Beating Burnout

5 Job Factors Contributing to Burnout

Cartans are builders, owners, innovators, and problem solvers. The environment that we work in is one that asks a lot of us - we're expected to be in full grind mode, hitting quotas and KPIs, being vocal and visible, and constantly in meetings, and on the move.

As a Black woman, someone early career AND new to the industry, I feel like I have to give 110% just to feel like I'm proving my value and that I deserve my seat at that table.

I'll add to this that the layoffs happening in our industry add a whole another layer of pressure and stress, we're seeing reorgs, projects getting cut, whole teams, and thousands of people doing great work getting laid off. All of this adds uncertainty and stress to jobs that already carry a lot of constraints. It can be easy to think that your productivity and grind will be attached to your worth.

I want to say here that I'ts not true and the grind mode mindset is not sustainable and leads to us burning out the one resource we need to get everything done, which is ourselves.

1. Prioritize Rest. We receive so many signals from white supremacist capitalist patriarchy that say we must work and give so much to access the right to rest. But as Nap Minister Tricia Hersey shares, “rest is resistance.” Rest is not something that’s earned. We have biological and psychological needs and the right to rest. There are 7 major types of rest. Make space for yourself to be unburdened from responsibility regularly: from a few days off each month, to weekly hikes, or even being offline for an hour per day. Use tools like calendar focus features, or your phone’s do not disturb features to reinforce your commitment to resting.

2. Break the routine. Fresh perspective and insight can come from rest and they can also come from getting playful with your routine. Try a new podcast, experiment with a different recipe, visit a neighborhood or city you haven't been to, or connect with a new friend or community. Allow yourself to learn and play with the unknown: you’d be surprised at how much your imagination is willing to share with you when you embrace newness.

3. Detox. Burnout cannot be beaten without changing the circumstances that created the burnout. Get clear on what’s bringing your energy and what’s been taken away. Of the things that you can control, where can you release or let go of the things that drain your energy and imagination?

4. Imagine Your Ideal Outcome. When we get lost in the day-to-day grind, we lose sight of the dreams and goals that helped propel us to our present circumstances. We don’t just work to earn a paycheck or a promotion, our ideal outcomes lie on the other side of what our job and career aspirations can offer us. Give yourself time to reflect on what you would want if you had no limits. Think of the feelings that you want to experience as you accomplish your goals and to-do’s. Once you get clear on the outcomes you want, your periods of rest and experimentation will help you get clear on how to get there.

5. Tap into community, Many times burnout is accelerated or exacerbated by feelings of isolation. In reality, many of us are experiencing similar things as we attempt to own our power and abundance in environments and workplaces that cultivate sameness and scarcity. Community affirms us and holds us accountable to our goals and needs. Lean into those you trust who can honor and hold space for your experiences and also build you up with their own experiences and insights. As you seek to expand or build your community, sharing your story can be a way to attract and connect those who share a similar journey.

As you look to navigate this season of burnout and healing, coaching can be an important tool for accountability and support in accessing a more rested and resilient you. Many of my BIPOC Empowerment coach partners have healed through their burnout and tapped into a more abundant and easeful life vision.