Leadership and Burnout: How to Avoid Burnout as a Leader

Leadership is often associated with power, responsibility, and authority. As a leader, you are expected to be able to handle anything that comes your way and keep your team positive, even in times of uncertainty. However, the pressure, isolation, and weight that come with being at the top can be overwhelming, making things seem hopeless and difficult to manage. This is known as leadership burnout. It is a growing problem in many workplaces and can harm individuals, teams, and organizations.

The good news is that there are strategies you can use to prevent burnout and promote a healthy and productive workplace culture. In this blog post, we will explore the link between leadership and burnout, the causes of burnout, and tips for avoiding burnout as a leader.

Defining leadership burnout

Leadership burnout can be characterized as the feeling of physical and emotional exhaustion experienced by senior executives and high-performing managers when they are overworked or neglect their wellbeing. It is a psychological condition caused by chronic stress, often due to long-term work-related stressors.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is characterized by three dimensions: low energy, exhaustion, increasingly negative feelings about work, and reduced professional effectiveness. In general, burnout can be associated with physical, emotional and/or mental exhaustion. Interestingly, the phenomenon is particularly prevalent among female managers: a McKinsey study shows, that more than half of women in management positions consistently feel burned out, and women are more likely to suffer from burnout than men at a rate of 32% to 28%.

However, the symptoms of burnout can vary from person to person. Typical signs are:

• Insomnia (Sleeplessness)  
• Feeling emotionally exhausted or drained
• Physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach ache
• Low energy levels 
• Increased negativity or irritability towards colleagues and clients, inability to control one’s moods 
• Low levels of enthusiasm and motivation, reduced efficiency 
• Loss of perspective and brain fog 
• Feelings of hopelessness or cynicism about work 

It is important to understand that burnout is not a personal weakness or lack of resilience, but rather the result of chronic stress in the workplace. Managers must acknowledge its existence and take steps to address it.

Causes of leadership burnout

Recognizing the symptoms, but also identifying the causes of burnout is important in preventing it from becoming a long-term problem. But what are the factors that lead to leadership burnout? Leadership comes with several challenges that can contribute to its development of it.

Some of these are:

• • • Isolation is a common feeling among leaders: Apple CEO Tim Cooks once said, “It’s sort of a lonely job.” And this is not about the number or frequency of contacts, but about the lack of meaningful relationships with other people.
    • Lack of support: One consequence of isolation is that leaders often feel unsupported in their roles. They may not have access to coaches or other sources of support to help them with their day-to-day challenges.
    • High workload: It is obvious, but still worth mentioning – leaders are often extremely overworked.
    • Multitasking and constant partial attention: Research conducted at Stanford University found that when we try to process two mental tasks at once, our mental capacity can drop. When managers are unable to focus on their tasks due to distractions such as irrelevant emails, phone calls, or urgent questions from employees, these constant interruptions can lead to a reduction in cognitive abilities and cause stress and anxiety.
    • Work-life imbalance: Managers are expected to work longer than those they manage. Moreover, research has shown that 55% of Americans don’t use all their vacation time, leading Forbes to declare the US the “No Vacation Nation.”
    • Unrealistic expectations and power stress: Leaders may face unrealistic expectations from their superiors, employees, or stakeholders. These expectations can create pressure and stress. Power stress is the feeling of stress that comes from being in a position of power and having to make tough decisions that affect the lives of others.

10 strategies to prevent leadership burnout

But identifying what makes people burn out is still not enough: The challenge now is to be proactive in preventing burnout. Here are some tips for maintaining mental health and strategies for leaders to prevent burnout (and their employees).

1. 1. Create a routine: Establishing a daily routine can help reduce decision fatigue and give structure to your day. The routine should include time for work, rest, exercise, and other activities that are important to you. This can help you stay focused and motivated throughout the day and reduce stress.
   2. Prioritize tasks: Identifying the most important tasks and focusing on completing them first can help reduce stress and increase productivity. It is important to break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, which can help you feel more accomplished and motivated as you cross each one off your list.
   3. Prioritize self-care: Prioritize your well-being by taking breaks, getting enough sleep, and engaging in activities that bring you joy. It is important to model healthy work habits and set an example for your employees.
   4. Practice mindfulness: Taking a few moments to be present and focus on your breathing can help reduce stress and improve mental clarity. Practicing mindfulness can help you stay grounded and centered, even when things feel overwhelming.
   5. Take breaks: Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help reduce fatigue and increase productivity. It is essential to step away from your work, stretch your legs, and recharge your batteries to avoid burnout.
   6. Set boundaries: It is crucial to set boundaries between work and personal life. Such as setting specific work hours, turning off notifications outside of those hours, and taking time to disconnect and recharge. Keep your work-life balance healthy!
   7. Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for good mental and physical health. It is important to establish a consistent sleep routine of at least 7-8 hours each night and to make sleep a priority.
   8. Seek support: Don’t be afraid to ask for support from colleagues, friends, family, or coaches. Having a support system can help reduce stress and feelings of isolation and increase resilience. It is important to connect with others, especially during challenging times – that’s why leaders should take advantage of business coaching!
   9. Set realistic goals: Set realistic goals for yourself and your team. Achievable goals can foster a sense of achievement and motivation.
   10. Rewind, reflect, and remember: Reflect on things that remind you of your dreams, create vision boards, connect with highly motivated people, and take your time to reward yourself for your achievements.

You can do it!

In today’s fast-paced work environment, leadership burnout has become a common and severe problem affecting leaders in all industries and organizations: it can lead to reduced productivity, poor performance, and increased turnover. It can also affect an individual’s mental and physical health, leading to poor decision-making, missed opportunities, reduced employee engagement, and a negative impact on the overall workplace culture.

Recognizing the signs of leadership burnout and taking steps to prevent it is therefore essential to maintaining the productivity, well-being, and overall success of leaders. By implementing these steps, you can not only prevent your burnout but also drive innovation and success in your organization and create a healthier and more sustainable workplace culture, which benefits everyone in the organization.