I’m seeing so much burnout all the time, especially among managers. According to Gallup, about half of managers report feeling burned out at work very often or always.
It’s a challenge to address, because the circumstances that led to the burnout–long hours, significant responsibilities, rapid change–aren’t going away.
One thing that can help, this article suggests, is remembering why you do this work in the first place. Some advice on that:
1. Connect with others in your field
In a study, weekly emails that encouraged 911 operators to reflect on the community they were a part of led to an 8-point drop in burnout and cut resignations in half.
Do you have a community? One friend is in a Facebook group of women doctors; another has a monthly Zoom with fellow Dad economists. Look for (or build) a community of your own.
2. See your impact
Adam Grant studied fundraising callers, and found they were demoralized by the frequent hang-ups and rejections. When he showed them a video of someone who’d benefitted from the funds they were collecting, their energy bounced back–and fundraising quadrupled.
One way I remind myself of my impact is with a Props folder. Whenever I receive an email thanking me or telling me I did a great job on something, I drag it into the Props folder. Skimming through that folder gives a fantastic lift on hard days.
3. Remind yourself
Nurses who wrote a short excerpt persuading others of the importance of their work increased their own productivity by 15% and their accuracy by 30%. In turns out that in persuading others, they persuaded themselves.
Consider journaling about why you do your work or writing yourself a short mission statement, as a way to remember your larger purpose.
The stress isn’t going away, unfortunately. The steps we take to connect with the meaning of our work, though, can help.