Stop Burnout: The One Question Leaders Should Ask

Did you know that burnout costs between $125 billion (USD) and $190 billion every year in healthcare costs? An incredible amount equating to approximately 8% of all business healthcare expenses.

It might only be February but teams are already reaching out for our High-Performance Team Talk on how to beat burnout. Workplace burnout is an issue that is likely affecting you and your business. If you would like 2022 to be different, you need to think and lead differently – right now.

Burnout isn’t a cliff you suddenly fall off though. It’s more like a snowball rolling down a hill – it starts small and picks up momentum until there is a point you will struggle to stop it. This exhaustion is often accompanied by severe stress.

There are plenty of people out there talking about how to cope with burnout. But what about helping you to think about it differently? Many tend to think of burnout as being solvable by more yoga, better breathing techniques, practicing mindfulness, or practicing resilience — the self-care list goes on. In reality, many of the causes of burnout are directly in your control and easy to solve.

So how am I going to help you deal with this? Well, I decided to use the time/cost/quality matrix.

Many of us have seen this model when it comes to managing client expectations. It describes the three levers that can be pulled to get an outcome. In order to have 2, you have to sacrifice one.

I’ve been playing with this model in sessions with leadership teams who are on the verge of burnout; drawing similarities in how they approach high performance and leadership performance. We position it another way:

When you say “Yes” to this, what else are you saying “No” to?

It might be yes to another task, another meeting, another call. But every time you say yes, you remove the ability of your body and mind to regenerate. This loss of regeneration impacts your performance. You sacrifice other things you want too – sleep hygiene, hobbies, learning. It could be sacrificing weekends or evenings. Your kid’s birthday party, time with friends, etc.? Perhaps more worryingly, it also costs in terms of relationships, sleepless nights, and healthcare costs. It’s causing you to compromise on one of the pillars of this model and negatively impact your well-being.

Your team suffers too. If you focus on reducing costs or working longer hours, you erode morale and potentially, retention of employees – hence the Great Resignation we are experiencing now – employees are burned out and “done”!! This is a direct result of poor work-life balance and a lack of social support.

So the answer to this question is super simple. I have my clients put a post-it/sticky note somewhere visible which says: When I say “Yes” to this, what else am I saying “No” to?

Yes, it’s honestly that simple. A highly visible reminder. Then when a situation arises which will ask more of you than normal, you assess and make a choice. This is a crucial step toward sustainable performance.

Simple to describe. Not necessarily easy to execute.

Download the first chapter of my book, “Beat Burnout – Ignite Performance” below to learn more about leadership training courses and strategies that can help your team.

Understanding burnout through frameworks like the job demands-resources model or tools like the Maslach Burnout Inventory can provide deeper insights. Organizations like the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association emphasize the importance of mental health and well-being. While cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, and nutrition are vital components of self-care, leaders must prioritize sustainable performance to ensure long-term success and a healthy workplace.