One of the biggest challenges for business executives is to avoid burning out. If you are feeling exhausted and facing true burnout, it is a serious problem. The steps you can take to rectify this situation are often more involved than simply catching a nap or leaving work early.
When you’re constantly busy and losing steam, it can be hard to know whether some downtime would do the trick and reenergize you or if something much more insidious and dangerous to your health and career is happening. Here, 14 members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss how executives can determine whether they’re on the verge of serious burnout or just desperately in need of a vacation.
Forbes Coaches Council members share tips to help executives determine if they are on the verge of burnout or just in desperate need of a vacation.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Consider Creativity And Patience Levels
The best way to decide this is to ask yourself, “Am I exhausted, or do I feel like what was previously a fun career has suddenly stalled?” When executives are burnt out, creativity is low, and so is their patience. Rest will get those wheels turning again, and going on holiday might just be the fun break you need to feel alive again. - Glory Edozien, Inspired by Glory Academy
2. Take At Least Five Days Off
The only surefire way to know is to take at least five days off, even if you have a holiday lined up within the same month. If you feel fully replenished when you return and are able to connect with the vision you have for your work, fantastic. If you return to feeling un-replenished, as if you are operating in the mental equivalent of custard and are unable to access your vision, that’s the edge of burnout. - Hannah Roberts, Breakthrough
3. See If You’re Still Tired After Going On Vacation
I think my work with Olympic athletes might help shed some light on this question. Athletes work hard and then ensure a period of rest. During the rest period, the body puts more energy back into the muscles, and the athlete can progressively increase performance. For executives, this means that a sign of burnout is when you go on vacation and come back feeling more tired than you were before you left! - Dr. John Blakey, The Trusted Executive Foundation
4. Look Out For Three Signs Of Burnout
Having decision fatigue before noon, displaying pettiness toward people close to you and compromising on your values are all pretty good signs you’re heading for burnout. As an executive, you should be expected to perform well for sustained periods of time with proper rest. But when two of those three signs appear, that’s a clear indication that your recovery and fatigue are unbalanced and you’re burning out. - Corrie Block, Paragon Consulting FZE
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5. Determine Whether You’re Dreading Work
It’s been said that if you don’t take a break, your body will make you. Some simple questions you can ask yourself to distinguish between the two are: “Does work seem harder and more laborious than typical?” “Am I dreading the work ahead of me?” “Do I often dream of not doing anything at all (versus doing something else )?” If you answer “yes” to these, you may be on the verge of serious burnout. - Wendy Fong, Chief Gigs
6. Consider Changes In Feelings And Behaviors
If you used to love your work, had lots of creative ideas and no problem working long hours, but now you find it difficult to get out of bed, feel apathetic, get irritated easily, lash out and feel impatient regularly, need way too much coffee and don’t really care so much about the results, you are on the verge of a serious burnout and need to seek help. - Masha Malka, The One Minute Coach Corp.
7. Ask Your Five Closest Friends
Ask your five closest friends—who have not one iota of material or monetary investment with you—that very question. Let them see you write down their responses. Then, assess the five responses and mediate/pray/journal. You’ll get your answer. - John Evans, Evans&Evans Consulting
8. Consider Mental Versus Physical Fatigue
If you need a vacation, you might be tired. This is mostly a mental kind of being tired. However, if you are physically exhausted and feel this both at work and at home, you might want to investigate the signal. Burnout basically tells you that both fundaments in your life (private life and work) are under pressure. Burnout isn’t even the medical term—a professional will call it depression. - Arvid Buit, TRUE Leadership
9. See If Things You Normally Enjoy Still Excite You
Signs of serious burnout are not to be ignored! You may be in danger if the things you normally enjoy no longer excite you. If you find yourself experiencing abnormal emotional swings, or if you have difficulty making decisions—serious burnout could be on the horizon. Because burnout affects you mentally and physically, I recommend taking an immediate break from your stress source to heal. - Erin Urban, UPPSolutions, LLC
10. Keep An Eye Out For Physical Manifestations
It usually appears as something “minor” or physical that starts to break down. One executive client stopped working out, another gained 25 pounds in a short period of time, and another started losing hair. Those are physical manifestations of burnout. Looking at less severe issues, a vacation is warranted when others around you—especially your family—tell you that you’ve been working too much. - John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
11. Define And Measure The Intensity Of The Symptoms
Burnout takes on a serious physical and mental health component. To evaluate it, define and measure the intensity of the symptoms. Do they fit into the categories of extreme exhaustion, cynicism and an inability to focus that has increased over a prolonged period? If so, professional help should be sought. On the other hand, if symptoms decrease over the weekend, perhaps a vacation is all that’s needed. - Deborah Hightower, Deborah Hightower, Inc.
12. Understand The Type Of Rest You Need
There are five types of rest humans need: physical, sensory, creative, social and spiritual. First, executives need to understand what type (or types) of rest they need. If they need all five, most likely it’s burnout. If there are one to three needed, they can spend a weekend focusing on the types of rest they need the most. If they see slight improvements in their mood/attitude, they need a vacation; if they feel worse—it’s burnout - Aina Alive, Bee Agile
13. Don’t Differentiate Between The Two
If you feel like you are “desperately in need of a vacation,” then you are “on the verge of serious burnout.” Take the vacation, but instead of plotting a time filled with activities, traveling and so forth, use the time to do the hard work of assessing what you need more of in your life to sustain your passion for your vocation in the long term. - Billy Williams, Archegos
14. Seek Treatment If Burnout Doesn’t Subside After A Break
Fatigue and burnout can have the same symptoms: irritability, disinterest, overwhelm and reduced work productivity. While fatigue alone can be addressed with a vacation, burnout doesn't subside with a break. If you are uncertain which it is, be vigilant in taking breaks and check whether hopelessness, excessive triggering and low energy persists. If it does, seek out a program for treatment. - Sheila Goldgrab, Goldgrab Leadership Coaching
