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In my years of experience as a business professional and consultant, I have often seen and heard unfortunate examples of physical and emotional burnout which limited the careers and success of peers and executive leaders alike. Others actually seemed to thrive in stressful roles, or even ordinary jobs, implying a resistance or immunity to burnout.
I’ve always struggled to understand what can put you into one category or the other, or what you can do to avoid unhealthy stress or burnout on any given role. My research in this area indicates that it relates to your emotional intelligence (EI), which includes your ability to clearly perceive and productively manage your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in relation to those around you.
I found some additional insight on this subject in a new book, “Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work,” by Kandi Wiens, EdD. She is a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and executive coach who focuses on helping leaders amplify their positive impact and protect themselves from burnout.
I will summarize here her top six recommendations, with my own experiences added, for every business professional to avoid burnout:
1. Communicate and maintain work-hour boundaries. Make it clear to peers, management, and yourself what hours of the day and night you will and will not be available for work-related activities. This includes answering emails, text messages, and phone calls, as well as attending meetings. Practice and enforce this discipline.
2. Impose limits on your efforts and energy expended. Too much of anything, even something you are really enthusiastic about, will eventually have negative consequences. Set up escape routes and guardrails for yourself, such as a regular exercise regimen, or a “do not disturb” period every day at work. Ask a friend to help keep you accountable.
3. Avoid and release non-essential work commitments. Go through all your work commitments daily and analyze them in terms of priority and need. Tag the necessary ones, delegate others that you can, and eliminate items that are no longer essential. Be sure to communicate your changes to required peers and organizational leaders.
4. Seek to recharge and rejuvenate outside of work. In addition to regular breaks at work, eliminating burnout requires restorative practices that usually take place completely outside the bounds of work. Look for things you enjoy, as these can give you energy and satisfaction, and help you maintain a balance between your work and personal life.
5. Broaden your sense of identity beyond your office. Seek active roles in your industry, community, or extended family, and never allow yourself to be completely defined by your office role. Celebrate your contributions and recognition in every role, to build your self-confidence and personal satisfaction in as many dimensions as possible.
6. Accept the need for evolving career priorities. Over a work life that will likely span decades, recognize that you will see many different driving motivations. Sometimes your emphasis will be on skill building, advancement, and family balance, while other periods will be mission-driven or transactional. Don’t try to do too many at the same time.
The good news is that all of us can build and boost our resistance to burnout and nurture healthier and happier relationships by using emotional intelligence (EI) and managing workplace stress before it leads to a breakdown. With the tips outlined here, you can start today to solidify your ongoing business contributions and your future career.
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