This week, while I was on a coaching call, the topic of burnout was front and center.
Looking back at my career, with the clarity of hindsight, the factors that both got me to that point, what helped, what didn’t, and what I have learned are so much more apparent than when I was facing the situation alone.
In this issue of Leadership Advantage, I want to highlight some research that gives anyone struggling with stress and burnout some new approaches to try.
You’re not alone in battling burnout and stress.
The standard advice is either to push through the tough times or to make time for yourself to relax.
Unfortunately, neither of these tactics equip you to handle stressful times better.
An alternative approach: It’s about learning.
According to a Harvard Business Review study, engaging in learning activities can help shield you from the harmful effects of stress, negative emotions, and burnout.
This shift to learning helps us see ourselves as getting better and advancing, not stuck in the same place forever.
By recasting challenges at work as an opportunity to learn, we can get some of the stress-relieving benefits.
Also, by stepping back to consider what we will learn, we are reframing the situation to be something that leads to personal growth.
This approach to learning can also extend to your time outside of work.
In an article by Emma Parkhurst, Professional Practice Extension Assistant Professor at Utah State University, she outlines how hobbies can improve mental health as well.
For example, a study showed that the stress levels of 75% of the participants went down after making art.
Group or team hobbies had the additional benefit of improving social connections while decreasing depression and anxiety.
In a Harvard Health Publishing article on how to train your brain for mind and mood, three guidelines were given for the types of activities to choose from.
Look for mentally challenging activities, that have complexity, and require some level of practice to get to mastery.
Their research shows that practicing a new and challenging activity is a good bet for building and maintaining cognitive skills.
So, if you are battling burnout, try shifting your focus to learning.
It could be as a part of your work day, or a new hobby or skill.
Learning is not just about knowledge, it’s about developing a strategy to improve your brain health and manage stress effectively!
Resource Links
- HBR study about the impact of stress on workers – click to read
- Emma Parkhurst articles on hobbies and stress – click to read
- Harvard Health report on how to choose the right activities for handling stress – click to read
Do you have strategies that have helped you overcome stress and burnout?
