3 Ways To Treat Leadership Burnout

Every leader will face the realization that burnout in leadership is possible. Most leaders serving today have felt the sting of being overwhelmed and burned out. Statistics are confirming this in many variety of ways. 

Sadly, the symptoms often go ignored until it’s to late to prevent and instead one must switch to recovery mode.  The ministry I lead is called Restoringleaders.org and I help leaders who are struggling with preventing or recovering from burnout. 

I wished this wasn’t needed but its become a greater problem, especially post covid. 

Here are 3 things you can do to treat the symptoms or even take steps towards recovering if you are feeling burned out from leadership.

First, You must find a way to exhale.  Emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  Feelings of burnuot and overwhelm often make us “hold our breath.” We as leaders, must find ways to hit the pause button in each of these areas as they are all affected by carrying too much of a load and doing things out of our giftings, which is one of the most common reasons for burnout in leadership. 

Leaders need to have a outlet, it could be a hobby or something outside of their normal life so that it allows them the opportunity to focus on something other than leadership. 

A word of caution about the “outlet” you choose. Don’t choose something that makes you lead it. I’ve heard a leader tell me, oh I do things outside of my job, I coach my kids team and help run the league and….” yep, their “outlet” is another leadership position. Just because you can lead, doesn’t mean you should!

Second way to treat burnout. Make ONE change. 

Seriously pick one thing and one thing only that changes your perspective. It could be stopping something your currently doing because its not truly necessary for you to do.  When I’m coaching a leader, we process what they currently do as a leader and find one thing they can stop doing and it’s always astounding to find that it changes perspective. When that happens it is also amazing how it helps them with the overwhelm and burnout symptoms. 

What’s one thing you can change, to change perspective?

Third and final thing, get some accountability, a mentor or a coach. Yep, the best way to treat this terrible thing is to find someone who has walked this path before and knows what is behind you, where you currently are and what’s ahead of you.

Having someone to walk with you, to help you process and to share where you are and where you want to be can be a complete game changer. It can not only help you release the burnout and overwhelm, it can help you find a path out and away from it. 

So. who can help you? Will you let them? For some reading this, you think you can. just manage it. Take a vacation from it. Take a seminar or attend a conference. Some will spend thousands of dollars on a course that promises it will have the answers for burnout. 

Let me tell you, NOTHING is more powerful than having someone to walk with and push you to not only gaining wisdom but the courage to take steps to implement the plan to walk away from burnout. 

I was that first person for many years. I tried to avoid dealing with it. It cost my my health.

I tried ignoring it taking in more knowledge and seminars etc only to have it cost me thousands. 

I tried to vacation my way only to rob my family of being present and engaged. 

Don’t make my mistakes. Learn from my now hard obtained wisdom and understanding. 

If you need a mentor, I’d be honored for you to consider setting up a clarity call with me. Head to RestoringLeaders.org and schedule a free 30 minute clarity call. We’ll talk through where you are and give you some clarity how to move forward. 

3 Things to treat leadership burnout. What do you need to do?