Burnout...Not the NASCAR Kind

I was sitting and eating lunch with my wife yesterday and she mentioned that she had read an article about the increasing rate of burnout within the U.S. workforce. So, I checked online for similar articles.

ABC News has an interesting article that highlights the failure of workers to separate work and home life because of the extended remote workday (Why business leaders need a 'wake-up call' to take burnout seriously right now, experts say - ABC News (go.com)). In her article, Catherine Thorbecke highlights the 745,000 annual deaths and 2.7% attrition rate directly attributable to burnout caused by the pandemic.

Lucy McBride of The Atlantic cited the Mayo Clinic's definition of burnout in her article "By Now, Burnout Is a Given - Government Executive (govexec.com)" as "a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity."

Here's probably the scariest part of the idea of burnout - each article treats burnout as an unavoidable, imminent, inevitable medical crisis. These authors (and others) pin the responsibility for burnout somewhat on the employee's inability to separate work from life, but also on the supervisor and manager for not recognizing signs of burnout and not valuing the employee enough to do something about it.

What say you, Servant Leader? Is burnout unavoidable?

I'm going to make a controversial yet terrible statement here: Victims of burnout are like drug addicts in that most of us know someone who has fallen victim to it.

I know two amazing workers who have left my company or been forced out in the last month alone because of burnout. They weren't in my organization, but we are poorer for the loss of their professionalism, their support, and their energy. As servant leaders, what is our responsibility to the company's workforce, especially when we have no authority over those impacted? What can we do to aid those suffering if, as Thanos said, burnout is "inevitable?" Is burnout even a Biblical concern?

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Gal 6:9, NKJV)

Paul was aware of burnout in the Church, and his direction to the Church in Galatia made as much sense then as it does now. Paul advised the Church to look beyond the challenges of today and focus on the rewards of tomorrow. This makes as much sense for workers in Christ as it does for our worldly challenges. When combined with Jesus' own instruction to keep our eyes on Him, not on the churn (Matthew 14:22-33), we can fully appreciate how and why Matthew's and Paul's passages align.

Servant Leader, if we keep our focus on the big picture, we'll be prepared to guide others to do the same. Consider the last conversation you had with an employee whose attitude and professionalism may have revealed that he was beginning to suffer from burnout. How did you handle it? Did you join in his commiserating or did you steer him towards the bigger picture? Did you help by lightening his load or rearranging his priorities? Did you listen because that's really all he wanted you to do - give him a safe space to vent?

As servant leaders, we must "read the room." We have to know individually what our coworkers need and that requires selfless humility and devotion to placing others ahead of ourselves. But when we do, we need to also be sure to keep our own eyes on Christ, not on the churn, else we risk falling victim ourselves.

So, the next time you recognize signs of burnout, don't just pile on. Don't add to the noise. Don't become another voice in the cacophony of voices. Listen to the cry and find the appropriate way to redirect your coworker towards the light, the bigger picture. And if you are suffering from burnout, take a step back. Take a breath. Take a personal day. But don't do so just to concentrate on what is going wrong. Separate yourself from the churn, refocus on Christ, and let Him bear your burdens. You just might find a minute, hour, or day of releasing your burdens to Him actually does what He said it would.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30, NKJV)

When you frame your worries by the light of Christ, it is amazing how much He will help you withstand.

(Photo: Team Ariana)