Achieving Peak Performance:
Balancing Mental Health & Success while Battling Burnout
Shawn David
Founder, Automate to Win
Haley Carpenter
Founder, Chirpy
Agenda
What is ‘burnout’?
‘Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’
‘Burnout’ is classified by four main dimensions:
Some Burnout Stats & Figures
89%
62%
75%
83%
$300,000,000,000
42%
69%
reported their work life was getting worse
had experienced burnout "often" or "extremely often" in the previous three months
have experienced burnout at work, with 40% saying they've experienced burnout specifically during the pandemic
U.S. workers suffered from work-related stress in 2019.
Profit lost by U.S. businesses due to workplace stress.
Doctors who report feeling symptoms of burnout.
Remote workers who report signs of burnout.
"Well-being in the Workplace and Its Relationship to Business Outcomes: A Review of the Gallup Studies"
by James K. Harter, Frank L. Schmidt, and Theodore L. Hayes.
"Stress and burnout in healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: validation of a questionnaire"
from Journal of Affective Disorders.
"The Impact of Coronavirus on Global Employee Experience" report by Qualtrics.
"FlexJobs and Mental Health America Survey: Mental Health and the Pandemic" by FlexJobs.
"Medscape National Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide Report 2020".
"The WHO-ICD-10 symptoms of burnout" study from Occupational Medicine.
Burnout Examples
Ariana Huffington:
The co-founder and former editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, experienced severe burnout due to overwork and lack of sleep.
She described the wake-up call as waking up in a pool of blood in her home after collapsing from exhaustion.
This experience led her to launch Thrive Global, a company dedicated to health and wellness, particularly regarding burnout and stress.
Elon Musk:
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, discussed his experience with burnout in a 2018 interview with the New York Times.
At the time, he was working 120 hours per week, which led to a missed brother's wedding and almost missing his own birthday.
He described that period as "excruciating" and acknowledged the toll it was taking on his physical health and personal life.
Sherilyn Shackell:
The founder of the Marketing Academy, Sherilyn Shackell, wrote an open letter in 2015 describing her experiences with burnout.
She described how a relentless pace and workload led to feelings of exhaustion, a lack of interest, poor sleep, and more.
Her recovery process involved recognizing the issue, seeking help, and taking steps to restore balance in her life
Our Burnout Experiences
Shawn:
While burning the candle on both ends on his firm Elm Street Design, and getting two degrees online; Shawn wound up sitting at the computer for 16-18hrs per day.
His lack of sleep, dehydration and poor nutritional choices led him to be hospitalized for a week in 2019.
This level of commitment was not maintainable and he learned to balance his efforts, even if it takes more time that he wants it to. ��
Haley:
While working in multiple high pressure positions, Haley was continually tasked with increased responsibility with limited support.
During that time, she felt physical, mental, and emotional manifestations of the stress of the jobs, ultimately leading to many flare-ups of her chronic health conditions and periods of reduced interest in her work.
Haley has removed this type of burnout from her life by starting her own firm, Chirpy.
Where are you in the stages of burnout?
So, what to do?
Workflow Automation:
Task Simplification: Use automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks, increasing efficiency and reducing stress.
Time Savings: Automation can save employees a significant amount of time, allowing for a better work-life balance and stress management.
Skill Development: With fewer mundane tasks, employees can focus on upskilling and professional development, enhancing job satisfaction and reducing burnout risk
Workplace Mediation:
Conflict Resolution: A neutral third-party can help resolve interpersonal conflicts that might contribute to stress and burnout.
Time Savings: Mediation can open up lines of communication, helping employees feel heard and understood.
Emotional Awareness: Mediation encourages employees to develop problem-solving skills, fostering a more harmonious and less stressful work environment.
Self Reflection:
Understanding Triggers: Reflecting on what causes stress can help employees develop strategies to manage or avoid these triggers.
Work/Life Balance: Taking time to reflect can help individuals assess their work-life balance and make necessary adjustments.
Emotional IQ: Reflecting on emotions can help employees recognize signs of burnout earlier, enabling timely interventions.
Exit Plan:
Develop a plan: If burnout symptoms persist, having a clear exit strategy from the current role or workplace can reduce feelings of being trapped.
Consider Alternatives: Explore other job opportunities or careers that might be less stressful or more fulfilling.
Seek Support: Engage career counselors or therapists to support the transition and manage the emotional aspects of leaving a job.
Conclusion & Thank you
Understand your level of burnout.
Identify potential causes of your level.
Work with professionals to reduce your burnout potential
Workflow Automation/Process Optimization/Systems Integrations
Sign up for Chirpy’s newsletter or schedule a 15-minute call if interested in her CRO services
Create an exit plan if all else fails