I chatted with a buddy last week about their burnt out team leader.
My buddy had some good ideas to improve the team's workload, but the team leader kept shooting them down.
It reminded me of when I've been burnt out and whether I'd done the same.
Reflecting on those burnouts, I realised I'd rejected ideas and innovations too soon because they seemed like too much work.
I was frazzled and teetering on the edge of staying afloat.
A new idea and related effort could bring the whole house of cards down.
It was easier to say no.
What saying no to new ideas costs you?
Saying yes to a new project or process feels like extra effort on top of your workload. It probably is.
Totally understandable.
Keeping balance and boundaries is important, but it's worth checking if you're prolonging issues by not prioritising the important stuff.
When we're super stressed, we make our world smaller and more manageable.
Eventually, our brains can't make the best decisions though, and we have cognitive rigidity which limits our flexibility.
We don't explore external support, guidance or help that could make it achievable, keeping us stuck in the status quo.
Our coping strategies and self-talk make us forge ahead on our own:
- It's easier if I do it myself
- I can't take on one more action
- It'll take more time to get help - there's no point
But you might be closing yourself off to a game-changer that makes a real difference.
It might bring you back from burnout or give your team or clients what they need to be self-sufficient.
As with much in life, one size doesn't fit all.
When I work with clients, talking it out makes the answer seem so obvious.
If you don't express and reflect on what's going on though, you'll never gain that valuable insight.
Take a brief pause to consider these questions now:
- What does saying no to this issue [insert your own here] cost me in the long run?
- Who can help me make it happen?
Even if you decide it's still a no, you've taken a measured approach versus a knee-jerk response.
6 causes driving your stubbornness
If you're not naturally a stubborn person, you may not notice this is your current response or approach.
Here are 6 signs to check if stubbornness has appeared:
- Cognitive Rigidity: Your cognitive capacity has reduced, as has your flexibility in thinking. Rigid and inflexible thought patterns appear that feel unusual.
- Emotional Exhaustion: You may lack the energy to consider alternative viewpoints or approaches, so you end up sticking to usual ways of thinking and behaving.
- Defensive Mechanism: You might be more defensive and resistant to change. You're protecting yourself from additional stress or perceived threats.
- Decreased Patience: Increased stress ups your irritability and reduces patience and tolerance for uncertainty. You might be more obstinate and less open to compromise.
- Loss of Perspective: It might be harder to see the bigger picture (tunnel vision) or consider the benefits of alternative approaches.
- Fear of Change: The idea of change feels daunting. It could be fear of the unknown and wanting to keep a semblance of control when overwhelmed.
It's hard to admit if burnout or chronic stress has caused a switch in your worldview.
That doesn't mean it will last forever.
Start small and write or record a list of the help and resources available to you, Reader.
We're never as alone as we think we are.
Consider your friends, family, colleagues, wider network or even your clients.
Email it back to me if you want an outside perspective.
Aim to be more flexible with how you consider solutions so you're not isolating yourself and others further.
That way, you regain control and proactively build a way out of the space you're in.
Take care,
Sabrina
Burnout Coach | Neuroscientist | Art-based Practitioner
P.S. If you want dedicated time to build a way out of burnout, check out my 1:1 coaching programme Restore.Reset.Resilient by clicking here.