Burnout is not simply a result of working long hours or juggling too many tasks, though those both play a role. The cynicism, depression, and lethargy that are characteristic of burnout most often occur when a person is not in control of how a job is carried out, at work or at home, or is asked to complete tasks that conflict with their sense of self. - Psychology Today NZ
During my mid year review, my boss said that I "chunked" through a lot of work. When I received that feedback I was chuffed, I was like yay a boss has noticed the amount of work that my team and I get through daily. A couple of months on and I am not so chuffed with the observation as I think it was potentially an early sign of burnout. Since COVID-19 hit our shores back in March 2020 we have worked hard to keep our heads above the water. From creating a totally new system to cope with the requirements of COVID-19 through to setting up ways for our people to be able to keep working throughout Alert Level 3 to Level 1, it has been full on.
Initially it was key to make everything simple and easy, we created clarity of what was our core, what was important to our customers and what was important for our people. As 2020 came and went, the decisions that were made (assuming that there would be a downturn) had created a situation where an expectation to do more with less was set. Pre COVID people could be working more than 55 hours per week, sometimes up to 70 hours per week and this was accepted and seen as a good thing. Post COVID people working 6 days a week and doing 70 hours a week is not seen by all as a good thing and people are starting to look at other opportunities. Working those hours is seen more as a "sometimes" food (as cookie monster would say), rather than a regular thing. COVID has given people the opportunity to reflect on what is important to them and prioritise aspects of their life.
So what exactly is burnout, Psychology Today NZ states "Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress." According to Suzi McAlpine, a Nelson-based executive coach, burnout is on the rise in New Zealand workplaces. The biggest study here (by Cogo) revealing that 61 per cent of more than 1500 people across New Zealand and Australia showed signs of exhaustion, a key indicator of burnout. Despite a growth in wellbeing programs in workplaces, McAlpine argues we have a culture of overwork in New Zealand.
When I think of my time at work over the last 6-8 months I have been involved in developing a new risk containment program, co-facilitating that program, providing follow up coaching sessions (2-3 per cohort) and travelling all around the country in doing so. This was done at the same time as supporting my team in delivering our business as usual tasks/activities and initiatives and being part of our Senior Leadership Team plus all the other lovely day to day requirements of a senior leader.
I am a natural overachiever, so enjoy being in a certain state of stress most of the time and part of numerous initiatives however in the last month I have felt quite flat and tired, haven't really felt the same doing my usual activities to relax (i.e. work out on the x-trainer or walking or cooking or keeping busy doing other stuff). Part of the reason I think is that at the same time as being busy at work, I am also dealing with my body and the impact of being a retired cricketer, supporting my Mum with a potential life changing eye issue and being present for my own family. I also started overthinking most things to the point that I wouldn't sleep very well at night as I was thinking through all scenarios at play for a meeting the next day or our next hockey game. Felt a bit lost as I normally prioritise having fun as a key part of my day and I just wasn't always having fun or seeing the bright side of life, I think I got too serious and anxious to be fair.
There is also this balancing act with my natural tendency to be a giver and wanting to change the world, when all of these priorities collide there is little space left for you as an individual. This is why I think that at some point I feel a bit lost and get consumed by everything that is happening around me. A good friend called Melissa once described me as a balloon, at some point my balloon gets too full and it cannot take any more or it burst. My ongoing learning is trying to work out what are my early warning signs that I am getting to capacity and switch so that I make room for myself, in the end if I am not functioning then I am not able to help others and helping others is what I love to do.
Moving forward, there should come a point when being seen as someone that can "chunk" through a lot of work, to the point it generally surprises your boss, that you should flag that it most likely is a warning sign that you need to step back and have a look at what you are doing, why you are doing it and how you are doing it. I do not feel I am in the world of burnout yet however I thinking I have definitely been burning out. After having a week off work and having fun with my family, it will be interesting to see how I am and feel when I get back to work.
Currently I would say it is a 50/50 call of which way this will go, one thing for sure is that I will be continuing to talk to my better half and getting the support that I do at home plus I will continue to talk to my team. This is definitely not a time for me to try and work this out all my myself.
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