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]
Burnout and the Holidays
This is a time when many people are looking forward to some celebrations, maybe dreading some things also, maybe feeling stressed about everything that seems like it MUST get done before 2021 draws to a close. If burnout is part of your reality right now, it is likely making it feel like everything is urgent. In [read more]
Failing is a Revolutionary Act
Recently I gave a talk on burnout to a group of passionate leaders. I posed a series of questions that I often find myself asking people who are working to recover from or prevent burnout. [read more]
Generative Metaphors
Toxic Productivity Culture would have us think about ourselves and our lives as we expect a corporation might, with an eye to wringing as much perceived value out of our time and efforts as possible. When we look at our lives through the lens of toxic productivity culture, we are resources to be used up. [read more]
Guilt is Not a Reliable Compass
Often I work with people who, in the interest of preventing or addressing burnout, are very willing to scale back their to do lists and define what is enough. But when it comes to actually stopping when they reach that enough point, they have a very hard time. [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.
