The fear and shame we may feel when talking about our work exhaustion appears as a solution on the table.
It is possible that simply thinking about it gives rise to all the reasons that make us believe that it is best not to talk about this.
Is that really the best thing to do? Leave things as they are and hope that the exhaustion goes away "on its own"? That the solution comes "by itself"?
This can only end in deeper burnout, not a solution.
What can we do to start changing this?
The first thing is to define what we need to stop feeling exhausted, whether it's a change in schedule, taking a few days off work, going to therapy, or talking about it. It's vital.
Then, discussing it with our superiors is key, as it gives us the opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to restore balance and avoid being constantly overloaded.
For the risk we have in mind, many positive things can come from being open about how we feel: greater trust with colleagues, creating openness for others to open up, and a shift from a "pressure cooker" work culture to something more humane.
Solving burnout is much more feasible if the company's adjustment goes hand in hand with the adjustment in our personal lives.
Dr. Erin Kelly, professor at MIT Sloan School of Management, conducted research that showed that changes in team management in companies are one of the most effective ways to prevent and alleviate burnout.
His study showed that employees whose managers were trained to understand how they felt personally and professionally, and to give them flexibility to work as they wished, had significantly lower levels of burnout and psychological distress.
They are also 40% less likely to resign.
