I’m overworked and don’t have enough people to help me get the work done. I can’t possibly get everything done and feel overwhelmed with the expectations placed on me.
Does this describe a non-profit leader you know? Perhaps the one you look at in the mirror?
If it’s any comfort, you’re not alone. According to one study, as many as half of all non-profit employees are burned out or in danger of burnout. The solution isn’t simple but there are strategies to help you move towards a better solution.
Start with a Self-assessment
The following questions will help you reflect on your situation to see if you might be need to address pre-burnout symptoms before they grow worse. Take this simple self-assessment and see what shows up. Give a rating of 1 to 5 with 1 “not true” and 5 “very true.”
- Are you always tired?
- Are you often irritable and easily frustrated?
- Do you feel powerless to change things at work?
- Do you feel unappreciated for what you do?
- Do you have more work to do than I can get done?
- Do you regularly work 7 days per week?
- Do you abuse food or some other type of substance?
- Do you feel isolated and alone in your job?
Your results: If you score 4 or more on two or more of the questions, this article is for you.
The “D’s” of Burnout Symptoms
Getting a “D” in school is never good news. Getting a “D” in the school of life is also a problem. When pre-burnout symptoms begin to show up, “D’s” appear on your report card.
You experience:
- demoralization — the belief you are no longer effective
- depersonalization — treating yourself and others in an impersonal way
- detachment — a withdrawing from your responsibilities
- distancing — an avoidance of social and interpersonal contacts
- defeatism — a feeling of being beaten up or giving up hope it will change
- disengagement, low productivity, and inflexibility
One other “D” is depression. If untreated or dealt with, a downward spiral will continue.
What exactly is burnout?
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that occurs when we feel overwhelmed by too many demands, too few resources, and too little recovery time. – Clinical definition
Burnout is exhaustion that touches us emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. It grows when we let the feeling of overwhelm build unabated. It starts to take over when the demands placed upon us grow to be too large, stay for too long, tax our resources, and are not accompanied by times of recovery.
So if that’s burnout, where do you start to move away from the perpetual state of being overwhelmed? It starts with awareness.
The First Step in Moving Away from the Cliff of Burnout
The place to start in dealing with burnout begins with self-awareness. You can’t deal with a problem you don’t see or know exists.
Research confirms that IQ (intelligence quotient) and technical skill are far less crucial to leadership success than mature self-awareness. Self-awareness, which is part of EQ (emotional intelligence), gives you the ability to know how your environment and reality is impacting you emotionally, physically, relationally, spiritually, and mentally.
Self-knowledge arms you with the data you need to make corrections and changes so burnout can be avoided. Growth in self-awareness increases your ability to act and react appropriately in any given situation.
Leaders thrive by understanding who they are and what they value, by becoming aware of unhealthy blind spots or weaknesses that can derail them, and by cultivating the habit of continuous self-reflection and learning. – Chris Lowney
Five practices that will increase self-awareness
1. Look at yourself objectively and honestly
You can’t change what you can’t see. Gaining greater self-awareness starts with a honest look in the mirror to see what’s there. Using tools like the simple set of questions at the beginning of this article is a place to start.
2. Practice journaling
Recording your thoughts, feelings, observations, and ramblings in a journey helps you relieve your mind and clear space for new information and ideas. Part of the journey forward when overwhelmed is to see clearly what you’re dealing with both internally and externally. Buy the Detour Journal here.
3. Write down your goals, plans and priorities
Knowing what you are to focus on keeps you in alignment with what what’s important and helps keep you from getting distracted from the multitude of distractions that come during any given day.
4. Practice meditation and other mindfulness habits
Mindfulness is growing among leaders because of the positive impact it has on the internal reality of overwhelmed leaders. It can be as simple as learning how to use breathing to relax and release tension.
5. Ask for feedback from trusted friends, colleagues, and a coach
Feedback is the breakfast of champions. Why is that? Because it gives us the information we need to affirm our strengths and see things that need changing we can’t see.
Finding people you trust and who will speak the truth with love is essential. Hiring a leadership coach can also provide the structure and accountability so you can make changes that last.
Take action
What’s one practice you could implement this week to increase your self-awareness and help avoid burnout?
For a free 30 minute coaching conversation to see if leadership coaching is what you need, send me a message to set up a time to talk.
Note: This is part one in a three part series on burnout.
