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. They’re too Type A. They’re perfectionists and control freaks who don’t know how to say no. If we would all just do more yoga, get more sleep, or find the right productivity system, this wouldn’t be an issue.
One simple truth makes it relatively easy to spot the fallacy: There is no such thing as an organization with only one burned out person.
Burnout is actually rampant across our current work culture.
A 2020 Gallup poll found that 76% of employees were burned out at least some of the time. If any physical malady were afflicting 76% of a population, it would be downright irresponsible for doctors and public health officials to treat it as an individual problem. So why are we treating burnout as though it can be fixed with individual, not collective solutions? An epidemic calls for systemic change, not individual effort.
Individual solutions to burnout are by their nature insufficient. Yes, we need more sleep. Yes, we need to exercise. Yes, we need to nurture relationships. But all the sleep, exercise, and social time in the world will not insulate us from the realities of a fundamentally damaging work culture, toxic cultural messaging, or drastically misplaced cultural priorities.
The only way to effectively address burnout is together.
It won’t be easy. The forces that contribute to workplaces with untenable demands, unreachable goals, and unsustainable hours are as entrenched as (and allied with) the forces of patriarchy and white supremacy. But if you are among the many people interested in working to reclaim power and build systems that serve us better, keep reading – this blog is for you.
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Kathryn Stinson
I help passionate people identify and dismantle the cultural drivers of burnout, so they can serve their big visions without burning out. Find information and strategies for dealing with burnout here, or reach out to work with me.
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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.
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