Many years ago I worked for an organization that applauded quality work. However, by the nature of the services we provided, the work was relentless and never ending.
Burn-Out can hinder productivity, not only for you, but the people you work with!
"Burnout is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet"
TWD can help!
How to Motivate your Leadership for Success III
BURNOUT
Many years ago, I worked for an organization that applauded quality work. However, by the nature of the services we provided, the work was relentless and never ending. Thus, quantity became part of producing quality. Rewards of praise would sometimes come when there was a successful outcome, or I did a presentaton in the community. It didn't seem to matter that it would often include an abundance of overtime, weekends not excluded. The cumulative effects this had on me after 7 years took its toll.
Now don't get me wrong. I was a willing participant in this, so I don't claim victim status here. It was only after 7 years with this organization that I felt so exhausted, so resentful, so emotionally and physically drained and so used, that I finally got out. There were meager attempts along the way to establish a boundary with my leaders, but it was always met with disappointment and shaming by those individuals. Work addiction was their paradigm and consequently it had to be mine.
It wasn't until I left this organization, got into a new job situation and had some time and distance away, that I realized I was a product of extremeBURNOUT.
I was so hungry for validation and acknowledgement (for me personally, it had deep roots related to my childhood), that I was willing to push beyond what any one person can reasonably do.
I have always prided myself at being a hard, consciences worker and have enjoyed the benefits of this particular strength of mine. After I left this organization, my next job involved working for a large corporate hospital where I had a terrific supervisor. At the end of a 40 hour work week, I was done. I had my weekends free, I didn't have to carry a beeper 24/7, and I wasn't expected to be all things to all people.
I often felt like I was getting away with being a slacker. What I came to realize over time, was that boundaries, family life and outside interests, were all supported and encouraged. My supervisor knew that his LeadershipTeam would perform better and enjoy their work more with these parameters in place. He was absolutely correct. I learned through this experience that boundaries are healthy, that being able to say no is appropriate, and that it doesn't mean I'm not an excellent employee and worker, if I don't take on more then is reasonably appropriate.
BURNOUT in the workplace is a phenomenon that starts from the top down. When your Leaders don't teach, support and value boundaries or time away from the job, then you are prone to working relentlessly without any reprieve. After all, it's what they do. I have found that in my counseling and coaching practice, that clients with burnout tend to be very poor at setting boundaries with themselves and others.
They seek the praise, validation and acknowledgement that comes from a fear based need as opposed to a healthy adult expectation. The worse part about burnout is that it has a rippling negative effect in the work culture. It creates diminishing returns through higher turnover, lower productivity and increased sick leave.
Below is a list of some symptoms that accompany burnout:
- Irritability and resentment
- More difficulty fighting off sickness
- An inability to set boundaries because you know it won't be supported in your work culture
- A belief that you are being "chewed up and spit out"
- Difficulty with creativity
- High turnover where you work
- A tendency to stop caring about your organization
- Medicating self (shopping, food, drugs, alcohol, etc)
- No pleasure in the achievement of goals
- Having to drag yourself into work
- Every day starts to feel like a bad day at work
Take time for yourself to Breathe, and Relax!
You're worth it!
Although there are many additional symptoms of BURNOUT, the above is a good cross section giving you an idea of what it looks and feels like. By now, I hope you are asking if this writer is going to tell you if there are ways to avoid BURNOUT.
Working for a corporate or organizational system that doesn't applaud, support and value boundaries, can make it difficult to effectively deal with BURNOUT. In my coaching and counseling practice, I work with clients in the areas of self care and boundaries, simultaneously. Sometimes this results in their leaving the current jobs they are in. As a result of getting emotionally healthier, they become unwilling to be coerced and shamed into more work.
Ideally, I find it most effective to work with CEOs, and top level management to teach them the value of a healthy system. Some of the focus includes teaching to set boundaries, open communication and limiting the amount of hours their team is allowed to work. In turn, it gives them and their employees the opportunity to enjoy their family life, their avocations and friendships outside of work.
Below is a list of some preventative measures you can take
- Make sure you are getting enough sleep (8 hours ideally)
- Eat healthy, limiting fast foods, empty nutritional carbohydrates (donuts, cakes, cookies, etc) and sugar intake
- Exercise. Find a form of exercise you enjoy and do it 3 to 5 times a week
- Meditation. There is a lot of evidence and studies that have shown that meditation helps to keep people healthier at the levels of mind, body and spirit.
- Laughter. Spend time laughing with friends, colleagues and family (I think this was a key reason I lasted 7 years)
- Professional coaching
- Professional counseling
- Listening to music, relaxation tapes and guided imageries
The nature of BURNOUT prohibits many people to take on the above suggestions. TWD has found it most advantageous in our work with clients, to have them start modestly and build on their successes.
We have addressed in almost every newsletter, that to be an effective leader you have to "Walk the Walk" and not just "Talk the Talk". If you really want the most out of yourself and your team, it is imperative that BURNOUT be extinguished, if it exists within your company. As a leader, are you demonstrating the necessity for healthy boundaries?
Are you allowing for the flow of communication in both directions? Do you encourage your team to do quality work and contain the amount of quantity they have to do? Do you do that for yourself?
If you have a good team of hard, consciences workers, give them the gift of a healthy work environment to thrive in. Let them know that they are valued. Not by the amount of hours they put in, but the quality of work they do, and how well they do it. If they aren't good at taking care of themselves, it is your job as their leader to teach them, help them and show them, by your example and by your words. Never underestimate the influence you have on your Leadership Team. A few words of support, kindness and permission to "GO HOME" can have great benefit to the members of your team and to your organization.
If you as the leader aren't good at taking care of yourself, seek out the help and support from Executive Coaches or Consultants to help you. A good leader knows their strengths and weaknesses, and should never hesitate to seek out experts in areas that need development. You will reap the rewards of low turnover, and a happy group of employees that will want to help the company succeed.
About Trans-World Dynamics, LLC
There will never be a substitute for quality relationships and connection with other people. Many crave it, some deny it, some enjoy the experiences of good friends, family and professional colleagues and most feel very alone or isolated too much of the time.
Trans-World Dynamics' (TWD) mission is to guide individuals, executives and businesses, towards the practices of Trust, Honesty Authenticity, and Kindness (THAnKsŪ). As these sustainable principles serve to guide individuals in all areas of their lives, the rewards that we have seen CEOs, companies, executives and individuals experience, are unprecedented. TWD focuses on taking people and companies to places they only dream about. We guide, teach, nudge and champion people from all walks of life to see their GREATNESS and experience their power and gifts in ways they didn't know existed. The variety of Coaching and Training modalities that are used allow for a custom designed program for our clients.
Our corporation was founded on the premise of serving others, and committed to improving the quality of life to all who choose to employ our services. TWD is committed to long-term relationships with the companies, executives and all whom we serve, to assist in the achievement of desired visions and goals.
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Trans-World Dynamics, LLC
Bob Sugar
President
Trans-World Dynamics, LLC
Brad Stevenson
Chief Operations Officer
Copyright 2007 Trans-World Dynamics, LLC. All rights reserved.
THAnKs(sm) is a registered servicemark of Trans-World Dynamics, LLC.
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