What Is Burnout and How Can We Recognise It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After getting to see the similarities between sporting and corporate environments, you also realise how much burnout can vary based on our own perceptions. That means everyone\u2019s burnout is going to look a little different, and everyone has their own background and ways of approaching things. But if you look for a single definition of burnout, exhaustion comes up a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For his part, Hugh characterises burnout as having \u201cnothing left in the tank\u201d and warns that it isn\u2019t just an occupational phenomenon. And recognising it in yourself or others requires tuning in to behaviour changes, he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugh says there are several signs to watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Visible fatigue<\/li>
- Being less socially engaged or mentally \u2018present\u2019 <\/li>
- Spending lots of extra time on your mobile, beyond the occasional break or email checking<\/li>
- Eating less healthy or drinking more alcohol than usual<\/li>
- Being more negative or critical toward others<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
He also says the fundamentals of self care \u2013 exercise, diet, sleep \u2013 start to slip. If you\u2019re no longer making time to exercise or you\u2019re skipping sleep to do work, these could be signs that your \u2018tank\u2019 is getting low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This tracks with my own experiences. When it comes to elite cycling, there are so many elements that go into training: you\u2019ve got nutrition, gym, stretching, and a whole multitude of factors to put you in the best possible position to win the race. But on top of all those factors is your ability to sit back and acknowledge how you feel. Are you listening to your body? What are you experiencing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not very different in a corporate world. You\u2019ve got just as many factors that contribute to your success and wellbeing: family, exercise and sleep are just a few. And balancing those factors depends on being able to go to that higher level and think, \u201cWhat am I experiencing? Am I more distracted? Are little things bothering me more than they normally would?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managing Burnout Individually<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s say you realise that you\u2019re feeling burnt out. What\u2019s next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugh uses his own experience with burnout as an example. While his wife was heavily pregnant, he needed to travel to Queensland to lead a resilience workshop at a week-long football camp. What happened next shows the power of an important first step: vulnerability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI got in front of that group and I told them I didn\u2019t want to be there. I told them I was exhausted and I just wanted to be with my family, that I had almost nothing to give emotionally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The footballers responded with an outpouring of support and empathy \u2013 an energising connection that helped Hugh make the decision to start prioritising time for recharging and recovering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More broadly, this speaks to resilience, which Hugh explains as, \u201chow you cultivate position emotion in your life.\u201d This doesn\u2019t have to be a big effort, either. For Hugh, that could be as simple as laughing and joking with his wife, even poking fun at himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For me, when it comes to managing my own burnout, I\u2019ve always found it helpful to take a moment and celebrate the wins, no matter how small or large they may be. This can be harder when you\u2019re the type of person who is always chasing that next goal, but taking stock of what you\u2019ve already achieved can help you maintain perspective and see things through a more positive lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWellness Playbook Guides<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Prioritise employee wellbeing with tips from Thrive Global and Sales<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n
Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/au\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-illustration-layout-one.png\")
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\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\nManaging Burnout Together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to be aware of how we\u2019re feeling and whether we may be burned out, but those around us have important roles to play, too. Hugh explains that noticing signs of burnout is everyone\u2019s job. \u201cEveryone is a leader in this area,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s about paying really close attention to yourself and your teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most fundamental correlations I\u2019ve seen between sport and working at Salesforce has been the importance of a team \u2013 having others there to help you and to know that everyone is working toward the same goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the other big similarity is how much it helps to have someone who is able to listen. They don\u2019t necessarily need to give feedback, even. When I was in my twenties and riding six hours a day in northern Italy and various other locations, it was crucial to be able to talk to a teammate about how we were feeling and what we were working toward. Simply confiding in a person you trust can help you come back to some sort of centre \u2013 and often it reminds you that others are experiencing their own struggles, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugh repeatedly stresses the importance of this sort of connection, and it\u2019s one that he and his team at The Resilience Project have cultivated in a deliberate way. During Victoria\u2019s second lockdown, when morale was low, this involved carving out formal opportunities to share how they felt. For those in senior positions, it was also crucial to model behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe arranged opportunities to check in with each other,\u201d he explains. \u201cOur CEO started off by saying he had his own struggles with working from home with two young kids. He modelled it, and we never said that anyone needed to open up in the same way, but they did.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a few other things that can help when others are experiencing burnout. Those in senior positions may want to offer the person space, time off, or simply an opportunity to listen and understand what\u2019s needed. Hugh says that chipping away at certain stigmas will be important, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThink about when we\u2019re playing sport or training,\u201d says Hugh. \u201cIf someone feels pain or notices something wrong, what do they do? They go to a physio straight away. But if something is wrong mentally or emotionally, they don\u2019t always immediately go to a counsellor or psychologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose professionals are really like physios for our minds and hearts. I\u2019m a generally happy person, but I see a counsellor regularly and I\u2019m open about it. I make sure it\u2019s in my calendar and that I\u2019m modelling that behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building Resilience as a Group<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Leaders have a big role to play in setting the tone and modelling behaviour. I\u2019ve experienced this myself recently. When you\u2019re, say, working toward the end of the financial year and everyone is feeling the pressure, it can make all the difference to hear upper management tell you, \u201cWe\u2019re coming toward the end of the race, and I\u2019m here to support you, no matter what your goal or your experience might be.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, leaders aren\u2019t the only ones who can play this role. Hugh describes resilience as our ability to foster positivity and positive emotions. So how can we do that, not just individually but as a team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugh has a few recommendations, and they can be kicked off by a single person:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- What went well? Using perhaps a poster or whiteboard, this activity tracks and displays successes, big or small: a free coffee, your daughter doing well at her soccer game. \u201cWhat happens is you start to rewire your brain to notice the positive things,\u201d says Hugh. I\u2019m a big fan of this one myself and have been using a similar approach to individual burnout, so I think it\u2019s a great way to expand it to an entire team.<\/li>
- Random acts of kindness. \u201cOne person starts it and people will pay it forward. Acts of kindness generate oxytocin in our brains, which encourages us to go out and create even more micro-moments, building positive resonance.\u201d <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, Hugh emphasises that checking in with someone is one of the most powerful ways to build a healthy and supportive environment. The answer might be as simple as one bad night of sleep, or there may be no problem at all. Still, checking in is the important part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more about that check-in and reminding them you care. And that\u2019s not because they\u2019re on your team or you work for the same company, it\u2019s because they\u2019re a human being and we need to look after one another as human beings.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can find out more about Hugh\u2019s work at The Resilience Project<\/a>. For more tips on wellness, check out The Leader\u2019s Guide to Employee Wellbeing<\/a> or our blogs with other wellness experts:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Mind, body and soul: prioritising your mental wellbeing with Dr Justine Gatt<\/a><\/b><\/li>
- The data of emotion with Sue Langley<\/a><\/b><\/li>
- The significance of sleep: how and why workplaces should promote better sleep habits with Dr Moira Junge<\/a><\/b><\/li>
- How can you support a return to work after serious illness or injury? with Jo Lewis<\/a><\/b><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- The data of emotion with Sue Langley<\/a><\/b><\/li>
- Mind, body and soul: prioritising your mental wellbeing with Dr Justine Gatt<\/a><\/b><\/li>