“I’m actually burning out but I’m just too embarassed to tell my bosses.”
That’s what a Senior Manager shared with me during one of his Career Coaching Sessions.
You see, his company, a US Tech Giant, had just released several key products across 5 markets and he was instrumental in those successful launches.
And even as he was looking forward to his much-deserved break, his bosses in the US who were very impressed with his handling of the business, called him and asked him to helm a bigger product involving all 14 markets in Asia.
And like a good soldier, he agreed to it and has been working on this for the past 5 weeks.
“I feel almost as if I’m a victim of my own success.” He shared. “The more successful I become, the more the company is asking of me and I’m not Superman. I’m really getting tired, but I’m afraid to tell my bosses, colleagues and even staff that I’m running out of steam.”
The harsh truth is that up to 92% of Executives are feeling some form of burnout in today’s demanding world and many do not know how to handle it.
We need to learn how to prevent being burnt out, by adopting strategies like these:
1. Don’t be Afraid to Acknowledge it
There’s somehow still some stigma associated with mental health and burnout. Last year, when I shared on Linkedin how, back in 2004, I was mentally burnt out when I had started a new job at the same time my first child was born and had issues with my domestic helper. I actually received a message via Linkedin that read:
“Dear Adrian, how can you consider yourself a good coach who advises other people when you cannot even handle your own mental health?”
To be fair, I’ve also had other encouraging messages thanking me for being so open and vulnerable, and that going through a burnout episode made me “the perfect person to empathise with what your clients must be going through.”
So, if you’re feeling tired or fatigued, don’t be afraid to acknowledge it to yourself or a family member, or a close friend, and get a conversation going.
2. Know your ‘Signals’
Before we suffer a burn-out episode, we will enter a phase we call, The Brownout Zone (cue creepy Twilight Zone theme song here).
It’s when you start to feel the effects of prolonged stress but still have enough mental, physical and spiritual energy to manage, but you know you’re straining to keep things buttoned down.
And even though you think you can stay in The Brownout Zone indefinitely, your body will start to send signals to you. These could include headaches, insomnia, unexplained weight-loss, change in appetite, poor sleep quality, or even grouchiness.
Each of us have our own unique signals and we need to recognise them. It would also be good if the people around you know what these are as well and can help point them out to you when you start exhibiting these signs.
For me, my Signals are insomnia and binge eating…and oh yes, GROUCHINESS. When I start to feel this way I know I need to start monitoring myself.
In fact, I’ve even instructed my team to watch out for my Signals and highlight it to me as sometimes, I don’t even realise it.
Learn to identify what your Brownout Zone Signals are and try not to stay in the zone for too long, by doing the following…
3. Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms
For one, don’t stay in the Brownout Zone longer than necessary. Ask for help or additional resources, get it done and over with fast and move on, or palm it off to somebody else. Don’t stay in the stressful state for too long.
But if you can’t minimise your time there, then please develop healthy coping mechanisms like:
- Meditation/Mindfulness
- Exercise
- Enforced Breaks/Naps/Off-days
Try to avoid negative coping mechanisms.
I know of a 38 year old Private Banker who was raking in over a million dollars a year and has to cope with her stress by polishing off half a bottle of whisky at the end of each working day (on non-working days, it’s one whole bottle). “It’s the only thing that’s keeping me going.” She confessed.
Find healthy ways to decompress so you can stay sane and not break. Remember, we all have our limits and no matter how much we try to cope, staying in the Brownout Zone for too long will eventually lead to long-term health issues or even death.
4. Pull Back or Quit
Renowned Country Singer Kenny Rogers once sang in his hit song “The Gambler” that “You gotta know when to hold them, when to fold em, know when to walk away, know when to run…”
Indeed, the secret to winning a game of poker is to realise when you need to pull back or even to quit. Remember, your career is an infinite game that goes on and on, and it’s ok to lose a round to win the game.
In fact, “Quitting whilst you’re ahead” is a great way to make a good exit. There is no shame in taking your foot off the accelerator pedal, or even in quitting, especially if it is affecting your physical, emotional and mental health, so just take it from Princess Elsa from Frozen and learn to ‘Let It Go’.
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