Burnout: What We Don't Talk About Enough
- Charletta Wilson
- Nov 14, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 15
Symptoms of burnout show us that chronic stress that lingers too long will slowly chips away at our health and well-being. The World Health Organization calls it a syndrome that stems from prolonged stress that hasn’t been successfully managed well.
And here’s the kicker: burnout isn’t just about being tired, low productivity or morale. It can amplifying risks for life-threatening diseases like stroke, cancer, and autoimmune conditions.
In other words, do not play with burnout. It's serious business.
Prior to the Covid pandemic, Gallup found that one in four workers report feeling burnout very often or always. Holy smokes! Add in today’s challenges of blurred boundaries between home and work, caregiving responsibilities, new leadership or the weight of ongoing uncertainty and the conditions are ripe for exhaustion.
We may not know how long certain pressures will stick around, but here’s what we do know: adopting even one or two healthy self-management strategies can be a game-changer for you, and for the people who count on you.
The heavy toll of burnout is the stress that quietly erodes our capacity to thrive.
4 Strategies to Try
Tune Into Body. Check in on your energy levels. Are you waking up refreshed or already depleted? Noticing early signals allows you to course-correct.
Boundaries. Protect your sleep, food, and calendar. Say “yes” to more rest, nourishing meals, and white space on your schedule.
Lean Into Your Circle. Tell trusted friends, family, or colleagues if you’re struggling. Invite them to notice changes in you—and be ready to notice changes in them, too.
Seek help. Every great leader I know has a coach, a therapist…or both. Asking for help isn’t weakness, it’s one of the bravest practice moves you can make.
As leaders, we carry a lot. A dried out well has no water and can serve no one. We can only give to others in the abundance of what we have ourselves.
So do the right thing prioritize you and your well-being. You and your leadership are needed!
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