What do you do if burnout is hindering your success in brand strategy?

I've noticed that most strategists, myself included, spend a lot of time sitting on 1-1 strategy; what was x time is now x*4 time. The first and most important thing is to realize this.

Recognizing Burnout Signs in Brand Strategy Approach; Enthusiasm Decline: Loss of excitement for once engaging projects may indicate burnout. Symptom Awareness: Chronic exhaustion, work cynicism & feelings of ineffectiveness are common burnout indicators. Acknowledgment Importance: Recognize & address these feelings rather than dismissing them as temporary. Early Intervention: Identifying burnout symptoms early allows for preventive measures to avoid emotional & physical exhaustion. By recognizing & addressing burnout symptoms promptly individuals can take proactive steps to safeguard their well-being, maintain their effectiveness in the brand strategy field & ensure long-term professional success & fulfillment.

I believe the first step is recognizing burnout isn't just exhaustion. Look for irritability, reduced productivity, and difficulty focusing. Acknowledging these signs helps me start addressing the problem.

I'm glad this recognizes burnout as a loss of enthusiasm - that symptom doesn't just come from being overwhelmed and overworked. It's possible to get "bored out" too if the work isn't stimulating your creativity and offering the fulfilling work you're looking for, and the end result feels the same if you're feeling traditionally burned out. The strategy to address the feelings is the same, but the steps you have to take in adjusting your work will look different.

If you’re used to overworking yourself, you may actually recognize your WORK suffering before you recognize the strain on yourself. At that point, of course, it does no one any good to keep forcing the work — you will be depleting yourself and won’t be delivering great work anyway. I believe your creative work should energize you. Sure, you’re not going to be at peak energy/productivity all day every day, but for the most part, your work should motivate — rather than drain — you. If you feel the draining days are becoming more common, take a pause.

If burnout is hindering your performance and career, you need to take a break – as much as I dislike saying it, there's no way around it. You can't pour from an empty cup. And if you empty your cup (your energy, your passion, your expertise), you will deliver a significantly worse service to your customers. Ultimately, that'll hurt your reputation. Which in turn will hurt your revenue. So don't hide from it and don't try to work around it: Seek support from your loved ones and help from professionals. Taking care of yourself = protecting your career

Work-life balance is a myth; it's about work-life integration. I set clear "off" hours for emails and notifications and actively protect them. It sometimes means saying "no" to protect my well-being.

he Eisenhower Matrix changed my life. I focus first on what's urgent AND important. Delegating what's possible reduces my load, allowing me to focus on strategy rather than just execution.

In EOS, the term "hitting the ceiling" is used as a way to reflect and make sure you're contributing your best work. The five leadership abilities that go into hitting the ceiling are: Simplify, Delegate, Predict, Systematize, and Structure. Depending on the context, any one of these five actions might be the best option for setting your priorities - or eliminating tasks that aren't a priority. When it comes to brand strategy, Simplify and Structure are huge - how can you communicate your message, your position as clearly as possible, and create structures that help others understand that information (and then share it with more people)?

Strategic Breaks for Optimal Brand Strategy Performance Approach; Mind Refreshment: Regular breaks aid in clearing your mind & preventing decision fatigue. Creativity Boost: Short pauses sustain creativity & enhance focus in brand strategy work. Diverse Break Options: Consider walks, coffee breaks or screen-free quiet time for rejuvenation. Performance Enhancement: Strategic breaks are vital for maintaining peak performance & productivity. Incorporating strategic breaks into your workday is vital optimizing performance in brand strategy. By taking short diverse breaks individuals can rejuvenate their focus, enhance creativity & ensure peak productivity levels, contributing to overall success in brand strategy initiatives.

Take a break in order to let your creativity come back to life! On the extreme end, a break could be a vacation, sabbatical, or even a career pause. However, you can take a much less dramatic break, too, even if it’s a walk around the block. (And doesn’t taking a walk sound way more manageable after considering a sabbatical-level break? It’s doable.) Give your brain a minute to breathe, not forcing any sort of productivity during your break, and you may find great ideas start to surface, and certainly will have a fresh approach once you get back to work.

Combatting Burnout: Seeking Support in Brand Strategy Approach; Community Connection: Reach out to colleagues, mentors or professional networks for support. Perspective Shift: Sharing experiences can offer new insights on managing workload & stress. Stress Relief: Talking about challenges can bring relief & aid in developing coping strategies. Collaborative Coping: Seeking support helps combat burnout & fosters resilience in brand strategy roles. By connecting with others, sharing experiences & seeking advice, individuals can effectively navigate challenges, manage stress & prevent burnout fostering a supportive environment conducive to well-being & success in brand strategy endeavors.

Spark Creativity: Reviving Passion in Brand Strategy Approach; Creative Pursuits: Engage in activities outside work that ignite creativity. Inspiration Sources: Hobbies, workshops & new environments can offer fresh inspiration. Rediscovering Joy: Exploration can reignite passion & bring new energy to brand strategy. Innovative Boost: Nurturing creativity outside work leads to innovative ideas for projects. By engaging in activities that stimulate creativity & provide inspiration, individuals can reignite their passion for brand strategy, infuse projects with innovative concepts & enhance their overall professional satisfaction & success in the field.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is to step away for a bit, without guilt. You need your mind to relax. Even so, it will still be working subconsciously. I once spent the whole day watching Barbenheimer and ended up writing an article analysing their brand strategies that I didn't plan to, that went viral. It's about working smart, not hard.

When I'm burned out, the last thing I want is MORE work. That's when I turn to art, music, nature – anything that sparks my creativity without feeling forced. It rekindles my inspiration.

So, I’m reading these questions and wondering where the stressors are coming from. I think self care is critically important. That said, so much of caring for yourself is common sense. What has happened that these are the questions that need answering? Back in the day, nasty people, poor working conditions and unrealistic demands put people in burnout mode. Today, we have more places than ever sharing self help tips, nutritional tips, mental and physical workouts as well as hacks and shortcuts to put more time back in your day and make life easier. Pinpointing the culprit(s) of burnout could be the first step in solving the issues. Guessing, too much online engagement twisting the truth/reality has led to unreal self-expectations.

Burnout can pull back your motivation. Here's what to do: 1. Refuel & Recharge: Prioritize rest, hobbies, and activities that energize you. 2. Reassess & Refocus: Review brand goals, delegate tasks, and outsource if needed. 3.Seek Inspiration: Connect with other brand strategists, explore new trends, and reignite your creative spark.

Celebrate Small Wins: Burnout makes us hypercritical of ourselves. I keep a "wins" list. Did a campaign meet a KPI? These micro-wins, when looked at collectively, show me I'm making progress, even when it feels impossible.