I’ve Had Enough… And I’m OK with That.

I’ve had some jarring conversations with C-level executives over the years…

But nothing floors me as much as when some give me the walkthrough of their illustrious careers, years spent climbing the corporate ladder and the great personal sacrifices they’ve made…

Only to decide that everything they’ve worked for is no longer the dream.

Our career prospects naturally change all the time. It’s an organic symptom of professional evolution. But sadly, the stories I’ve heard from leaders don’t paint the picture of newly acquired ambitions or professional growth. The culprit of their decisions is far more sinister.

It’s burnout. I’ve been there. I understand the “never again” narrative.

For the past few years, businesses have often been scrutinised for their ability to demonstrate agility and resilience in the face of risk. The community and competitors look inward, analysing culture, systems and processes as the tools to survive the cocktail of crisis.

But are we looking deep enough?

Where do the psyches of some of the greatest global business leaders stand? The empires they create seem to resist disruption, but at what personal cost? 

Mental health discussions still don’t focus on the individual. We often cluster entire workforces together when speaking about it. And it overlooks many of the nuances that shape important elements of business success: purpose-driven leadership, vision, priority-driven effort and transparency to name just a few.

Do we have a reliable assessment or grip on mental health in the workplace?

I don’t think so.

Not when congratulatory wishes to ambitious individuals get met with “Yeah… I don’t know if I want this anymore”.

Why are We So Ill?

In a recent article, the BBC warns that an epidemic of illness is hitting the working-age population.

Research by the Health Foundation estimates that almost a fifth of the UK working population has a work-limiting condition. A problem that threatens the economic potential of the country.

The Health Foundation lists three main conditions that are placing this pressure on the workforce: chronic pain, type 2 diabetes and mental health problems.

The article however narrows our attention down to the younger generation, where more than a third of 18-24-year-olds are reporting signs of ill mental health. 

What’s causing this? 

• The turbulence of Brexit
• The social isolation of the pandemic
• The uncertainty of the job market
• The volatility of political conflicts
• The cost of living crisis
• The threat of mass redundancies

Symptoms and consequences all eventually find their way to senior leadership who have to navigate a workforce stretched to their limits. The responsibility is daunting. Their inability to act swiftly invites heavy criticism from employees, peers and the wider industry.

It is isolating. Leaders never experience the freedoms, benefits or potential impact of their position, because they are stuck managing crises that notch down other items on their priority lists. 

But this burnout epidemic is universal. it bleeds across different functions, roles and seniorities.

“You need a healthy workforce if you want a healthy economy,"

For example, anybody who went to university did so to get gainful employment. Once they’ve done that, they hope to succeed in that employment. It becomes a complete shift to priorities and goals tied to overwork, mental well-being and burnout because of a lack of boundaries being set from the start… all to achieve that success.

Until they completely disconnect.

We’ve been popularising this pattern for years. But it’s not setting an example that people at many different levels (or stages) of their careers need to experience.

So what can you do to prevent becoming statistics of a growing health epidemic?

5 Steps to Avoid Burnout

In our modern age, the linear career is paved with risks if we don’t approach it with a greater sense of self-awareness, resilience and agility. The rules have shifted and we need to respond in a way that helps us navigate it with more finesse and a better ability to bounce back.

Here are my words of advice:

1. Pace Yourself

You aren’t running a race. You’re running a marathon. Honestly assess your personal capacity. 

• Reflect on your circumstances: your responsibilities at home, your opportunities at work or your runway for progress.
• Take stock of your resources and support: the availability of family and friends, your financial position, your access to mentors or the training and tools you are being given to succeed.
• Know your limits: emotional triggers, available energy, routines of self-care, your habits of rest/recovery, potential weaknesses or areas that you need to improve on.

If you set the goal, be sure you’re giving yourself the grace to achieve it. You will only succeed if context and timing allow it. Take two steps forward. Take one step back. It takes longer, but you will give yourself more time to adapt to the experience.

2. Reprioritise

In a world of technological change and major threats like redundancies, the pressure is making many people reassess where they place value in their lives. But oftentimes, the pace of their own careers doesn’t allow them the room to negotiate. 

That is why slowing down is essential. It allows you to make room for potential new opportunities to diversify and reinvent yourself. 

I would never have envisioned myself doing influencer work to make an impact in the apply chain industry. However, I discovered that it was the avenue where I was capable of making the most impact. 

Always find your zone of impact, and make sure the events you invest energy in help you to make a difference. It’s one of my most powerful laws of transformation (recently dissected in my latest eBook).

3. Be Selfish

Reprogram yourself to have the courage to define your boundaries and be comfortable in saying, “NO.” Part of this process involves a ruthless decluttering of low-leverage and low-impact tasks that bring you no closer to your goals.

I’ve seen tons of peers hit burnout simply by being drowned in mountains of admin instead of progressing business initiatives. That passion doesn’t deserve to be misplaced. Make sure that you're catalysing a system that works for you instead of the system working you to the bone.

4. Work Smarter, Not Harder

Business challenges (both internally and externally) are subject to a whole host of complexities that didn’t exist 5 years ago. And everyone (your consumer, your industry, your peers, your workforce) expects you to meet the demands set quickly. 

But there are a ton of solutions available that weren’t available 5 years ago either. 

• AI is becoming the built-in co-pilot to inform, accelerate and optimise operations
• Collaborative attitudes have set in among peers in every industry
• Thousands of software options exist to automate your systems
• People are more adaptable, specialised and unique as hires
• Training and upskilling are more accessible than ever

No one needs to feel isolated in a silo of overwork. No one needs to complain. For every problem you have, a solution likely exists. 

5. Find a Passion Project

The longer you work in your career, the easier it becomes for you to define yourself by your job title. You start relating your identity to your education, your work experience and the extensive network and accolades you garnered over the years. 

But it’s so important to not neglect who you are. What are your hobbies? What are your interests? What are the issues that you care about outside of work?

Perhaps the best unlock: how can you connect what you do for a profession to something that you are passionate about beyond your industry (charity work, philanthropy, social issues, etc).

Redefine yourself beyond your work. Let go of the image of the consummate professional who dedicates their entire time and energy only to the linear expectations of their career. Because these expectations are society-bound. They are not determined by you.

The Future We’re Creating

We have a responsibility to the next generations to demonstrate balance. A greater proportion of the working-age population is in their 50s and 60s according to research.

But no one is becoming the paragon of the professional world by making an impact with crippling back pain or some other physical malady. Or a compromised mental state.

As the article quotes: "You need a healthy workforce if you want a healthy economy,"

To thrive, we need to have the mental wellness and physical wellness for it. 

Can you have it all? No, whoever is selling you that is selling you snake oil. 

It's bullshit. 

The truth is this… You can exceed and do a lot of things well, but you will have your limits. Reaching burnout to acknowledge that truth is not the way.

But being honest about your limitations is. 

Know your threshold and challenge it within reasonable limits.

But remember to take care of yourself.

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In an era where the pace of change is unrelenting, the role of supply chain leaders is undergoing a profound transformation. On May 1st at 11 am UK time, I’m running a free digital event with Maciej Kaniowski (COO of Avon), Dr Abhi Ghadge (from Cranfield University) and Vikram Singla FCILT (from Oracle) on the future of supply chain leadership and its evolving dynamics over the next five years.

We’ll be covering:

• Leadership strategies for effective Transformation: Actionable insights for transformative change to unlock business value.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Unpacking the strategies for breaking silos and fostering a culture of collaboration across departments.
• Supply Chain Visibility and Transparency: Exploring the nexus between technology and the attainment of unprecedented levels of visibility and transparency in the supply chain.
• Technological Empowerment: How cutting-edge technology is the linchpin for future-proofing supply chains and enhancing operational efficiency.

Head over to https://events.zoom.us/ev/AqVHNoQyxTr1d2pDQp1X_HS5btn81m2j6OJsc9lhFYMKMBb9HDds~AkmZU_9SCwxpdyiANIiqWx9EdtrU5f7cfdTzbdlWTxRWocEBFB1jUr3kug to find out more.