Recognizing the signs before burnout hits.
(Written by Allison Gilmore, MBA, COE, CPC, ELI-MP)
The Fog of Overwork
The tightness in my throat. The fatigue in my body. My brain having trouble focusing.
I was feeling drained.
As I sat there, trying desperately to prepare for a meeting, I recognized that my head was in a fog. I had been stretching myself—going hard for weeks, saying yes to anything and everything as I sought to make connections and build my business.
As I sat there, almost frozen in time, I realized I was no longer grounded. I wasn’t completely burnt out, but I was starting to feel stretched too thin. I was hustling for my worth. And the menacing thoughts of imposter syndrome were beginning to creep in.
The Alarm Bells
In that moment, sitting in the fog, alarm bells started sounding in my head.
My early warning detection system was going off.
I knew I needed to reground myself — to go back to my why and to the truths that keep me living in my sweet spot.
Reconnecting to the “Why”
As leaders, it’s important to remember (and write down) our personal “why” statement.
Why are we in leadership?
What drives us? What brings us to work every day? Why do we choose to lead people?
My Why: “I am called to stand in the gap with others, to help them feel seen and heard, and to empower them to realize their own story and intrinsic value. I am called to walk alongside them as they seek to learn and grow in who they are, and who they choose to be.”
Living in the Sweet Spot
It’s also valuable to define what puts us in our sweet spot, and to identify the practices that help us stay there.
My Sweet Spot: I am at my best when I am living an integrated life — personal, professional, and spiritual — characterized by:
- Embracing my story and my faith
- Knowing and trusting my “why”
- Living with intention, integrity, and purpose
- Knowing my strengths and embracing my passion
My supporting practices of living an integrated life:
- Incorporating and protecting my “white space”
- Engaging in active listening — for both myself and others
- Reacting with joy, kindness, and compassion
- Extending grace to myself and others
- Listening to and trusting my intuition and the Holy Spirit’s leading
The Wake-Up Call
I realized that by saying yes to everything else, I was, in theory, saying no to myself.
I had lost sight of my “why” and my sweet spot.
But it was my early warning detection system that helped me first recognize it—and then find my way back. That self-awareness showed me I was entering dangerous territory, where I was hustling for my worth instead of leaning into who I am.
A Challenge for You
As a leader, do you know your personal “why” statement?
Have you identified what puts you in your sweet spot?
Do you have an early warning detection system that helps you recognize when you’re straying away?
Sometimes the best way to avoid burnout is to recognize it before it becomes burnout.
So today, I challenge you to:
- Figure out your “why” statement and write it down.
- Determine what puts you in your sweet spot, and the supporting practices that keep you grounded.
- Develop self-awareness to recognize your unique early warning system.
Ready to Reground Yourself?
If you don’t yet know your “why,” your sweet spot, or what your early warning system looks like, I would love to partner with you to help you discover those vital elements of leadership — and truly, of life.
Don’t wait until you’re at the point of burnout and trying to find your way back. Instead, do the work now to figure out where you are rooted, and how to identify when you’re losing ground.
To learn how coaching might help you develop your early warning system, your “why,” and what puts you in your sweet spot, feel free to use the link below to schedule a complimentary discovery session.
https://calendly.com/allison-mindset/coaching-discovery-call