How I would love to know your reaction to this title. Did you agree ? Did you think I was rude? Did you think I am simply someone who can’t sit still?
Have you noticed that burnout seems to be ignored, underestimated, or even seen as a test of sorting mice from men.
I heard another good term the other day ….rust out! Burnout is exhaustion, “rust out” is boredom. Boredom isn’t always a bad thing, exhaustion usually is.
What are the signs of burnout?
Be careful, it is a creeper! And it goes for people who care the most about doing a good job!!! Signs of burnout can be that you don’t stop work when you should, you get frustrated more than usual, start avoiding your mates or family because they annoy you or don’t understand, you can’t sleep, you can’t concentrate, you can’t cooperate and just do things by yourself, you start to care less about your personal hygiene and welfare and you stop putting yourself and loved ones first. And for what reason?
Burnout can take years to actually recover. I think a lot of people have the mentality of “I can cope, I am still going to work”. But burnout can sometimes almost be like being addicted to work, or clinging onto a raft in the middle of the ocean.
A few ideas on how to stop burnout.
First, admit that you you are a human and not a machine, a short sleep is not going to balance out that long working week. You need to recharge properly. Annual leave is actually about health and safety, it isn’t a luxury. Go to your calendar now, and book at least 30 actual days off in 2025. Tell your team that you are going to be off, and switch off. This is an example of a non-negotiable boundary. Start bringing in rules, one at a time, that protects your work/life balance. This will involve saying “no” to some customers, employees and third parties.
Admit if you are scared of not being in control, if you think the team will fall apart without you, or if you feel guilty for being on leave, etc. Admit and address it. There are thousands of employers that are well rested and successful, why can’t that be you.
Get help and a community. It can be lonely to run a business, make sure you surround yourself with good role models! Not people who are working 24.7, but people who have mastered a healthy work life balance.
Address the bills. Worrying about money may be one of the biggest causes for burnout, make sure you are getting value for money from your team. Do the 1:1s, talk, review, progress.
Recruit someone who is good at the bits that you hate. If you are forcing yourself to do something that you do not enjoy or find hard, then you need to recruit that help! Go and get someone different to you and become a strong team. You will feel less stress and be less likely to burn out – it is also a great feeling when someone enjoys doing the jobs that you hate, and is good at them! But recruit wisely. I know the industry is short staffed, but if you do not employ the right person then the stress and problems will never end.
In short, burnout is exhaustion and it creeps up on you.
You have to take control and give yourself permission to rest, recharge and have the right team.
If you would like help on understanding mental health, or would like a toolkit for the workplace (or you) then please email regan@hrvitals.co.uk for further assistance.
You can also sign up to our Vital Subscription and join our webinars, and access our Hub to learn more about building a positive and happy work environment.
Thank you
