Issue 43: Thriving Beyond Burnout
Resilience strategies for Chiefs of Staff who are experiencing burnout
Welcome back, aspiring and current Chiefs of Staff 👋🏼
This week’s issue is guest written by Ask a Chief of Staff Mentor, Mary Ostafi, former Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. Mary guides executives towards impactful, inclusive, and conscious leadership, with a deep-seated passion for unlocking their full potential so they can make a meaningful difference while enjoying the journey.
Mary knows burnout intimately. She endured severe burnout during her Chief of Staff tenure that left her bedridden for six weeks. This harrowing experience has deeply influenced her career transition to coaching where she often supports individuals through their own recovery journeys.
Recognizing the critical need for proactive support, Mary is generously offering one complimentary coaching session exclusively to Ask a Chief of Staff readers. This session is tailored to help you develop a personalized plan to either overcome or prevent burnout, ensuring you can sustain both your well-being and your professional excellence.
And, to learn more about Mary’s burnout experience and path to renewal, pick up her new book: COMING into CONSCIOUSNESS: Living with Purpose, Loving with Passion, Leading with Presence. Visit Mary’s site for more details.
*Interested in sponsoring a future issue of Ask a Chief of Staff? Hit reply!
How Can Chiefs of Staff Thrive Beyond Burnout?
Burnout has become an increasingly prevalent issue in the fast-paced and demanding role of Chief of Staff. The constant pressure to manage multiple high-stakes projects, support executive decision-making, and ensure seamless organizational operations can lead to chronic stress and exhaustion. Common causes include long hours, inadequate work-life balance, and the emotional toll of consistently putting out fires and solving complex problems.
Recognizing burnout in oneself involves paying attention to signs such as depleted energy, persistent fatigue, cynicism, decreased productivity, and a sense of detachment or overwhelm.
But what lies beyond burnout? How can we find a path to renewal and regain a sense of purpose, passion, and vitality in our professional and personal lives? In this edition, we delve into actionable strategies and insights to help you navigate the haze of fatigue and stress.
🧱 Foundational Steps to Prevent Burnout
In our quest to move beyond burnout, it’s vital to return to the basics—those essential habits that form the bedrock of our physical and mental health.
Here are some foundational steps every Chief of Staff can integrate into their daily routine to mitigate the effects of burnout:
🏃♀️ Movement: Regular exercise isn’t just about physical health; it's a potent stress reliever. Whether it’s a morning jog, yoga, or simply taking regular breaks to stretch during your workday, movement can dramatically improve your mood and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
🥗 Nutrition: What we eat significantly affects how we feel. Consuming a healthy, balanced diet can boost your energy levels and mental clarity, helping you to cope better with the demands of your role.
😴 Sleep: Sleep is crucial for recovery and resilience. Good sleep hygiene—like reducing screen time before bed, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and creating a restful environment—can significantly enhance sleep quality.
💧 Hydration: Staying hydrated is often overlooked in discussions about mental health. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Ensure you're drinking enough water throughout the day to keep your mind and body functioning optimally.
🛣️ Beyond the Basics: Sustained Recovery from Burnout
While basic self-care practices build a strong foundation to effectively manage stress and prevent burnout, overcoming burnout often requires a more profound shift in how we manage our energy and live in alignment with our values, purpose, and authenticity. This deeper change not only enhances our resilience but also ensures our actions and choices resonate more fully with who we truly are, fostering a more satisfying and sustainable life.
🔋 Master Energy Management: Understand that energy, not time, is your most valuable resource. Learn to recognize what activities drain you and what practices rejuvenate your spirit. Structuring your day to alternate between high-energy and low-energy tasks can help maintain your stamina throughout the day without burning out. Incorporating brief moments of rest and mindfulness between tasks can further optimize your energy usage and prevent the onset of fatigue.
🚧 Create and Maintain Boundaries: One of the most effective ways to prevent burnout is to establish clear boundaries in both your work and personal life. This might mean setting specific work hours, learning to say no, or having designated ‘unplugged’ times. Strong boundaries help preserve your energy and prevent work from consuming all aspects of your life. Consistently enforcing these boundaries reinforces your commitment to your well-being and signals to others the importance of respecting your time and energy.
🔮 Honor Your Intuition: Often, our body and mind give us cues when we’re pushing too hard or moving in the wrong direction. Listening to your intuition can guide you in making decisions that are more aligned with your mental health. Trusting your gut can lead you to more fulfilling opportunities and prevent the misalignment that leads to burnout. It's essential to regularly quiet your mind through practices like meditation, breath work, or mindful walking, as a serene mind is more receptive to the subtle signals of intuition.
❤️ Align with Your Heart, Not Just Your Head: Ensure that your work aligns with your values. Working with people and within an organization that shares your values can dramatically affect your energy and resilience. This alignment helps ensure you’re living an intentional, heart-led life that significantly contributes to spiritual wellness, preventing burnout by keeping you motivated and engaged. If there’s a mismatch in either area, it might be time to reassess and seek opportunities where the culture and values resonate more strongly with you.
🎭 Be Authentically You: Embrace and express your true self from a place of virtue—this is what the world needs. When you show up authentically, it not only fulfills you but also empowers others to do the same. Authenticity in your professional and personal life can reduce stress and prevent burnout by aligning your actions with your true values and beliefs.
🌿 Shift Your Nervous System: Focus on transitioning your nervous system from the stress-inducing fight-or-flight response to a calmer, parasympathetic state of rest and relaxation. Techniques such as conscious breathing, meditation, yoga Nidra, and walking in nature can aid this shift, enhancing your ability to remain balanced and focused.
🙏 Cultivate a Mindset of Gratitude: The mind acts like a breaker switch—it can only handle so much anxiety before the subconscious orders a shutdown. Shifting your mindset from one of striving for perfection to one of gratitude can help prevent this overload. Recognizing and appreciating what you have can significantly reduce stress and prevent the breaker switch from being triggered. By valuing progress over perfection, you foster a healthier, more sustainable approach to work and life, keeping your mental circuitry in balance.
These strategies offer a comprehensive approach to managing and overcoming burnout, encouraging both practical adjustments and significant shifts in mindset to foster long-term well-being and professional fulfillment.
"It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture
where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol."
Brené Brown
✨ Connecting the Dots
Here's the thing: the longer this cycle of burnout continues, the harder it hits your health. It's a domino effect that can touch every aspect of your life. It begins with your mood and mental health, but it doesn't stop there; your body starts to show signs of strain. We're talking sleep disturbances, weakened immune response, and even increased risk of cardiovascular problems. It's like your body is bearing the brunt of your mental battles.
And it's not just about you. This domino effect ripples out, touching relationships, work performance, and even your social life. It can strain relationships, as loved ones struggle to understand or cope with the changes in you. Recognizing this pattern is crucial. It’s the first step in halting the domino effect. With awareness comes the power to seek change, be it through lifestyle adjustments, coaching, or simply learning to prioritize your well-being.
🆘 When Burnout Strikes: Seek Support
While proactive strategies can help prevent and manage burnout, it's important to recognize that sometimes, despite our best efforts, we may find ourselves in the midst of a burnout crisis. If you reach a point where you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and unable to cope, it's crucial to seek professional support.
Remember, there is no shame in reaching out for help. Burnout is a serious condition that can have profound effects on your mental and physical health. If you find yourself in this situation, consider the following steps:
Reach out to a mental health professional, such as a therapist or counselor, who can help you process your emotions and develop a personalized recovery plan.
Consult with your primary care physician to rule out any underlying health issues and discuss potential treatment options.
Communicate with your employer or supervisor about your situation and discuss the possibility of taking time off or adjusting your workload to facilitate your recovery.
Lean on your support network of family, friends, and colleagues who can offer emotional support and practical assistance during your recovery.
Remember, recovery from burnout is a journey, and everyone's path will be unique. Be patient with yourself and prioritize self-care and self-compassion as you navigate this challenging time. With the right support and resources, it is possible to bounce back from burnout and emerge stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to thrive in your personal and professional life.
It’s crucial to reflect on the very real and personal consequences of ignoring the signs of burnout. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to benefit from Mary's expertise and personal insights. Her guidance could be the catalyst for transforming your approach to work and life, helping you find balance and fulfillment in the demanding role of Chief of Staff.
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📖 Additional Chief of Staff Related Reads:
Building the Company Operating Cadence
What’s Your AI Shelf Life? Here’s 3 Winning AI Startup Strategies
A Day in The Life of a Chief of Staff in Tech
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