Leadership Burnout

Leadership always seems to be going in so many different directions with so many things on their plate. Why does it seem like leadership is always stretch so thin? What are some ways to help prevent leadership burnout?

You Don't Have to Do "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once"

Identify which things must be immediately attended to and which can be placed on the backburner or covered by others. When someone tries to do it all, they usually end up burnt out.

Schedule Breaks, Transition Periods, and "Reaction Intervals"

Knowing when not to schedule something is vital. Being repeatedly late for meetings is not going to reduce your stress levels, so plan accordingly. When scheduling your calendar you can minimize the pressure by scheduling "reaction" time. You'll be less anxious if breathing room before the next activity is built into your day.

After big presentations, make sure you have some unscheduled time afterwards to recover.

Accept the Crises (Major and Minor) are Part of the Job, Prepare Yourself Psychologically for Disruptions

Part of the job description is "fire fighter." Did you not get the memo on that? A lot of administrators don't learn this lesson early enough in their careers, and some leaders burn out because they never catch on. How good you are at managing a crisis is a separate issue, but we all know they are going to happen. Administration and leadership may not be for you if you are stressed out by surprises to your carefully planned day. Learn to accept them as a reality of leadership, as much as you would any other part of your administrative portfolio.

Don't Let Ego Drive You to Intervene to Fast

Some issues get worse if you don't get involved right away, while others resolve themselves if give a short interval of "wait and see." Don't exaggerate your own importance in solving a problem. In our age of overcommunication, people often expect an immediate response. But get in the habit of giving yourself a little time to think. You might realize that holding off would be the wiser course on a particular issue.

Every leader has different responsibilities and serves constituencies with competing expectations. Not reflexively jumping into the fray to "save the day" can preserve your sanity and even help create an atmosphere of more individual responsibility. It will also lessen your workload and stress level.

The organization of your labor, your attitude towards it, and your philosophy can affect its quality and sometimes its quantity. You don't have to burn out if you commit to pragmatism.

Reference

Perlmutter, D. Admin 101: 4 Ways to Counter Leadership Burnout. The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2024. https://www.chronicle.com/article/admin-101-4-ways-to-counter-leadership-burnout