We’ve all been there, and we’ve seen it happen to others.

Burning the matches, then renewal

You’re doing fine for a while, working super hard in a stressful environment, and then something inside you senses that you’ve hit a limit. It might be a feeling of crushing overwhelm, or a more general lack of energy and direction.

We’re human. We have limits.

Your first step is to realize that this is a reality. I don’t know if this is just a new phenomenon over my lifetime, but I expect that this has always been with us. We just have a new language for it and recognize it as a separate thing.

Burnout for you, and burnout for those you work with.

I like the above picture, though, because it says that there can be a renewal after going through a time of burnout. No doubt you’ve experienced this too.

You find an escape. Something else captures your attention. You get inspired by a new goal.

As a leader, you can help your people:

  • Recognize when people are getting into or near burnout.
  • Provide an escape – vacation, relaxation of goals, even redefining their job.
  • Supply new sources of inspiration while not adding more work.

Face it, if someone is burned out they’re not going to be meeting their goals. Quality will stink. Schedules will slip. They’ll quit.

And, because burnout is infectious, chances are others on the team are headed the same direction. They just might be hiding it better.

Be the leader you aspire to be. This is your time to figure out one of the hardest problems we have.