Burnout and Product Management

As human beings, we can only handle so much. At times issues accumulate in our workplaces that lead to burnout. It could be prolonged working hours, lack of resources or support, and loneliness, among other causes.

These burnouts go beyond physical or emotional exhaustion and can be detrimental. For this reason, it is always important to look out for signs that indicate you are on the brink of burnout so that you can take a step back and reassess everything.

This episode covers the burnout you may encounter as a PM, their causes, and how to deal with them. In addition, we also share some of our burnout experiences, what may have caused them and how we avoided or overcame them.

Tune in to learn this and more!

Key Highlights

[1:05] Burnouts in startups

[1:43] Burnout in large companies

[4:14] Causes of burnouts

[7:29] Rewards

[9:50] The community

[10:57] Parv's burnout

[14:10] Mismatch of organizational values and personal values

[16:48] Alex's burnout and how he went about it

[21:10] Taking a step back and reassessing

[22:54] The cost of burnout

[25:00] How Parv handled his burnout

[26:00] When it's worth risking burnout to achieve some objective

[27:49] Burnouts from the pandemic

[29:59] Keeping an eye on potential signs of burnout

Notable Quotes

• The PM role itself is just so ambiguous regarding what needs to be done.- Parv
• As product managers, one of the biggest things we have to learn is delayed gratification. There is no immediate access or reward for the type of work that you're doing. - Parv
• A lack of tangible reward at the end can sometimes make you feel as if your effort hasn't been worth it. - Parv
• As a PM, sometimes you are left alone until you're needed or until you need to specify a requirement or clarify a question that can feel lonely and can add up and eventually lead to burnout. - Parv
• It's always important to take a step back and realize if the problems you're asked to work on aligning with some of the issues you as an individual also want to address. And that sometimes can solve many other issues that stem from a stressful work environment. - Parv
• Burnout also is comorbid with depression. - Alex
• Sometimes you can go headlong into it, knowing you're probably going to burn out. But it might be worth it for whatever your goal is. - Alex
• With each win, there's a moment to celebrate, take a step back, relax, and focus on the downside of that time. - Parv
• Pandemic has led to encroachment into personal time. - Parv
• Always be aware of your mental state, whether you are on the brink of burnout, and things that might be signs of burnout.- Parv

Resources

Connect with Parv:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi

Connect with Alex:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245

Email: [email protected]

Send us Questions

Email: [email protected]