5 Steps Team Leaders Need to Take to Manage Burnout

Left unmanaged, burnout can result in lost productivity, decreased creativity and even physical and mental health problems. It can have an increasingly negative effect on team members, and wind up putting too much pressure on them.

However, burnout can be easily prevented with the right methods.

What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion. It often occurs after a particularly stressful work period, or during a time where  an individual is repeatedly dealing with difficult or challenging situations

In terms of workplace performance, burnout can lead to decreased productivity, creativity, and decision making skills. Burned out employees may also be more likely to take sick days or leave their jobs.

When team leaders experience burnout, it often has a ripple effect on their team members. This can damage morale and put further stress on the workplace.

What are the signs of burnout?

Feeling constantly lethargic

A sense of malaise and tiredness that won't go away is one of the most typical symptoms of burnout. We may think the weekend can't come soon enough, or that we can't get through the day without a break.

This symptom is generally caused by how much a leader tries to get everything done, or alternatively because sleep quality is a factor. They're either going to bed too late because of their job, or failing to sleep adequately due to workplace worries and concerns

Irritability and short temper

Have you been feeling irritable lately? This can be an indication that burnout is on its way, as fatigue causes our mental health and mood to deteriorate.

Burnout is a very destructive force within organizations. It can leave leaders feeling bitter, hopeless, irritated, dissatisfied and ineffective, which only adds to the downward spiral.

Lack of motivation and enthusiasm

The loss of enthusiasm, energy, motivation and productivity for their employment is a clear indication that leaders are burned out. We may even fantasize about winning the lottery and retiring, changing jobs or career paths or giving up on a project or organization entirely - even if we were previously quite satisfied there.

It surprises them because leaders are frequently overcommitted and performance-oriented, thus it seldom occurs to them that this transformation in their character is due to burnout rather than a reflection of a sudden change in their competence, dedication or skill.

Becoming avoidant of others

Burned out executives will often stop replying to emails, miss phone calls, constantly be late for meetings, exceed deadlines and even avoid their co-workers due to the fog of exhaustion.

This is mostly due to their tiredness and the fact that they are unsure if they will be able to keep up an act around those who know them best. A variety of studies have shown that leaders who are burned out will go to great lengths to hide their condition, and avoiding having to take on the responsibility of leadership is one such method.

Going into survival mode

Have you ever heard yourself or a team leader say, "My main objective for today is to survive?" If you answered yes, there's something wrong.

We have less energy than we had before, and we become reactive and passive. We can't be proactive or motivated when we're suffering from burnout, so instead, we revert to our survival instincts just to get by, frequently doing the bare minimum simply to survive.

5 ways to manage burnout

1. Practice self-care

One of the most frequently advised strategies for preventing burnout is to maintain a regular self-care practice. Self-care generally refers to exercising and eating properly, but leaders should look beyond this by finding methods to treat themselves.

Spiritual disciplines such as meditation, going out into nature and keeping a daily journal can all assist us in re-centering and battling against burnout.

Taking a break from constantly pinging, updating and ringing gadgets is another advised and researched option for combating burnout. According to research, taking only one night off from phones and computers made some executives feel considerably more refreshed and eager to get back to work in the morning.

2. Delegate work as much as possible

It's important to be more discerning about what work is done and when, so you can talk with the rest of the team about what may or may not be accomplished. In a perfect world, everyone would be delegable and capable of removing tasks from the pile to keep everyone's workload balanced and relieve pressure.

It's vital that as a team leader, you don't simply over-work yourself. This is why knowing how to effectively delegate jobs is more important than ever

3. Streamline your day

Some executives are more focused in the morning while others are more productive later in the day. By streamlining and arranging our days in comparison to our best working methods, we may reduce the sensation of being overwhelmed, which substantially decreases the risk of burnout.

For example, a leader who works more efficiently in the morning might plan their day as follows: interacting with emails between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., working on a big project that necessitates considerable concentration from 10:00 to 12:00 p.m., and holding the department catch-up meeting between 2:00 and 4:00.

Similarly, having a good work/life balance day in and day out is essential in ensuring that you don't reach any stage of burnout.

4. Check in with yourself

Another crucial method to avoid burnout is for leaders to check in with how they're feeling on a regular basis and compare it to the identified symptoms of burnout.

If a leader feels unusually tired or less enthusiastic than usual, they are most likely already on the verge of burnout. So, by recognizing the early signs of burnout and checking in with themselves at least once a month, individuals can take preventative measures to modify their behavior and avoid the worst effects of severe burnout.

5. Work on changing negative mindset

While working on a growth mindset is important as a team leader, having a positive mindset is the most important first step.

If we constantly tell ourselves that we're unable to manage our workload, then the likelihood of burnout increases. Leaders should instead work on changing their mindset and therefore adopting a more positive outlook.

Start by acknowledging that you are capable of completing the tasks at hand, and then take it one step further by praising yourself for a job well done. This will help to boost productivity while also preventing the development of burnout.

Burnout is a real and serious issue that can affect workplace performance and team members. It's important for team leaders to be proactive in managing burnout. By maintaining a good self-care practice, delegating work, streamlining your schedule, checking in with yourself regularly and working on transforming your negative mindset, team leaders can significantly reduce their risk of experiencing burnout.