5 Telltale signs that as a leader you’re burning out.

I’m guessing you know that feeling.

The racing heart, the blurry vision. The maddening sense that you may have forgotten something. Pushing yourself more and more. Trying to hit every goal, reach every target. Get all the things done. 

You tell yourself – this is leadership, this is being the boss. You feel the need to prove yourself, to show you’re capable, competent and can do it all. But inside you suspect, you’re on the path to burnout.

Here are five telltale signs to watch for (from a recovered workaholic and coach who supports A type leaders):

1/ You've Got No Patience With Your People 

This is a sure sign you are emotionally exhausted. It’s also one of the first niggly signs that something deeper is going on. 

I had a client mention this to me only last week – she said that one of her managers came to her about an issue she was struggling to resolve. “I could feel my eyes glaze over and my back stiffen, I just couldn’t take on anyone else’s problems that day, I had hit my empathy bandwidth. The manager stopped talking and looked at me and I could tell my blank face said it all. In that moment I knew I had let her down as she saw my complete lack of empathy and care.”

2/ You're Achieving but You It Doesn’t’ Feel Fun
When you begin to notice that kicking goals isn’t giving you any sense of achievement anymore and everything is starting to feel mechanical and ho hum, then you’ve lost connection. High-functioning leaders typically use work to fuel their needs and can often possess a higher than average capacity for volume and complexity of work, however the slippery slope for those heading for burnout is that it often hides behind productivity. I’m not burnt out I’m just busy you tell yourself until being busy starts feeling unsatisfying too. When you’ve lost the joy of crossing off items on the to do list it’s time for a check in on your purpose and big vision. 

3/ You Can’t Decide What to Cook or Eat
When even the tiniest decisions like what to eat for lunch or cook for dinner that night overwhelm you and make you want to run and hide in the procrastination corner it’s likely you have decision fatigue which is a sign you are experiencing cognitive overload. As a leader you require reserving brain power for high-leverage decisions so the early warning signs that the small ones are too hard is a sure telltale sign that you are heading for burnout. What can you delegate or pull back from? What decisions can you make earlier in the day so you aren’t left deciding when you’re decision quota is all used up in the afternoon?

4/ Your Calendar Has No White Space

If your calendar looks like a game of Tetris and there’s no breathing room between meetings, tasks, or commitments – you’re not leading, you’re reacting. Constant back-to-back appointments signal you're operating in survival mode rather than strategic mode.

Whilst speaking at the Psychosocial Safety Summit I shared that in a previous Director role my only “break” in a 10-hour day was the time it took to walk to the bathroom – and even then they were answering messages or having team members follow me to ask for advice on the way. That’s not sustainable leadership. That’s a recipe for burnout.

What you need is margin – not just for deep work and strategic thinking, but for nervous system regulation and decision recovery. White space in your calendar isn't laziness – it's good leadership hygiene.

5/ You're Thinking About Leaving In Whatever Way You Can

I’ve had another client say to me that they hoped they were in a car accident or some kind of serious illness put them out of action for a month or so. This is a serious sign of extreme exhaustion and tells you someone is crying out for help. The best course of action in this state is to get support, reduce everything on your to do plate by half, have honest conversations with your boss or workplace and seek professional advice.  

Choose one telltale sign from the five listed above.
Create one healthy boundary around it or find a way to delegate or drop something this week. Your health, your team (and your loved ones) will thank you for it!

Ask yourself:
– What’s in your calendar that doesn’t need you?
– Where are you saying yes out of habit, fear or guilt?
– When was the last time you had time to just think?

Without pause, there’s no power. And without space, burnout thrives.

You CAN lead at the higher levels without burning out. What I know for sure after my three year recovery journey and working with over 200 leaders through our 10 Degree Shift Program is that:

➙ The strongest leaders aren't those who ignore the signs and push past their limits.
➙ They are the ones who listen to their internal cues and take care of themselves first.

Q - What burnout warning sign resonates most with you?

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♻️ Repost to help your peers and fellow leaders address burnout before it undermines their potential.

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