Beating Burnout

Heavy workloads and deadline pressures are a fact of managerial life. Who doesn’t feel overwhelmed sometimes? But when relentless work stress pushes you into the debilitating state we call burnout, it is a serious problem, affecting not just your own performance and well-being but also that of your team and your organization.

Data on the prevalence of burnout is elusive since it’s not yet a clinical term separate from stress. Some researchers say that as few as 7% of professionals have been seriously impacted by burnout. But others have documented rates as high as 50% among medical residents and 85% among financial professionals. A 2013 ComPsych survey of more than 5,100 North American workers found that 62% felt high levels of stress, loss of control and extreme fatigue. Research has also linked burnout to negative physical and mental health outcomes, including hypertension, depression and anxiety, as well as to increased alcohol and drug use.

Over the past 15 years as a coach, researcher and educator, I’ve helped thousands of clients, students and executive-development program participants learn to manage the stress that can cause burnout. The process involves acknowledging the symptoms, examining the causes and developing preventive strategies.

THREE COMPONENTS

Thanks to the research of psychologist Christina Maslach and several collaborators, we know that burnout is a three-component syndrome that arises in response to chronic stressors on the job. Let’s examine each symptom — exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy.

Exhaustion is the central symptom of burnout. It comprises physical, cognitive and emotional fatigue that undermines people’s ability to work effectively and feel positive. This can stem from the demands of a 24/7 organizational culture, intense time pressure or simply having too much to do. In a state of exhaustion, you find that you’re unable to concentrate or see the big picture, routine tasks seem arduous and it becomes difficult to drag yourself both into and out of the office.

Cynicism, also called depersonalization, represents an erosion of engagement. It is essentially a way of distancing yourself psychologically from your work. Instead of feeling invested in your assignments, projects, colleagues and customers, you feel detached. Cynicism can be the result of work overload, but it is also likely to occur in the presence of high conflict, unfairness and lack of participation in decision-making.

Inefficacy refers to feelings of incompetence and a lack of achievement. People with this symptom of burnout feel their skills slipping and worry that they won’t be able to succeed in certain situations. It often develops in tandem with exhaustion and cynicism because people can’t perform at their peak when they’re out of fuel and have lost their connection to work. But burnout can also start with inefficacy if you lack the resources and support to do your job well, including adequate time, information and good relationships with those whose involvement you need to succeed. The absence of feedback and meaningful recognition can also activate this component.

While each component is correlated with the other two and one often leads to another, individuals also have distinct burnout profiles: Some people are mainly exhausted but haven’t yet developed cynicism or begun to doubt their performance; others are primarily cynical or suffer most from feelings of reduced efficacy. Although most of the prevention and recovery strategies we’ll discuss are designed to address all three symptoms, it’s a good idea to diagnose your specific burnout profile so that you know where you need the most help.

RECOVERY AND PREVENTION

Situational factors are the biggest contributors to burnout, so changes at the job, team or organizational level are often required to address all the underlying issues. However, there are steps you can take on your own once you’re aware of the symptoms and of what might be causing them.

PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE. It’s essential to replenish your physical and emotional energy, along with your capacity to focus, by prioritizing good sleep habits, nutrition, exercise and practices that promote equanimity and well-being, like meditating. If you’re having troubling squeezing such activities into your packed schedule, give yourself a week to assess exactly how you’re spending your time. For each block of time, record what you’re doing, whom you’re with, how you feel and how valuable the activity is. This will help you

find opportunities to limit your exposure to tasks, people and situations that aren’t essential and put you in a negative mood.

SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE. While rest, relaxation and replenishment can ease exhaustion, curb cynicism and enhance efficacy, they don’t fully address the root causes of burnout. Back at the office, you may still face the same impossible workload, untenable conflicts or paltry resources. So now you must take a close look at your mindset. What aspects of your situation are truly fixed, and which can you change? Altering your perspective can buffer the negative impact of even the inflexible aspects. If exhaustion is a problem, ask yourself which tasks you could delegate to free up time and energy for other work. If cynicism is an issue, can you shield yourself from the parts of the organization that frustrate you, while re-engaging in your specific role? And if you’re feeling ineffective, what assistance or development might you seek out?

REDUCE EXPOSURE TO JOB STRESSORS. You’ll also need to target high-value activities and relationships that trigger unhealthy stress. This involves resetting the expectations of colleagues, clients and family members for what and how much you’re willing to take on, as well as ground rules for working together. You may get pushback. But doubters must know that you’re making these changes to improve your long-term productivity and protect your health.

SEEK OUT CONNECTIONS. The best antidote to burnout is seeking out rich interpersonal interactions and continual personal and professional development. Find coaches and mentors who can help you identify and activate positive relationships and learning opportunities. Volunteering to advise others is another particularly effective way of breaking out of a negative cycle. Given the influence of situational factors on burnout, it’s likely that others in your organization are suffering too. If you band together, you will all increase your sense of control and connection.

CONCLUSION

Burnout can often feel insurmountable. But the sense of being overwhelmed is a signal, not a long-term sentence. By understanding the symptoms and causes and implementing these four strategies, you can recover and build a road map for prevention. Your brutal experience can serve as a turning point that launches you into a more sustainable career and a happier, healthier life.

(Monique Valcour is a management academic, coach and consultant.)

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SIDEBAR

Help Prevent Burnout on Your Team

Burnout is rarely an individual phenomenon; fixing and preventing it requires leadership. You can help your team thrive by implementing the following advice.

Watch for Warning Signs

— The signs of burnout are obvious in some people but subtle in others. Keep an eye out for tiredness, lack of focus, depressed mood, hostility and expressions of hopelessness.

— Regularly check in with team members to gauge their physical, cognitive and emotional energy levels.

Set Limits on Workloads

— Talk to your team about its collective capacity and ensure that assignments and deadlines don’t exceed it.

— Shield your team from external pressures, including unreasonable or unclear client and management demands.

Insist on Renewal

— Communicate that optimal performance depends on rest and renewal. Encourage people to set sensible limits on work hours.

— Set an example by keeping reasonable hours yourself.

— Make sure your team members take their full vacation time.

Boost Control

— Clarify expectations; grant flexibility on where, when and how people get work done.

— Advocate for the resources your team needs to perform.

— Create uninterrupted time for people to make progress on important tasks.

Make Recognition Meaningful

— Regularly highlight wins and successes, even small ones.

— Recognize and reward people for helping others.

— Note the positive impact of your team’s work on others.

Emphasize Learning

— Routinely ask team members about their development goals and what resources are required to achieve them.

— Share what you’re learning and how you’re doing it.

Facilitate Mutual Support

— Talk regularly about progress toward team goals.

— At team meetings, ask what assistance people need and can offer one another.

— Be open about asking for and giving support.

Build Community

— Don’t tolerate incivility on your team. Set an example for respectful, compassionate behavior toward others.

— Encourage people to share what’s happening in their lives outside of work