Burnout is not an individual problem
Most approaches to combatting burnout treat it as though it’s an individual problem, or worse, an individual failure of character. Burned out people aren’t engaging in proper self care, we’re told. [read more]
We’re Encouraged to Medicate Burnout
Several years ago, a manager who was hoping to talk me out of quitting a company whose culture was becoming more toxic by the day told me he had given up on trying to advocate for most of the things that make people feel appreciated: better pay, better benefits, or more resources. [read more]
An Anti-Burnout Holiday Strategy
By the time this month’s article hits your inbox, we will have been in the ever-expanding Christmas season for many months. My local grocery store began displaying Christmas items in October, which showed some restraint, actually, since Home Depot had Christmas decorations out in August. [read more]
The Problem with Aspirational Scheduling (and Stretch Goals)
“…We’ve been granted the mental capacities to make almost infinitely ambitious plans, yet practically no time at all to put them into action.” Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals [read more]
What If You’re Doing Way More Than You Think?
“Part of the reason an ad man like Don Draper in Mad Men was able to take naps and be creative all day was because he had a secretary doing all the paperwork and meeting-setting and telling him where to be and when. He just thought big thoughts.” – Anne Helen Petersen, “The Expanding Job” [read more]
When You’re Burned Out Because You Care
I originally became interested in burnout by working with activists. St. Louis has been home to a new era of civil rights activism since 2014, and in my psychotherapy practice, I’ve worked with many people involved in social justice campaigns who have faced arrest, violence, job loss, and more because of their involvement with social justice [read more]
Why Work-Life Balance is a Patriarchal Myth: Gender Justice and Burnout
Read any major human resources publication these days, and you’ll learn that we’re in the midst of a shift from thinking about “Work-Life Balance” to “Work-Life Integration.” The idea is that work-life balance was a good start. In a Capitalist society, we needed to acknowledge that there was a danger of defining people solely in terms [read more]
The Single Best Burnout Prevention Strategy
You may have noticed, I never write articles of the sort you find scrolling through a newsfeed, with headlines like, “5 tips to avoid burnout.” There’s a reason for that: Tips, tricks and life hacks can’t solve the current epidemic of burnout. [read more]
Unfulfilled Potential is a Good Thing
My Mom used to tell me I’d make a great lawyer. Undoubtedly this was usually said in frustration because I was arguing with her about something she wanted me to do that I didn’t want to do, but this suggestion would always irritate me. I had absolutely no desire to be a lawyer. “But you’re so [read more]
I help passionate and multipassionate people identify and dismantle the cultural drivers of burnout so they can serve their big visions more sustainably.
i offer the following ways to work with me around burnout
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Each month I take a deep dive into one aspect of resisting burnout.
Monthly Deep Dive Letters name cultural dynamics that generate burnout and open doors to imagining how we might do things differently. For examples of what I write about, take a look at the blog.
No productivity tips, and no motivational pep-talks. Just in depth, thoughtful content to support you in resisting burnout culture. You’ll also be notified of new events and programs.
