Burnout Banter

In an era characterized by relentless demands, ever-increasing workloads, and the perpetual pursuit of success, the toll on our mental well-being has never been more pronounced. It's a phenomenon that transcends industries, affecting professionals from all walks of life. Welcome to a world where the lines between work and life are completely blurred, one where burnout has become a disconcertingly common companion. In this months episode, we're diving into a topic that affects nearly all of us at some point in our lives: stress and its intimate relationship with burnout. Stress is a word we hear all too often, isn't it? Whether it's due to work pressures, personal challenges, or the demands of our modern, fast-paced lives, stress is a constant companion. But what does it have to do with burnout? Let's find out!

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected]

Workplace burnout is estimated to cost the U.S. economy more than $300 billion dollars a year. This is due to lost productivity, disengagement, and turnover, as well as lower organizational commitment and absenteeism. In previous episodes, we've talked about the fact that burnout is often the result of compounded workplace stress and things like unclear expectations, chaotic environments, poor communication, too much work and too little appreciation, micromanagement, and lack of support. In this episode, we look at burnout from a leadership and management perspective. How can we identify burnout symptoms in our colleagues and team members before they become a problem?

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

In 1974, psychologist Herbert Freudenberger became the first person to coin 'burnout' in a medical journal, after studying the lasting impacts of excessive stress and workplace demands on individuals, resulting in symptoms like depression and anxiety. For a long time, burnout was a blurry cultural concept that defied attempts to create a specific consensus definition that scientists could agree on. In fact, there have been hundreds of studies conducted on the subject in an attempt to define it. In May 2019, the World Health Organization defined it and stated that burnout should be considered a disease in the newest version of the International Classification of Diseases. They define burnout as a "syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed". They also point out that while it relates to work, it shouldn't be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life. According to the WHO, Burnout is caused by three factors:

• Feelings of Energy Depletion or Exhaustion

• Increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job;

• and reduced professional efficacy

Burnout has become a bigger problem than ever due to employees working more and feeling like they aren't being fairly compensated. It has a big impact on employee retention and also prevents professional success. If it sounds serious, it is. You might be asking yourself, am I burned out? or, What do I do if I am? Let's find out!

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

If you've ever struggled to say "no" - you aren't alone. Saying no can be challenging because of social and cultural conditioning that values compliance, agreeability, and a desire to please others. Fear of rejection, disapproval, or conflict can also play a role. Additionally, saying yes to requests can give a sense of validation or importance, while declining can feel like a loss of opportunity or control. It takes practice to overcome these obstacles and feel comfortable saying no - but it also helps to know the right way to say no.

In this episode, we're joined by Jen McGovern, CPSM. Jen is a senior regional marketing manager for VHB, a 1,800-person engineering, planning, environmental, and technology consulting firm. With a background as an editor, Jen fell into the A/E/C industry in 2012 and found a passion for proposals and infrastructure projects. A prolific author and presenter, Jen is a past president of SMPS Washington, DC, and was named the 2022 SMPS Chapter President of the Year. She also serves on SMPS's national Editorial Committee and Certification Committee. She achieved her Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) credential in 2015. Jen is going to help us all learn how to say one of the most difficult words - "no".

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

The construction industry is known for its demanding nature, with long work hours and high levels of stress. In the midst of tight deadlines, budget constraints, and client demands, it's easy for AEC professionals and those who support the industry to neglect their own well-being and prioritize work above all else. It's common knowledge that taking care of ourselves is essential for our well-being, but despite this awareness, many of us struggle to prioritize self-care in our daily lives.

Self-care isn't selfish, and in fact, it is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and achieving long-term success in any role you fill in the construction industry. It is a wise investment of time for AEC professionals. Taking care of ourselves can have a positive impact on us in these areas:

1. Health and Well-Being

2. Work-Life Balance

3. Increased Productivity

4. Leadership Skills

5. Long-Term Career Success

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

There's no single stressor that causes burnout. There are, of course, several commonly recognized causes of burnout. In the workplace, these include a lack of control, unclear job expectations, workplace dynamics, and chaotic activity.

Ultimately, many of these chronic stressors are initiated by, or end up damaging, our professional relationships. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics put undue stress on us and our colleagues, which often results in burnout.

In this episode, we are joined by special guest Andrew Pelloso. Andrew is an Environmental Consultant/Regulatory Specialist with 29 years of experience navigating complex permitting and regulatory challenges in both the public and private sectors, focusing on environmental requirements at the local, state, and federal levels. Together, we're going to explore these chaotic workplace dynamics. Specifically, we're going to look at how technical staff, or SMEs, and proposal professionals are often at odds, how they can better work together, and how other groups can emulate good habits for positive workplace dynamics.

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

Core values inform our thoughts, decisions, and actions and help us align our career or life path to what's important to us (yes, to us). They remind us - and others - who we truly are. In a 2022 Article, Sarah Kirstenson, an Author for the websites, Happier Human and Developing Good Habits, did a great job defining five reasons why personal core values are important:

1. They help us do an inner evaluation of ourselves.

2. They aid us in making decisions.

3. They keep us motivated in the face of adversity.

4. They help us set healthy boundaries for ourselves and those around us.

5. They give us inner peace that we are making the best decisions.

Without being aware of our core values, we have no direction, no plan, or purpose for what we do or how we operate. Knowing our core values can change how we live our life. They can help us show up as our authentic selves more often and help us enjoy a greater sense of purpose. By defining and acting on our values, we can be more deliberate in planning the path our career and life will follow.

In this episode, we talk about the connection between core values, how you can figure yours out, and how they can help us prevent getting to the point where we are burned out.

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

In researching the book, The Happiness Track in 2017, the authors found that 50% of people reported being burnt out. More importantly, they found that there is a significant correlation between feeling lonely and work exhaustion. The more exhausted we are, the lonelier we feel.

Loneliness and isolation can have serious effects on individuals, impacting both psychological and physical health. In fact, research by Sarah Pressman of UC Irvine shows that while drinking reduces longevity by 30%, and smoking reduces it by 50%, loneliness can actually reduce our longevity by an astonishing 70%. On the flip side of this, research from Carnegie Mellon University shows that strong social networks are associated with stronger immune systems and lower rates of anxiety and depression.

In this episode, we talk about the connection between burnout and isolation as well as the importance of building a community to both overcome and prevent burnout.

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].

In a 2009 blog post that by 2012 had been read by eight million people, Bronnie Ware, a palliative care specialist, identified the Top Five Regrets of people who were dying based on her experience with them at the end of their life. The top five regrets were:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

How do so many of us reach the end of our life filled with so much regret? The cause is much simpler than you might think - it is because we pursue success as defined by others. When we define success for ourselves, it becomes easier to focus on where we are going, what matters the most in our lives and align our decisions with the pursuit of our definition.

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [email protected].