I was burned out at the age of twenty-three. When I look back it was not a matter of if I would get burned out, but when… Here are three things that might’ve helped prevent my burnout, had I known this sooner. I recommend you keep these tips in mind to ensure your health and well-being.
1. You’ll be the last person to notice you’re at risk for burnout
My parents had warned me several times that I was doing too much. That I had to be careful and slow down. I disagreed. I was doing fine (or so I thought). Honestly, I was a little annoyed they kept nagging me.
Two weeks later, it turned out they were right. I was burned out and I had not seen it coming… Not even a little bit.
That’s because burnout is such a gradual process. You get used to the changes in your body, the lowering of your energy, the sneaky increase in brain fog, the decline in productivity. That’s why you will be the last person to notice that you are at risk for burnout.
According to the Boston Consultancy Group* almost half of workers in eight countries are struggling with burnout. That’s a lot of people. That means there’s a 1 in 2 chance that you’re at risk. So if someone tries to warn you that maybe you should do less, that this isn’t sustainable—I recommend you listen. They’ll have a clearer picture of how you are doing than you do.
2. Responsibility is a two-way street
I was working in my corporate marketing job at the time and I had an incredibly high sense of responsibility. I cared. Not just about my job and everything that entailed—but about the brand, the company and my colleagues.
When my manager was transferred to a different position in the company and I was asked to carry a large part of that load, it didn’t occur to me to object. Nor did it cross my mind to wonder whether it was realistic to add more responsibilities to what was already a more-than-fulltime job.
This was before everyone had a laptop so getting things done often meant being physically present at the office. I saw it as my responsibility to get the job done—even with all the extra work piled on top of my own—and I simply worked harder and longer hours to plough through.
With hindsight, management should have checked in to see how I was faring. They should have wondered for how long it was sustainable to have someone do so much extra. I guess they were waiting for me to say “enough”. But how fair is it to expect that from someone in her first job? Yes, I should have asked for help sooner. No doubt about that. I can write an entire article about why asking for support is often hard—but that’s no excuse.
Still, the company had a responsibility to look after me too. This was not all on me—even though it felt like I had failed when this happened.
Keeping responsibility where it belongs is something I’ve learned the hard way and I’m still getting better at it.
Of course, shared responsibility is true for pretty much everything in life. If you’re like me, and you naturally tend to shoulder a large part of the burden, then this is something to keep an eye on. Remember: it’s not all on you.
3. Things won’t fall apart when you’re not around
When I found out I was burned out, my doctor told me to call my boss and tell him I was suffering from burnout and had no idea how long this process would take or when I would be back to the office.
I created an overview of projects and what needed attention, and shared that over the phone. I didn’t return to the office until three months later. Aside from that initial phone call with my boss there were no further questions or any other form of contact.
To my surprise, the office was still standing when I went back 😉 I say that jokingly now but part of me was a little offended that they hadn’t missed me more. I’m sure there have been moments where they had to scramble and resist the urge to call me—and I’m grateful that they gave me the space to recover—but I had expected more of a fallout if I’m honest.
This just goes to show that no matter how much you think you need to push through because disaster will happen if you don’t—it’s not worth damaging your health. Because chances are the office will remain standing, even when you topple over…
There are many more lessons my burnout has taught me, but I’ll save those for another day. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you. 😉
I hope these insights help you keep an eye on your energy and stress level so that you can slow down and take a break whenever you feel that you are pushing through. Crossing one more thing off your to-do list isn’t worth risking your health.
PS If you’re wondering whether you are at risk for burnout, my free Burnout ScanTM is perfect for you! This powerful tool will show you in minutes what your energy and stress level is like.
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