As a business leader, you take pride in being driven, hard-working, capable, and successful. But what if you wake up one day and don’t feel like any of those things? What happens when the sleepless nights preparing for a product launch or the overwhelming stress from a failed deal finally take their toll?
Ignoring chronic stress until it overwhelms you can lead to a common condition called “executive burnout.” Here’s why executive burnout is rising and what smart leaders can do to manage stress before it reaches a crisis level.
What Is Executive Burnout?
Executive burnout is a state of overwhelm or exhaustion that often affects physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It typically stems from poorly-managed, prolonged workplace stress. It’s fairly common for executives to experience burnout due to their high-ranking roles and excessive work-related pressures. Key characteristics of executive burnout include:
- Reduced productivity at work
- Feeling “drained” and listless all the time
- Poor decision-making capabilities
- Difficulty focusing on work-related tasks
- Increased irritability and mood swings
- Feelings of shame and isolation
- Lack of enjoyment in things that were once fulfilling
Professionals experiencing burnout are also more likely to feel angry or irritated toward their co-workers. They may expect more of others because they can’t keep up with their usual work pace. When people let them down, they may react in an overly aggressive or emotional manner because they can’t handle the added stress.
Consequences of Untreated Burnout
If left untreated, executive burnout can lead to severe consequences. It may result in poor business decisions that have long-term implications, such as investor doubt and reputational damage. In severe cases, executives who don’t manage their burnout symptoms could run their business into the ground or lose their professional position.
Burnout erodes your ability to make and achieve business goals. A leader’s untreated burnout could also eventually lead to plummeting employee morale and an overall negative workplace environment. Finally, living with ongoing burnout could have severe physical and mental health consequences. Untreated chronic stress may contribute to depression, anxiety, hypertension, and a poor state of overall health.
What Leaders Can Do to Avoid or Address Executive Burnout
Now that you’re aware of the potentially catastrophic consequences of untreated burnout, it’s time to learn what you can do about it. Ideally, you should identify and deal with symptoms of excess stress before they progress to full-blown burnout. Here are a few things you can do to maintain your inner peace no matter what’s going on around you:
Seek Mental Health Support
Mental health support is one of the most powerful tools you can wield against executive burnout. As an industrial professional, it can be hard to take time for your mental health. Fortunately, there are convenient online therapy options that can typically fit into even the busiest lifestyles. Most online therapists offer flexible or extended hours to accommodate those who work during regular business hours.
Many online therapists also offer various contact methods to meet their clients’ preferences. Options may include telephone calls, video conferencing, text messages, or email correspondence. No matter how you choose to communicate, your therapist can teach you self-reflection, stress-reduction, and time-management techniques to help you avoid reaching a state of burnout. Mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and boundary-setting are all effective techniques for building emotional resilience and overcoming stress.
Establish Strict Boundaries
Many executives become successful because they are willing to work harder and do more than others. However, their drive to achieve more and constantly push their boundaries can make executives more likely than the average person to experience burnout. According to DDI (a global leadership development firm), 71% of leaders around the world reported increased stress levels related to their current role.
Executives may be able to avoid burnout by setting stricter boundaries. These include defining and adhering to specific work hours, scheduling downtime to rest and recuperate, and learning how to say “no” to requests they can’t reasonably accommodate. If you’re a leader who can’t bring yourself to say “no,” then at least consider saying “maybe in the future, but not now.”
Optimize time
If you find yourself constantly missing deadlines, showing up to meetings late, or constantly feeling rushed, you may have a time-management problem. People who struggle to manage their time effectively face a higher burnout risk due to chronic stress stemming from rushed work, overcommitment, and missed deadlines.
Through streamlining meetings, delegating, and prioritizing high-priority tasks and goals, executives can manage their time more effectively and enjoy a corresponding decrease in stress levels. Time blocking is a popular method for successful leaders who avoid burnout. It involves batching similar tasks into specific time blocks. For example, establishing one time block to make calls and check emails, and another time block to write reports or prepare for an upcoming presentation.
Prioritize physical and mental health
If you’re already in poor physical or mental health, your likelihood of getting burned out increases significantly. The healthier you are in body and mind, the more resilient you will be to stress and the negative impacts of workplace challenges. Professionals who are physically and mentally healthy tend to see setbacks as opportunities to grow and overcome.
There are many things you can do to prioritize your physical and mental health as an executive. Here are a few suggestions:
- Prioritize sleep to support your natural circadian rhythm.
- Get at least 20 minutes of physical activity most days. Whenever possible, incorporate cardiovascular exercise, weight training, and mobility exercises into your weekly fitness routine.
- Avoid junk food and eat a diet that’s rich in healthy, nutrient-dense foods.
- Make time to nurture social relationships and do things you enjoy.
Banish Burnout and Maximize Your Potential
If you’re always running through life, it’s only a matter of time before you spend all of your energy. Constantly pushing yourself to the limit is a quick way to become completely overwhelmed. Seek mental health support, establish strict boundaries, optimize your time, and prioritize your overall health to banish burnout and maximize your professional potential.
