Everything that glitters isn't a goal: How Attachment to Intense Work Environments Leads to Burnout

Everything that glitters isn't a goal, is my mantra after struggling with the magnetic powers of burnout.

I recently came a documentary about the rise and fall of a good company.

We've all heard this story before, a company on the rise, full of excitement and growth opportunities that crumbles when greed and pressure create unsustainable work environments. However, this story spoke to me because it specifically showcased interviews from the executives.

Each executive described themselves as intense and doing the best they could under an extreme amount of pressure. The interviewer presents examples of executives' poor behavior as reported by employees, but rather than acknowledging any fault or being receptive to different viewpoints, the executives dismiss these examples. When folks in the C-Suite were asked, why did you behave this way or why was THIS the standard at the time? There response was to shuck off the question, "that's just how things worked."

To be honest, I was hoping to get a real perspective of why executives mistreat employees, but instead there was zero accountability.

This caused me to think, when I was in a demanding role, I chased EVERY opportunity. I proudly raised my hand to work longer hours. I confidently worked through lunch. Glitter, or the mirage of a promotion was more than my goal, it was my fuel. I kept going and pushing beyond my limits looking to my manager to set the boundary. It was jarring to hear that these executives, who were probably like the ones I used to work for, were incapable of self regulation.

So why did I allow myself to willingly sacrifice my sleep and personal commitments to fulfill the unrelenting demands?

For me it all started when I discovered the thrill of working against the clock with sub par resources to meet a deliverable. My coworkers and I had a common enemy, limited time and scarce resources. We bonded together to make the late nights, and the last minute changes fun. We joked about working in a circus, and because I felt seen, I couldn't get enough. I can vividly remember telling myself, I'm cut out for this! But was that the case or was I duped into thinking these sacrifices gave me purpose.

There was a dark side of it too, though. As leadership met their targets, our reward wasn't rest it was MORE aggressive targets. After a while, I felt like the world was closing in on me. The coffee wasn't working, most of my friends were smart enough to leave the group and I was stuck. Stuck being the hero.

Is this you?

Now in hindsight I can see that my desire to be a high achiever is undeniable. I see a problem, pick it a part, then find ways to optimize the process I used. This is in my DNA. This is who I am.

But maybe instead of investing all my time in solving problems for others I can invest in myself. Instead of trusting leaders to tell me when enough is enough so I don't burnout, perhaps I should set boundaries and trust myself.

My attachment to the thrill of a new challenge or unrealistic expectation caused me to burnout because I was willing to cross all the boundaries I set for myself.

Here are 3 quick things to evaluate if you are in a loop of burnout.

✔️ Get a good nights sleep, consistently. It is difficult to see how big the world is, or if there are other opportunities out there if you're a zombie. Having a clear mind will help you to look at situations objectively instead of emotionally.

 ✔️ Assess your values, what do you really like do to? What makes you most happy? Now work backwards to find ways to add that happiness to your day. If you love the outdoors, can you find a way to get a walk in during lunch hour? If you work a desk job but love to paint, how can you add color to your day? Is it changing your desktop wallpaper? Is it changing the fonts you use?

✔️ Know your limit. What does your limit look like? Do you have emotional, physical and workplace boundaries to help you recognize when you've hit your limit?

How do you self audit to make sure you don't end up in a loop of burnout?

Book a burnout workshop with me and 4 other like minded individuals to learn ways to fight burnout together.