Identify red flags: signs of burnout and taking action

Prevent burnout with actions that safeguard your health and boost your leadership capabilities.

In today's whirlwind of responsibilities and expectations, the risk of burnout is a looming reality for many leaders and professionals, myself included. As we juggle work commitments, family life, and the elusive 'me-time', it's all too easy to overlook the subtle signs of burnout until we're knee-deep in stress.

Perhaps you are feeling a bit like my client, Jack.  He’s busy juggling work commitments as a Dad with young children, supporting his partner with her work, and sharing the home admin. He loves the impact of his work and works hard to keep his team high-performing and well. The time he spends with his kids is some of his favourite – reading their stories and throwing a ball around with them. He brings their latest artwork to display in his workplace and acts as a daily reminder of his life beyond. He has some great mates and enjoys nothing more than their weekend bike rides with a coffee stop along the way.

What if I told you that there are practical, proactive steps you can take to prevent burnout before it takes hold? With the right insights and strategies, you can safeguard your well-being, enhance your leadership capabilities, and reclaim the balance and joy in your life. In this post, we'll explore how to spot the signs of burnout and introduce actionable leader burnout solutions to help you thrive in our fast-paced world.

Recognising Signs of Burnout

Burnout can subtly creep into our lives, affecting both our emotional stability and physical health. Identifying these signs early is crucial for leaders and professionals to maintain their well-being and effectiveness.

Emotional and Physical Red Flags

Burnout often manifests through various emotional and physical symptoms. Emotionally, you might experience increased irritability or feel detached from your work and personal life. Physically, signs can include chronic fatigue, headaches, or changes in sleep patterns.

• Chronic Fatigue: Feeling constantly exhausted, regardless of how much sleep you get. This can affect your energy levels throughout the day.
• Emotional Detachment: Experiencing a sense of withdrawal from colleagues and loved ones, often due to overwhelming stress.

Recognising these early symptoms allows for timely intervention. Reflect regularly on your mood and physical health to discern if these signs persist.

Impact on Work and Personal Life

Burnout doesn't just stop at physical symptoms; it profoundly affects work and personal life. At work, you might notice a dip in productivity or creativity. Personal relationships might suffer due to decreased emotional availability.

• Reduced Productivity: Tasks that were once easy become difficult, and meeting deadlines feels challenging.
• Strained Relationships: Less patience and increased irritability can lead to conflicts with family and friends.

Understanding the broader impact of burnout helps in prioritising interventions. Open communication with colleagues and loved ones can provide support during this challenging time.

How to Prevent Burnout

Preventing burnout requires a proactive approach. You can safeguard their health and optimise work performance by implementing specific strategies.

Key Strategies for Leaders

Leaders have a unique role in preventing burnout for themselves and their teams. Here are some strategies:

1. Self-Assessment: Regularly evaluate your stress levels and workloads to identify potential burnout triggers.
2. Prioritise Tasks: Focus on high-impact tasks and delegate where possible.
3. Encourage Open Communication: Foster a culture where team members feel comfortable discussing stress and workload issues.

Implementing these strategies can create a more balanced and sustainable work environment. They also set a positive example for your team, encouraging them to prioritise their own wellbeing.

Implementing Effective Boundaries

Setting boundaries is crucial for maintaining work-life balance and preventing burnout. Effective boundaries help separate professional responsibilities from personal life.  In last month's blog, I wrote about these tips to help you set and maintain boundaries:

1. Identify Your Priorities: To determine where to set your boundaries, begin by identifying what is most important to you, both professionally and personally.
2. Communicate Needs: Once you’ve identified your boundaries, articulate them clearly and respectfully. Use "I" statements to express your needs, such as, "I need to leave work by 6 PM."
3. Consistency is key: Stick to your boundaries, such as “I need to finish work by 6 pm.”

Boundaries protect personal time, allowing for relaxation and rejuvenation. This not only benefits personal well-being but also enhances professional effectiveness.

Prevent Burnout by Achieving Work-Life Balance

Achieving a harmonious balance between work and personal life is essential for preventing burnout and maintaining overall health.

Keep these five key areas in balance

The only way to maintain energy and focus is to have a dynamic blend and balance of activities that fall into five broad areas.  These five areas are also the five points of the LifeStar wellbeing model. They are:

1. Move: Incorporate regular movement into your routine
2. Stop: Take time to pause, rest, reflect, recharge.
3. Care: Nourish yourself with food and favourite pastimes. Self-care and self-compassion are non-negotiable. Take time to do things that recharge you. 
4. Connect: Spend time with people you enjoy being with and can be yourself.
5. Achieve: Tap into your motivation to achieve things that are important to you.

Prioritising wellbeing ensures you have the energy and mental space to tackle challenges effectively. It also demonstrates to your team that prioritising health is a part of a healthy work culture.

Building a Supportive Network

A strong support network—consisting of family, friends, and professional connections — is invaluable for navigating the complexities of professional and personal life.

• Seek Mentorship: Connect with mentors who can provide guidance and advice based on their experiences.
• Engage with Peers: Participate in professional groups or networks to share insights and support.

Building a supportive network enhances resilience and provides a buffer against stress. It also opens up opportunities for personal and professional growth.

You do not need to figure this out alone

I know how tough it can be - you know what you need to do - what's far more tricky is how to approach this.  Where do you start, and who can help you get started and keep you progressing?  There are skilled people out there to support you.   I'm proud to be one of these people who have the skills, experience, and tools to get you started and keep you going. 

Jack and I worked together to create a personalised well-being plan. The LifeStar approach enabled him to become more aware of what he could do immediately, create a plan, and have accountability and support to implement it. He also improved his leadership skills and became more confident in holding boundaries and giving feedback.

Jack is more aware of his energy builders and zappers these days.  He feels the tension between achieving in all parts of his life and has a renewed focus and skill level to keep thriving and enjoying life.

LifeStar support options to prevent burnout

1. Build self-awareness to understand your current patterns with the LifeStar 101 Self-Paced program.
2. Create your wellness plan by doing a LifeStar reset, either self-paced or with me as your coach working alongside you.
3. Live the plan with support and accountability.  Book a 30-minute discovery session to learn how you can have your personalised wellbeing plan with support to thrive and enjoy life.