Leadership burnout is a topic that very few people talk about, but it’s a serious problem nonetheless.
In theory, a good leader must pull themselves up, power through, and deliver the best results. They must set goals, develop systems, and help people under his or her leadership to deliver the best outcome over time.
However, in the ideal world, eventually the leader’s head, business, friends, personal life, and family may suffer as a result.
In this guide, we look at what causes leadership burnout, the possible signs, the tips to help you manage the experience.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaway
- Leadership burn out is a serious problem, especially since it causes physical exhaustion and traumatic emotional drainage.
- The worst effect of burned-out leaders at a business level is the tendency to become slow and indecisive, even when faced with them need to make important organization decisions.
- A leader who is going through the burn out stage tends to be less confidence with the decisions they make and their lack of confidence can lead to poor choices and performance degradation.
What is Leadership Burnout?
Leadership burnout refers to the state of physical and emotional exhaustion experienced by leaders who overwhelm themselves with excessive workloads or disregard their own self-care practices.
Burnout surpasses mere exhaustion, extending beyond a simple feeling of being tired. It represents a complete depletion of mental stamina.
Leadership burnout can develop when prolonged job-related stress takes a toll on your well-being or when you have occupied a draining role for an extended period.
Additionally, it can emerge when your efforts at work fail to yield the expected results.
Causes of Leadership Burnout
The following are the possible causes of leadership burnout:
- High Cortisol Levels: Entities expect a lot from leaders, including their all-time availability. However, this tends to raise their stress hormones, leading to problems such as weight gain, memory loss, and impaired immunity.
- Sense of Isolation: Perhaps the most grievous cause of leadership is the occasional feeling of isolation. And this often arises from a lack of strong connection between the leader and his or team.
- Multitasking: Many leaders tend to process multiple tasks at once, usually with the assumption that it’s the best way to get a lot done. However, multitasking leads to a drop in what the mind can handle, lowers cognitive abilities, and cause exhaustion and eventual burnout.
- Attention Loss: You’re likely already experiencing burnout if you fail to focus on the most important things in your workplace. For example, rushing work to hit deadline not only results in poor performance, but also it can be a cause for chronic stress.
Next, let’s look at the possible signs of burnouts in leadership.
Signs of Leadership Burnout
Leadership burnout can have a severe impact on performance and personal well-being. In this respect, it’s important to identify the possible signs that you’re experiencing exhaustion and find the best solutions.
To begin with, here are the signs that you’re experiencing burnouts as a leader:
1. You Experience Low Energy Levels
Enthusiasm, weariness, and low spirit aren’t the only indicators of low energy.
If you’ve gotten to the point where you’re no longer happy with your role as a leader, or you don’t see a future in what you do, you’re more than likely experiencing a burnout.
Many leaders tend to ignore self-care because of the belief that serving others should come first. However, if you’re not taking good care of yourself now, there’s a high chance you’re going to experience extreme burnout in one way or the other.
2. You’re Moody and Out of Control
Are you finding yourself constantly losing your composure over non-issues? Or maybe you know you must conduct yourself professionally but you just can’t seem to control your emotions?
You’re more than likely experiencing a burnout.
3. You Feel Extremely Exhausted
It’s a red flag if you feel utterly drained when the day ends, and if this relentless weariness becomes a recurring phenomenon days, weeks, or months after.
It’s important to engage in tactical discussions about operational matters as a leader. However, neglecting the grand views of your visionary ideas might set you on a path towards exhaustion and imminent burnout.
And exhaustion steals away precious moments for relaxation, recharging, and rejuvenation.
How to Prevent Leadership Burnout
Here’s how you can prevent leadership burnout:
1. Identifying the Early Signs of Burnout
When it comes to dealing with burnout in leadership, the first step is to determine whether you’re exhibiting the signs of exhaustion, lack of interest in your job, inability to perform well, and so on.
It’s a crucial step towards better recovery.
You can initiate the process by acknowledging specific symptoms associated with burnout.
Such indicators include experiencing sleep disturbances, a decline in motivation, persistent exhaustion, perceiving each workday negatively, heightened irritability, and resorting to escapist behaviors like excessive drinking.
2. Delegate Responsibilities
As businesses expand, you should relinquish control over tasks that you once managed entirely.
Failing to delegate responsibilities appropriately can inevitably result in becoming overwhelmed with the multitude of functions, leading to stress and burnout.
By delegating work effectively, you can prevent burnout and reduce stress while simultaneously enhancing your team’s output. Furthermore, thoughtful delegation enables employees to assume new responsibilities and broaden their skill sets, thus creating a win-win opportunity for all parties involved.
3. Prioritize Exercise and Sleep
Engaging in regular physical activity prompts the release of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), often referred to as the “Miracle-Gro” for the brain.
BDNF stimulates the growth of new neurons and safeguards brain cells against stress. By taking care of your brains through exercise and ample sleep, you can enhance your leadership abilities.
4. Seek Support
If you find that burnout is taking a toll on your physical and mental well-being, it is important to reach out and seek assistance from a mental health professional.
These professionals can provide additional coping strategies and recommend suitable treatment options to alleviate burnout symptoms.