Corporate Burnout http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/ Sharon Spano & Gill Sierra, Stomping out the fires of Corporate Burnout: BURNOUT is a professional and personal experience that can and does happen to your very best people. Burnout can be identified, treated, controlled and eliminated. We will show you how! en Copyright 2008 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:49:51 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The answer? We are all a work in progress. It’s not that difficult, really. The process begins with a desire and willingness to change. The Top Gun Leader is always in the process of self-discovery and he supports it in others. He consistently works to develop himself and those around him in three major areas:
  • Self-Mastery: Know Thyself Do you have a Spirit of Humility? Able to do what is right, not just the “right thing”? Do you perate from a consistent set of values? Creatively resolve issues? Initiate trust? Admit your wrongdoings?
  • Outcome Driven: Know Your Point of DestinationDo you demonstrate a Spirit of Appreciation? Do you live from Clarity of Purpose? Are you able to clearly communicate the destination to your subordinates? Are you open to change and new ideas? Do you micromanage or empower your team? Can you successfully put people first as you drive the bottom-line?
  • Relationships: Know The Heart of Your People Do you have a loyal following? Can you take responsibility for mistakes? Give credit for successes? Do you foster a climate of celebration? Can you successfully mentor your people to higher levels of performance? Have you successfully created a reputation for separation?
The Bottom Line? We all want the same thing—meaningful work and the opportunity to exercise our highest potential. And, we want to do this even as we have time to laugh, play, and enjoy the people in our lives we most care about. We spend way too much time at work every day to be miserable. You can be the best at what you do and still cause the people around you to crash and burn. Building a Resilient Workforce is about influencing your people to a level of extraordinary results—results that dramatically impact the bottom-line. What enables the workforce to endure is a clear vision linked to nonnegotiable values. In turn, they develop a strong connectivity to a defined destination, enjoy the ride along the way, and are eager to celebrate their arrival and then begin again. Work is no longer a treadmill of drudgery. It’s a thrilling high speed ride that breaks the sound barrier, and they love the BOOM! The end result is a healthy resilient workforce that is loyal and joyfully committed to the journey—especially when it feels like you’re flying upside down. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/the_answer.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/the_answer.html Balance Freedom From Burnout Awareness Building a Resilient Workforce Choice Clarity of Purpose desire and willingness to change Discovery highest potential Initiate trust Relationships Responsibility Self-Mastery Spirit of Appreciation Spirit of Humility Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:49:51 +0000 What is a Resilient Workforce? resilient workforce is comprised of healthy people who operate from passion and purpose and are able to jointly celebrate successes even as they creatively offset internal and external change and economic challenges. These people operate as one body that knows how to systematically address fluctuations in the market, is able to operate from trust and consistently move beyond fear, conflict, and blame. It’s a workforce that stands united, shoulder to shoulder, able to creatively and systematically improve regional, departmental, and individual results and accountability. All players embrace the corporate vision as they joyfully execute the corporate purpose--the key word being joyfully. If you or your team are in burnout, there is probably little, if any, joy in your work environment. Every corporate environment consistently faces three major challenges: market forces, economic change, and some form of regulatory restraint or consideration. A resilient workforce has the ability to weather these storms if the captain of the ship has a clearly defined destination and is willing to develop within himself very specific mindsets that translate into actions conducive to positive outcomes and ultimately bottom-line results. Why is Building a Resilient Workforce Important? Think about how much time, money, and energy you and your management team are spending on:
  • Resolving employee conflicts
  • Salvaging disgruntled clients
  • Coaching and eventually firing those troublesome employees
  • Worrying about legal ramifications
  • Acquiring and rehiring new talent to replace those you lost
In short, is your company representative of an environment where everyone thinks and performs as the best of the best, that Top Gun mentality we’re talking about, or are they dragging through each and every day causing major problems for you, each other, and ultimately your customer? Either way, your bottom line is impacted, and it’s up to you as a leader to establish a healthy environment that supports people in reaching their highest potential. Stay tuned for the answers as we climb out of burnout one step at a time. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/what_is_a_resilient_workforce.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/what_is_a_resilient_workforce.html Balance Freedom From Burnout blame climb out of burnout conflict economic change healthy environment market forces move beyond fear regulatory restraint or consideration resilient workforce Resolving employee conflicts Salvaging disgruntled clients Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:42:42 +0000 Building a Resilient Workforce . . . It’s about People, Purpose & Profit. Top Gun, right? That phrase, now forever embedded in our minds thanks to the power struggle between Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, conjures up images of that one guy who, while talented as all the rest, is extraordinary enough to step outside his own ego and stand in excellence beyond the norm. He’s not just the best pilot. This is the guy who, with passion and purpose, will stand for the team, take the hit, do whatever is necessary for the greater good of all. But if you’re in a leadership role, you know full well it’s not that easy. We can’t forget that Tom Cruise had to literally crash and burn before he could step into that role of Top Gun. He had to root out all sense of egocentric behavior and any belief that he was “the best.” In order to become Top Gun, he first had to die to self. He had to fully embrace humility and move from an “I” conversation to a “we” conversation. In a two-hour movie, it’s a relatively quick transition. Unfortunately, in real life, it’s a process that can hurt like hell. More often than not, high level leaders crash and burn in the process without the supports or knowledge on how to fully recover. It’s a challenging reality, but just like that pilot extraordinaire, the corporate leader has to position himself for Top Gun Leadership. To think it just happens because you’re an expert in your field is ludicrous. A Top Gun leader is only a top gun if he can produce a following and build a resilient workforce. Short of that, he’s just a guy driving a make believe airplane that’s really going nowhere. So, the question you have to be asking yourself, whether you’re a CEO, COO, Senior Vice President or someone in middle management is, am I effectively building a resilient workforce? It’s kind of a catch-22 thing. If you don’t know how to build a resilient workforce, they will burn you out. Once that happens, you will continue to foster the burnout, and it’s a never-ending cycle. A burned out pilot takes the whole plane down. Next entry, we’ll more fully define what we mean by “resilient workforce” and why it’s important, for your own sake of wellness to know how to develop one. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/building_a_resilient_workforce.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/building_a_resilient_workforce.html Balance Freedom From Burnout egocentric behavior embrace humility Passion and Purpose Tom Cruise Top Gun Val Kilmer Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:34:30 +0000 Is There a Four-Alarm Fire in Your Executive Suite? If so, are you the firefighter or the arsonist? We’ve got to shift gears a bit on this business of corporate burnout. Until now, I’ve focused primarily on what it is and how to identify if you, as an individual, have fallen into corporate burnout. The month of January was primarily a discussion on renewal, but renewal doesn’t only happen on an individual level. If you’re a corporate executive, whether you’re running a department or an entire company, you’ve got to ask yourself, what am I doing on a consistent basis to renew my team? If you’re not doing something significant or, worse yet, if you’re not even aware of where there are in terms of their motivation, loyalty, and overall wellness, well, I hate to be the one to speak it, but, you may be the cause of burnout in your environment. That’s right, you’re the arsonist. The questions I now want to put before you as a corporate leaders are:
  • Do you have a sense of your own propensity for burnout? What are the symptoms or triggers? Are you in danger now? If so, do you know how to dig your way out? Are you pulling your management team down with you?
  • If you believe you’re doing fine, are you paying attention to where your subordinates are? Do you have keen awareness of their strengths and weaknesses? Are you watching for red flags that alert you to the fact that some of your people are suffering from burnout or, even worse yet, suffer the extreme result of burnout in the form of blaming, anger, rage, maybe even addiction?
  • Are you equipped to handle these situations—either your own sense of burnout or that of your subordinates?
If any of these questions make you uncomfortable, maybe it’s time to take a different stand. It’s time to break free from that feeling like you’re pushing a rock up a hill everyday. What we’re really talking about here is the ability to Develop a Resilient Workforce. It takes awareness, commitment, and guts. As a corporate leader, you’re responsible for driving an executive agenda, and the only way to do that successfully is to produce a strong healthy work environment that secures a loyal and productive workforce. Stay tuned as we explore principles in the upcoming weeks that will help you do just that. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/is_there_a_fouralarm_fire_in_y.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/02/is_there_a_fouralarm_fire_in_y.html Freedom From Burnout addiction anger awareness blaming burnout burnout in your environment commitment corporate burnout corporate executive executive agenda loyalty motivation overall wellness rage renewal Resilient Workforce strengths and weaknesses Thu, 01 Feb 2007 07:02:10 +0000 Renewal Requires Physical Restoration Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. I love that phrase because I think it describes what I’ve witnessed in many of our clients. It’s a sense of fearfully running for your life. Day in and day out, chasing the almighty dollar because it’s what we think we need in order to survive. If you know the story, then you know that Elijah eventually collapses near a tree and prays for death. This is the part that pains me so deeply because I witness this all too often in my walk in corporate America—regular everyday hardworking people who suffer from depression, anger, rage, and suicidal thoughts. What we’ve found is once they commit to physical restoration, they begin to take their lives back. Elijah’s story dramatically unfolds, the end result being that the angel appears before him and instructs him to, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” Note the angel didn’t say, get thee to the gym at five a.m. or take a handful of pills. He said, Eat. And since this angel means business and because Elijah is in the desert, the angel even goes so far as to bring him a cake of bread and a jar of water. How cool is that? After Elijah is replenished, he is able to travel an additional forty days and forty nights. Okay, so you and I need a pay check to put bread on the table. I don’t mean to minimize that fact. Even so, we must put it all in perspective. If I’m not balanced in my work, if I fail to take care of my physical body, I’m probably headed for serious trouble. Now, why is this segment of Elijah’s story so important? Well, along with many other examples in scripture, it is clear that God fully intends for us to nourish our bodies. Simply put, we can not experience renewal of the mind and spirit if the body is in brokenness. I won’t spend time telling you how to do that now. There’s tons of information out there on how to eat healthy and step into wellness. Rather, I’m asking you to change a mindset and realize that the body, from a spiritual perspective, is a temple. Think about that. What do you need to do to fortify your temple? Eat more or less? Sleep better? Exercise? More water? Fruits and vegetables? The body houses your spirit. How can your spirit operate out of abundance if the temple is in shambles? And, here’s the interesting thing. If the temple, the physical body, is in shambles, the spirit cannot soar. At Spano and Company, we refer to this as a “broken telephone.” Simply put, I can’t experience God to the fullest if my mind, body, or spirit is in brokenness. And, if I can’t experience a relationship with Him, what chance do I have of realizing a Vision and Purpose for my life? Remember, He’s the Director. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_requires_physical_rest.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_requires_physical_rest.html Freedom From Burnout Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:53:56 +0000 Guilt and Shame, Beware! not able to create? Quite simply, the early signs of burnout show up as irritability, frustration, and defensiveness. Now, clearly, we all have moments when we experience such emotions and behaviors. But, I’m not talking about moments. I’m talking about finding yourself irritable much of the time with just about everyone who crosses your path. You’re in a meeting. Someone says something that triggers a defensive response. You react in negative ways. This can happen once, or it can become a pattern of reactive communication that is creating stress for you and the people around you. The problem is that when we’re in burnout, it’s difficult for us to take responsibility for our actions because it most often appears to us as though the world is “happening to us.” Similar to driving in a heavy fog, we lose our sense of direction. We’ve lost choice. We’ve lost options. Sometimes, we’ve even lost hope. This negative energy not only affects us as individuals, it greatly impacts the people around us—even in these early stages. Why? Because the people around us cannot logically make sense of what we’re reacting to much less why. There’s no easy way to say it. Truth is people in burnout are high maintenance to those around them. So, how do you know if it’s you or them? Watch for patterns of negative behavior on your behalf. If you’re experiencing yourself as irritable, frustrated, or defensive more times than not, these are blatant road signs that are warning you of the fog ahead. You’ll also want to take note of how you feel after a negative encounter with a friend, colleague, or loved one. You see, irritability, frustration, and defensiveness have two very powerful partners named guilt and shame. Sometimes the guilt and shame is real because we know at a subconscious level that we are the source of the dispute. But if our brain chemistry is off—for any reason—we can easily step into guilt and shame whether we are the source or not. Real or perceived, it doesn’t really matter. Guilt and shame are the killers that have the potential to pull us into more profound levels of anger, resentment, and even depression. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/guilt_and_shame_beware.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/guilt_and_shame_beware.html Freedom From Burnout anger Awareness and Discovery brain chemistry day-to-day interactions defensive response defensiveness depression emotions and behaviors frustration guilt and shame hope irritability reactive communication resentment subconscious level Thu, 18 Jan 2007 08:53:32 +0000 Short Story Made Long. Sorry. Let the story continue. My apologies that it’s taken three entries, but I think the story is worth telling because it directly relates to how we can inadvertently fall into fear, doubt, frustration—all the negative mindsets that eventually catapult us into burnout. I’m asking you to pay attention to the moment-to-moment stories of your own lives because they are key to developing Awareness. Remember our model: Awareness, Discovery, Responsibility, and Choice. So, back to Vermont and the ghosts and goblins of my mind. Here’s what I did. I stepped into Awareness and realized that I was overreacting to the situation because I was hungry and end-of-the-year bone tired. Part of me wanted to quit, blame, say, forget it, get back into the truck and get the heck off that mountain. Instead, I drove back over to the main building. With trepidation, I got out of the truck, made my way to the front door, knocked to no answer, and ever-so-carefully, turned the doorknob. Lights on; no sign of life. Again, the fear and doubt crept in. I slowly made my way through various rooms. Hello, I shouted out. Hello! Suddenly, footsteps from the second floor above! Oh, my God, what if it’s a burglar, and I’ve interrupted? Eee-gads! What am I doing here? And there, at the top of the stairs, you guessed it. A friendly face, Rich, who had just arrived in from the Virgin Islands only hours earlier, now before me, ready, willing, and able to rescue. You can’t imagine my relief at seeing someone I knew in this most unlikely place. The short version of this most extraordinary reunion is that Rich grabbed a flashlight and together, after considerable exploration, we made our way through the darkness to the cozy little room number seven. Here’s what I want you to get. There’s always a friend or sometimes even a stranger to help us find our way out of the darkness and into the light. Sometimes it’s easier to quit or run away, but when we learn to receive a helping hand, we step into fellowship. Remember, burnout robs us of choice and our ability to connect with people we care about. We start to believe we’re isolated, destined to conquer the wilderness alone. It’s simply not so. Renewal requires fellowship and intimacy with people committed to our greater potential. Always go to the Director first—the man upstairs—but then, seek out those people in your life who are ready, willing, and able to walk before you, flashlight in hand, to help guide the way. Those people will validate that your story is real, that you are exactly where you are supposed to be, and that you are acting out your role as the Director designed you to do. Thanks, Rich, for being my courageous light and quieting my mind of fear and doubt on such a night of darkness. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/short_story_made_long_sorry.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/short_story_made_long_sorry.html Freedom From Burnout ability to connect Awareness choice Choice courageous developing Awareness Discovery doubt fear fellowship and intimacy with people frustration greater potential isolated quieting my mind Responsibility Vermont Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:48:44 +0000 Continued: Fear is the Source of Burnout Back to the story. So, I’m in Vermont, pretty much blinded by fear and doubt. I continue my way up the mountain, the fog now so thick I can barely see two feet beyond the headlights. Finally, the sign for Cutter’s Inn. Allelulia! I turn left onto the dirt road to find a charming house/office before me. I’ve made it. I’m in the right place. The lights are on but I see no sign of life moving about, and though it is only six o’clock, the blackness of night, such as I have never seen before, makes it feel more like midnight. My irrational mind starts to imagine ghosts and goblins lurking behind every corner. In this moment, I realize that I’m far more comfortable in the streets of New York City than I am isolated here in the wilderness of Vermont. Apparently, I’m more afraid of ghosts than I am of being shot or stabbed to death. Who knew? Tapping the inner light of the vehicle, I once again review my instructions. Yes, the carriage house is to the left of the office, and my key is to be in the door of room number seven. I put the truck in reverse and make a sharp right turn in search of my room for the night. And then my high beams hit upon the largest, oldest barn I have ever seen, no less than four, maybe five stories high, and yes, it is definitely the Sleepy Hollow barn, no doubt quite extraordinary in the morning light, but tonight, well, who knows what lurks beyond those massive doors? And, adjacent to the barn, directly to the left, the carriage house, or is it the Bates Motel, who could know for sure? I bravely step from my vehicle only to discover that I cannot see the ground below me much less a number on a doorway. I am alone. In the woods. In a strange place. Darkness I discover, for the first time in my life, is a very very scary thing. Fear, I discover, can take hold of our mind, our body, and rob our spirit of hope and joy. Fear is the source of all burnout. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/continued_fear_is_the_source_o.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/continued_fear_is_the_source_o.html Freedom From Burnout Bates Motel body Cutter’s Inn fear and doubt Fear is the source of all burnout hope joy mind New York City Sleepy Hollow spirit Vermont Thu, 11 Jan 2007 08:45:12 +0000 Fear is the Source of Burnout The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Irving, see the movie with Johnny Depp. The mind is a funny thing. We love the rush of adrenaline so much that we’ll place ourselves in fearful situations just to experience it. Some of us do it through books or movies. Some of us do it by creating drama in our everyday lives. Read it, watch it, imagine it, act it out. It doesn’t really matter. We love the adrenaline drug that accompanies drama. Perhaps it makes us feel more alive. Gotta watch that we don’t get hooked on the drama of burnout and get married to the notion that there is no way out. We can become prisoners to our own thoughts before we know it. Watch. In early November, one of my clients asked me to work with a group in Vermont, and I have to tell you that when I arrived in the quaint little town of Burke my first evening, well, let’s just say that I stepped into what felt like Sleepy Hollow—only for real. The early evening air was so dense, damp, and eerie as I made the climb up the mountain, I wouldn’t have been at all surprised to encounter a headless horseman gallop across the narrow roadway. Ah, the mind is truly amazing, isn’t it? Here I am, a professional woman who has traveled extensively throughout my career, been in just about every situation you can imagine. Not much scares or surprises me anymore. But on this night? Well, maybe I was still reeling from too much Halloween candy, but I have to admit, I was more than a little frightened. Every muscle and nerve ending throughout my entire body was on high alert, the whole flight or fight response thing going on, as I found myself waiting, ever watchful for what might lie around the next bend. Imagine it. The road keeps winding upward and onward as I search in the darkness for my client’s office. My instructions say that I’m supposed to be staying in the “carriage” house adjacent to the Old Cutter Inn—now transformed into an office. All of this sounded really enchanting as I read the e-mail from my sunny office in Orlando. But as I traveled this road to what seemed like nowhere, fear set in and with it came one of The Five Whispers, Doubt. Stayed tuned and watch what happens. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/fear_is_the_source_of_burnout.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/fear_is_the_source_of_burnout.html Freedom From Burnout adrenaline burnout drama fearful flight or fight response Halloween candy headless horseman Johnny Depp Old Cutter Inn Orlando professional woman The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tue, 09 Jan 2007 08:38:35 +0000 Renewal Starts with Vision Sharon@SharonSpano.com. You’ve heard the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. When I say to you, then, that renewal is a second chance to “get it right” what I mean is that the New Year is a unique opportunity to reinvent not only what we will do more, better, differently in our lives, but how we will think about the potential for our lives moving forward. Imagine how mundane and futile life would be if we had no opportunity for renewal—if we simply went from day to day, year to year, with no beginning or end. We need the closure of one year in order to step into another. But, if you’re wasting time and energy whining over what did or didn’t happen last year, well, what I can say for sure is that you are probably destined to repeat a lot of the same mistakes. Worse yet, you’ll experience the same results. It’s your movie. You have the power to change how you play the scene. Notice, I didn’t say you’re the director of the movie. God is the director. He already knows how the movie will end. He’s just waiting for you to step into this most important role and act it out according to His will. I know. I know. Some of you will hate that I’ve said this. It’s okay. You can’t embrace something you haven’t yet experienced. But, maybe it’s time. After all, if your life isn’t all you want it to be, what do you have to lose? I’m going to spend the month of January speaking to you about Renewal and what it means to create a Vision that is meaning and purposeful. It’s a challenge to go as deep as I’d like in short blog entries, so if you need deeper discussion, please comment or e-mail me, and I promise, I’ll do all I can to respond as quickly as possible. Here’s what you want to remember. Renewal is challenging to take on alone. You first want to go directly to the Director, but sometimes you need a circle of friends who can help you clarify that Vision. It’s about building a community. Are you ready? ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_starts_with_vision.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_starts_with_vision.html Freedom From Burnout Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:51:07 +0000 What is Burnout? An Interview With Sharon & Gil Physical or emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress or dissipation. One who is worn out physically or emotionally, as from long-term stress. There are many things that contribute to stress and the after effects that comes along with it. Join us in a special interview with Sharon Spano and Gil Sierra to find out more about what you can do to, first, know the symptoms and secondly, the steps you can take to overcome stress:
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]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/what_is_burnout_an_interview_w.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/what_is_burnout_an_interview_w.html Podcast Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:39:36 +0000 Renewal: A Second Chance to “Get it Right.” In a recent newsletter, I asked you to step into the game and embrace the New Year as a time of Renewal, but what does Renewal really mean? Well, it can obviously mean a lot of things to different people. Let’s keep it simple for now. You’ve just come off the holidays. If you’re like most people, you’ve over indulged. Too much food, sugar, alcohol; not enough sleep. So, from a physical perspective, renewal might mean it’s time to stop and take a look at our habits with respect to the body or the brain. I’m not necessarily talking about jumping on the diet bandwagon. If you need to do so, that’s fine. But if you entered the holiday season a little stressed out and came out on the other side utterly exhausted, well, now’s definitely the time for renewal. Renewal starts with vision. So, what is it that you want your life to be about this year? Don’t get caught up in resolutions that have no real significance. Really spend some reflective time and think about your life and what needs to change in order for you to embrace the life you really want and deserve. Spend some reflective time in each area of your life: Spiritual. Financial. Career. Physical. Social. Family. Try this simple, yet revealing, exercise. Get a plain piece of white paper. Write each category title at the top of a separate sheet. Under the category name, write the phrase, I Want . . . Now move into stream of consciousness writing. By that I mean, keep writing whatever comes to mind and don’t stop to think or edit your writing no matter how silly or superficial it might sound. Just keep writing until you fill each page. What you’ll find is that the subconscious mind will reveal things that your conscious mind or your left brain has not allowed you to consider. Renewal is about aligning the heart and the mind. We tend to operate out of intellect/mind or what we think we’re supposed to be doing. Experiment with this process for an hour or so and see what the heart reveals. http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_a_second_chance_to_get.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2007/01/renewal_a_second_chance_to_get.html Freedom From Burnout Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:48:50 +0000 The Choice Myth The Power of Choice, and I have to tell you that I’m one of those people who really believes that we choose our outcomes and in doing so, we have the power to change the course of our lives. Now, having said that, I’ve also told you that burnout robs us of choice, so which is it, Sharon? Well, it’s both. For people who are well balanced, choice is an absolute. However, for those of you who may be suffering from burnout or are just perhaps experiencing some overwhelming moments in your life, choice is a myth. As we engage in this process of Awareness and Discovery, we need to explore how this is so. Quite simply, if I’m in burnout, for whatever reason, I experience myself as “stuck.” I have no choices. I simply don’t have the energy to explore options. I then move into a scarcity mentality and begin to make fear based decisions. A decision made out of fear is never really a decision. It can’t be because it’s made without clear understanding of the possibilities before us. Awareness, then, is about engaging in reflective practices that allow you to ascertain how it is that you got stuck in the first place? What are your limiting beliefs about yourself and others? What thinking or behavioral patterns are blocking you from having what you want? Do you even know what you want and are you willing to make the necessary changes in order to get it? The Awareness component is the what. The Discovery piece is the why. Why do I behave or think this way? Why do I want what I want and does it make sense to go after it? Discovery helps us make sense of whatever muck we’re in. And, it works best if it’s a spiritual process, meaning we look at the what through spiritual eyes. All things come together for the greater good. The sooner I uncover the what and why of my burnout, I can move into restoration. And guess what? “No” is a sentence. It’s okay for you to set boundaries. You don’t have to be all things to all people. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s a baby step in stomping out the fires of burnout. Your homework. Pay very close attention to your own thoughts before, during, and after you’ve said “yes” when you really wanted to say “no.” What kind of pressure did that create for you? Who did you resent? What was the outcome? Were you frustrated, bitter, or angry? Did your resentment or anger cause you to step into a harmful negative behavior? Awareness brings freedom of choice if we are kind to ourselves in the discovery process. If we are not, the resentment, anger, whatever, turns inward and causes self-destruction. Rule No. One: Love yourself and let them watch. Love yourself even more when you do stupid things. Burnout is a tough climb out. You need a gentle touch along the way. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/the_choice_myth.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/the_choice_myth.html Freedom From Burnout Awareness and Discovery bitter burnout choice Course of our Lives fear based decisions frustrated harmful negative behavior Love yourself or angry overwhelming moments scarcity mentality set boundaries spiritual process stuck The Power of Choice well balanced Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:45:38 +0000 Ya Gotta Do the Work! Yesterday I was in tremendous pain. Today I’m experiencing the joy of freedom. How is it possible that we can move from one emotion to another so quickly? Well, that’s the power of the human spirit, isn’t it? But the human spirit isn’t always enough, and sometimes choice alludes us. Why? Because burnout strips away our resiliency and the ability to bounce back. In order to have this resiliency, we’ve gotta do the work. We’ve got to commit to the process of Awareness, Discovery, Responsibility and Choice. It can be a challenge to do all that when you’re exhausted. For me, the process of awareness and discovery is much quicker now because I’ve learned to take my pain and frustration directly to God. He seems to have the uncanny ability to allow me to face the egocentric tendencies that get me into trouble even as He overwhelms me with His unconditional love. Funny thing. He can do all this without reacting to my exhausted, tired, and cranky demeanor. He’s a safe place for me to just be me—warts and all. Doesn’t mean I still don’t have to do the work. It just means that the road to recovery is quicker now. I can engage in awareness and discovery, and with the help of God, move into responsibility and choice must faster. Today, I choose freedom from the pain and suffering of yesterday. But. I had to rest my mind and my body in order for the spirit to soar. Ask yourself, is there something or someone in your life that is keeping you from restoring the mind, body, and spirit? What one action can you take to free yourself? Comment below. Let me know how you’re doing. http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/ya_gotta_do_the_work.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/ya_gotta_do_the_work.html Freedom From Burnout Awareness body burnout challenge choice Discovery emotion exhausted freedom God mind pain power of the human spirit resiliency Responsibility spirit unconditional love Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:39:56 +0000 What is Burn Out?
  • Exhaustion or chronic fatigue
  • Increased illness, e.g., more colds, flu
  • Irritability, resentment, anger
  • Self-criticism, a sense of being out of control
  • Cynicism, negativity, and irritability
  • A sense of being chased
  • Loosing your cool over the little things
  • Frequent headaches and gastrointestinal issues
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Sleeplessness and depression
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling of being out of control or helpless
  • An increased degree of risk taking, e.g., driving too fast, shopping sprees, addictive behaviors.
  • Anxiety or panic attacks

It’s not necessarily about how many of these symptoms you have. It’s more about the intensity. Take a look and honesty assess where you are. And what is it they say? If you walk into the woods ten miles, you’ve got ten miles out. There are no short cuts. You’ve got to buckle down and do the work to get out. ]]> http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/what_is_burn_out.html http://www.corporateburnoutblog.com/2006/12/what_is_burn_out.html Introduction burnout emotional and physical exhaustion personal disconnect self-awareness Sat, 23 Dec 2006 13:19:22 +0000