How will you prevent burnout this year?

It’s a new year, and despite just returning from the ‘holiday’ break, many business leaders and executives are already feeling exhausted. You might be noticing signs of weariness, of irritation, of frustration, of cynicism, perhaps of helplessness — the opposite of what you WANT to be feeling at the beginning of a brand new year.

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone — and more importantly, you’re likely the type of person most susceptible to burnout.

What IS burnout?

The World Health Organisation has classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon comprising a combination of symptoms including

Feelings of energy depletion and exhaustion
Increased mental distance from one’s job
Decreased professional efficacy

And why does this matter?

If you’re a leader feeling burnout yourself, you’ll be experiencing effects that could cost you your business and career as well as your health and happiness. And if you’re seeing burnout in your team members, it’s costing you in lost productivity and potentially loss of your best talent.

For people who’ve reaching full-stage burnout (third degree burn), it commonly takes up to two years to recover.

Who gets burned out?

The profile might surprise you. It’s not the underperformers or those who “can’t handle stress.” Instead, burnout predominantly affects high-achievers, particularly women, who are

Highly motivated and dependable
Deeply committed to their teams and outcomes
Conscientious and hardworking
Known for pushing through exhaustion
Always willing to take on more responsibility

Sound familiar? These are exactly the qualities organisations recruit for in their leaders. They’re the qualities that produce seemingly successful entrepreneurs. Yet these same attributes, left unchecked, can contribute to burnout.

What about workplace factors?

While your temperament can play a big part in burnout, it doesn’t create burnout on its own. There are almost always workplace factors at play as well, and it’s the combination of personality and workplace environment that creates or exacerbates burnout.

If you’re leading a team, take some time to reflect on how these factors might appear in your own organisation and how they might affect others as well as you:

Unmanageable workloads
Unfair treatment
Lack of autonomy
Unsupportive work culture
Values mismatch

What does burnout look like?

Photo by Verne Ho on Unsplash

How can you tell the difference between a simple lack of enthusiasm about heading back to work after a great holiday, and the far more serious condition of burnout?

There are three stages to burnout.

Stage 1: First-Degree Burn

This is where it starts — subtle but noticeable changes:

Work consuming more time than usual
Taking stress home and to bed
Feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists
Having less energy for people and activities you love
Experiencing headaches and anxiety
Developing sleep issues
Finding yourself unusually irritable

Stage 2: Second-Degree Burn

At this point, stress becomes chronic:

Rising frustration levels that won’t subside
Feeling your performance declining
Struggling to see positives in challenges
Experiencing persistent fatigue
Coping through procrastination or other unhealthy behaviours
Responding to new tasks with aggression or avoidance

Stage 3: Third-Degree Burn

This is full-blown burnout:

Complete emotional exhaustion
Inability to care about work you once loved
Physical symptoms manifesting
Isolation from colleagues and loved ones
Significant drop in performance
Loss of professional confidence
Feeling hopeless about recovery

How do you prevent burnout?

Whether you’re concerned about burnout for yourself or for your team members, there are some key strategies you can implement to prevent it.

1. Address workloads realistically

Outlaw “do more with less” thinking
Review and prioritise tasks regularly
Remove tasks when adding new ones
Create clear boundaries around work hours

2. Maintain autonomy

Protect your decision-making authority
Challenge micromanagement
Ensure access to necessary resources
Set clear boundaries around your expertise

3. Build support systems

Develop trusted relationships at work
Create clear communication channels
Address toxic workplace behaviours promptly
Ensure role clarity and fairness across teams

4. Monitor early warning signs

Pay attention to sleep changes
Notice increased irritability
Watch for persistent fatigue
Track changes in work satisfaction

When should you act?

Photo by Hernan Sanchez on Unsplash

You won’t be surprised to hear me say the time to act is now, especially if you’re recognising Stage 1 symptoms.

Burnout doesn’t fix itself. A weekend away is not enough to address the issue. Please don’t wait until you reach Stage 2 or 3, where recovery becomes significantly more challenging and costly — both personally and professionally.

For Stage 1 burnout:

Review and adjust workloads immediately
Have a frank discussion with your boss
Implement strict boundaries around work hours
Prioritise sleep and recovery time

For Stage 2 burnout:

Take a substantial break from work
Implement structural changes to your role
Seek professional support
Negotiate workload modifications

For Stage 3 burnout:

Seek urgent professional help from your GP, counsellor or coach
Take extended leave
Make significant career/role changes
Focus on full recovery before return

The cost of inaction?

The financial impact of burnout is staggering. For organisations, losing a senior leader to burnout can cost upwards of $700,000 when considering recruitment, lost productivity, and team impact. For individuals, the cost in lost income, benefits, and career progression can exceed $1 million*.

But the real cost isn’t just financial — it’s the loss of talented leaders, broken teams, and years of life spent in exhaustion rather than engagement.

Moving Forward

As we settle into the new year, take this moment to honestly assess where you are on the burnout scale. If you’re seeing early warning signs, act now. Your team needs you at your best, and that means prioritising your own wellbeing.

Remember: the strongest leaders aren’t those who push through exhaustion — they’re those who recognise their limits and act before burnout takes hold.

*Based on real-life client example in Australia, 2024

If you could use more support about preventing burnout in your team, look for our free masterclass, “Prevent Burnout in Your Team” here on the website under Insights and Resources, or on our Women Leading Women Australia YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPvDHPqFu6E

Posted in Burnout