Cure The e-Burn

The annual Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Co. and LeanIn.Org shows that 42% of women feel more burned out in 2021 compared to 32% pre-pandemic. Here, three Female Disruptors who are blazing trails in the PR, health, and lifestyle industry share tips on combating burnout amid unprecedented times.

Female Disruptors is dedicated to all inspiring women who advocate for equality, freedom, and acceptance in their field; if you want to be a part of the movement, feel free to nominate yourself or a friend here!

Sedentary Burnout

Yearning for your cozy comforter and soft blanket while on Zoom… surely you could cut the tension with a knife. Bedroom and office. What were once separated by a 16-mile commute are now under the same roof, and most likely no more than 6-feet apart.

Work, social, and personal life are now meeting in the middle, having created one massive work-from-home bubble that’s not so easy to pop. This new lifestyle is a big enabler for lethargy, not only changing the way we work but also threatening our physical and mental health.

Public relations expert Lisa Buyer has always worked from a home office but notes that her ideal environment is a hybrid scenario. She suggests floating in-and-out of work mode to avoid sedentary burnout. Try carving out time for a quick yoga sesh, taking a walk in the neighborhood, or painting a canvas! After all, the human body is not designed to be slouched over a keyboard for 8+ hours a day.

Another secret ingredient for women to nurture their bodies and minds while working from home is Megan Nolan’s Yoga At My Desk. Applying warrior poses, breathing exercises, and stretches into your daily work routine will not only improve your health but also elevate your business.

“(Yoga At My Desk) is a program that’s specifically customized for entrepreneurs using the tools of yoga, meditation, and brain science to really become the version of you that your business needs you to be.” – Megan Nolan, Social PR Secrets Podcast episode 140

COVID-19 and Parental Support

Working remotely is a major contributor to stress and burnout, especially for women, as they are often expected to put family before work. Lisa says that as women, we are expected to work like we don’t have a family and have a family like we don’t work. But the burden of juggling the household, children, and work has only intensified during the pandemic.

Cordelia Henry, the founder of women empowerment group Pearlescence, offers 35 years’ worth of tips on how to balance work and family life in a productive and practical way.

• Stay Organized: Create a daily checklist.
• Manage Your Expectations: Determine a realistic input and output for the day.
• You are Enough: Leaving several boxes unchecked does not mean that you were unsuccessful and did not do enough for the day. Simply, place those items at the top of the priority list tomorrow.
  

According to TIME on burnout in the workplace 2021, one and three women has considered downshifting her career or leaving the workforce entirely compared to last year’s one in four. On the flip side, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, only 27% of men said that they would consider downshifting their careers.

“The burden of ‘being the glue’ is hindering (women’s) ability and freedom… Men are getting the majority of work freedom, including financial freedom to venture out to business events.” – Lisa Buyer

The Great Resignation

The Great Resignation, or the Big Quit: An informal name for the significantly trending number of workers leaving their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compromising happiness for a job that brings little to no joy is one of the #1 causes of burnout. Earlier this year, back when it wasn’t buzzing around the internet, Lisa hit the reset button on entrepreneurial burnout. And while she regularly meditated, practiced yoga, and ended her day with a casual glass of wine, one thing became very clear: these were all quick fixes to a problem much more challenging.

In Lisa’s previous burnout episode, she shares the #1 Digital Detox Secret: admit that you are part of the problem and be open to change. By the same token, the #1 way to avoid falling back or into burnout is to recognize its triggers, as most of them are inevitable.

And now that countless women are finding themselves burning out and quitting their jobs, it’s time to crack the burnout code! Here are some triggers to be aware of:

1. Lack of control. Feeling as if you are on a hamster wheel, never moving in the direction you’d like to.
   

2. Work overload. When one deadline ends, there’s another on the horizon. Satisfaction or feelings of accomplishment are rare or nonexistent.
   

3. Unfairness is often found in a family business environment. There may be one person who receives an unwarranted amount of attention or praise. In this type of scenario, you will always feel as if you are an outsider.
   

4. Conflict comes from all areas of life -- business, social, family.
   

5. Insufficient Reward or recognition no matter how hard you try, the number of hours worked, etc.
   

6. Breakdown of Community is losing your routine or social life; a change in stability or comfort.
   
   

Keep a lookout for next month's lineup of Empowering Women who get the chance to share their stories via https://www.femaledisruptors.com/.

Breaking NEWS: Female Disruptors is hosting a Virtual Summit in October. If you are interested in speaking, please click here. If you would like to nominate a friend, click here! Be the first to know about attending sign up here.