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023: How to Beat Burnout — Prevention, Recovery & Why So Many Leaders Struggle With It

About This Episode

Burnout is real, but it’s also misunderstood. Burnout comes from constant exposure to emotional and interpersonal stressors at work or at home, or even both! And who fits that bill? Hard working, high-achieving leaders like you, me and everyone listening to this podcast.  People who don’t care rarely get burned out.

Joining us this week is Carey Nieuwhof, founder and CEO of Carey Nieuwhof Communications, which produces content and training resources for leaders. He will share wisdom gained from helping millions of leaders online and from his own experience understanding, avoiding, and battling back from burnout.

1. Growth is not a virtue.

Overachievers want to crush everything in our sight – grow the business, grow the profit, add to the staff. But, with that, we have to learn to say “no” sometimes. It’s easy to overwork when you love what you do. It doesn’t feel like work at all! But that can be short-sighted. Sometimes, it’s better to stop, look how far you’ve come, and take a rest. Otherwise, you could be on the fast road to burnout.

2. Do what you’re best at during the best time of your day.

Sometimes we take our gifts for granted. We focus on the other stuff and just wing it when it comes to doing the stuff we’re best at. But, using Carey’s methods, find your “green zone” – the 3 to 5 most productive hours of your day – and focus on your strengths during those times. Spending your best hours on things that you don’t enjoy can be draining, which over time will lead to burnout. Don’t misunderstand: Part of being a leader means, sometimes, you have to do things you don’t like. But, bottom line, don’t cheat your gift. 

3. When it comes to the reasons for your burnout, go deep.

It might get messy, but that’s okay. Are you burning out because of a desire to overachieve? To prove yourself to others? What is the root cause of those feelings? Pride? Ego? Don’t underestimate the value of talking with someone, even a professional counselor, about the “why” behind what is draining you and pushing you to burnout. If you can’t find balance, that’s a sign that something needs to change.

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