As a leader, it can become second nature to work yourself to the bone. However, over time, this practice is detrimental and can result in damaged relationships and lapses in productivity. In order to maximize your practices and strengthen your bonds with coworkers and employees, avoiding leadership burnout is key. Adhering to the following pieces of advice can help you achieve more sustainable habits as a leader.
Delegate & Acknowledge
Understanding your role as a leader is essential for managing your time and energy. When it comes to planning out your own work, you must be aware of your strengths, responsibilities, and limits. Leading a team does not mean you should shoulder all the work yourself; instead, you should strive to recognize the abilities and responsibilities of your team members in order to delegate tasks to them and optimize your processes.
In addition to acknowledging your own tendencies and weaknesses, you must also prioritize recognition and rewards to some degree. If you are delegating difficult tasks to others, it is important that you also reward effort, cooperation, and drive. Doing so promotes higher self-worth in each individual and encourages more collaboration in the future, ultimately lessening your load as a leader. When your team members feel valued, you will feel like you can rely on them more.
Organize & Structure
Feelings of overwhelm often occur when you feel that you are unable to effectively manage or even control your life. Whether you have a handful of projects with equal importance on your plate or there are simply too many items on your agenda, burnout can strike as the result of stress and poor time management. The simple solution to this issue, then, is organizing your schedule to be efficient and feasible. This take will take some time, but the payoff is worth the effort.
Crucial to this task is the implied understanding that leaders must acknowledge what is in their control and what exists beyond it. Targeting the issues that can be controlled is the key to this process; focusing on things that cannot be controlled will only result in more stress.
Rest & Recover
Perhaps the most important key to avoiding burnout entails prioritizing rest and other healthy habits. When working hard, leaders may find themselves sacrificing sleep, skipping meals, or working unnecessary overtime in order to complete tasks. Doing so can result in a decline in health as well as increased irritability. You may also find that your work ethic and speed are lower when you are exhausted. Preventing burnout can be simple if you just ensure that you drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, maintain a healthy diet, and generally consider your personal needs, especially during stressful periods at work.