tune into what YOU really need to resource yourself during this time. ANYTHING that fosters your sense of wellbeing is in (and yes, that includes tub of Cookies & Cream).

Bye for now,

Erin

?

*Bakker, A.B.; Demerouti, E. (2007). "The Job Demands-Resources model: State of the art". Journal of Managerial Psychology

**?Nord, C (2023). "The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health". Allen Lane.

?? This newsletter is part of a series to help you find ways to change your experience of?work?for the?better. Subscribe and you'll find it in your inbox every month.

?? I have 10 courses on LinkedIn Learning, all based on this theme. So, if you'd like to learn more with me, you can check them out here .