It was the day before my 31st birthday at a step class at my local Les Mills early one Hamilton evening when I suddenly crashed to the floor. It had been a busy day and my job requires far too much sitting so whilst I didn’t feel like it, I forced myself to put on my trainers and get on that step amid the pumping music. As I lay on the floor the class continued around me, a couple of gym staff rushed over to give me ice but the strange thing was nothing physical hurt. It was something on the inside that had broken, I was broken. The flood gates opened, not tears of pain but some sort of unravelling that felt like it might have been loitering around the surface for some time, now finally released.
In 2019 the World Health Organisation officially classified workplace burnout as an occupational phenomenon and we’ve been talking about it ever since.
Research shows one in four employees surveyed across various demographics and all over the world had experienced symptoms of burnout. Burnout is on the rise and it’s coming at a huge personal cost.
I think the cause of it is clear: we’ve been sold a myth that more is better. We need to do more, be more and focus on increasing quantity. What we’ve seen is that as a result quality has suffered; not just of our work but of of our health and ultimately our happiness. I believe in the concept that less can be more – in fact, constantly striving for more may be our undoing.
As part of my burnout recovery I spent time studying in Asia with Buddhist monks and nuns learning a different way of being. I was lucky enough to visit the kingdom of Bhutan, famous for measuring Gross National Happiness in place of Gross Domestic Product.
One day I was trekking to the Tiger's Nest monastery perched high in the Himalayas. A much older, but fitter, monk was leading us to the top. It was a warm day and I was clearly not as used to this as he was. “How far is it to the top” I asked. He replied: “It’s better to travel well than to arrive”.
In other words, slow down, enjoy the view, you’ve travelled from the other side of the world to be here so be here. I realised that in my life I was so consumed with trying to get to the destination or tick off the goals on my to-do list, I wasn’t traveling well.
Busyness has become endemic and as a result we’re struggling. It’s become a marker of success at work and something we’ve attached our self worth to with disastrous consequences.
After that step class I headed to the hospital, thinking I might be having a heart attack or some other serious issue, only to be told after many tests that I needed time off, I was burnt out. My first thought as I sat in the doctor's cubical was, “I’m a failure, I couldn’t keep up with the pace, people will think I can’t cope”. My prescription was a list of things to stop doing, work included. Yet my inclination was to write a list of all the things I was going to do to beat this thing – there’s a clue as to why I might have been at risk of burnout in the first place.
I’ve since learned that slowing down allows us to speed up. That prioritising the strategies that keep me well is not just self-care but a critical part of me being able to perform. Just like an athlete's training and nutrition schedule before the race, I need to put fuel in to sustain my performance at work.
Based on my journey and the things that keep me on top form these days, here are my six recommendations for beating burnout:
Mind your busyness
Running around on an empty tank and proclaiming your extreme busyness is not a badge of honour or a reflection of how valuable you are. It’s a sign you’re not at your best. Slow down so you can be effective, rather than busy. Initially that will mean saying "no" sometimes when every bone in your body is used to saying "yes". It might mean not putting your hand up for that extra project that you think will impress your boss if you squeeze it into your already packed day. But in the long run healthy boundaries and a calm demeanour will earn you more respect than working yourself to a frazzle will.
Priorities rest and self-care
Whether it be a long daily walks, a full lunch hour, a massage, a manicure (or a regular rotation of all of the above), the practices that bring us happiness and help us shine are not selfish indulgences. They are crucial steps to building resilience and ensuring we're a sustainable resource. Everyone benefits from a more rested, recharged version of you. I often tell my clients we’d not skip the fuel station on a road trip because we know we’d break down, so why do it to ourselves? We’ll never get to our destination unless we stop to refuel.
Know the signs
Are your irritation levels high? Are you waking up in the night and worrying? Does work feel pointless? Everyone has different signs of burnout, so it's important to recognise yours. Then audit your energy levels and fuel the tank as necessary. Our mobile phones have a battery icon that gives us a precise percentage. Mine even glows red when it drops below 20% as a warning. Imagine if we had the same on our internal screens – what’s your percentage energy level today?
Master the art of tiny gains
Focus on small simple goals and, where possible, one thing at a time. When we have too many priorities it’s impossible to focus, we feel overwhelmed and spread too thin. Out of all your priorities which is the actual priority for now? The most important thing for today or this week? Start there.
Structure your life for success
It's not about how much you work but how you work, so work in a way that enhances your wellbeing. This can be as simple as negotiating the hours that suit you, introducing walking meetings or keeping a tidy desk. This also includes delegating, setting boundaries and, as above, saying no to ensure you’ve not overcommitted.
Create space
Thinking space is so critical; it’s where we innovate, it’s how we plan, it’s also how we focus and gain clarity to make decisions and solve problems. Not to mention the impact it has on overwhelm, stress and our emotional regulation. Make sure there are empty gaps in your schedule.