African businessman massaging his nose bridge, tired of long time work on laptop, copy space
Over the past several years, there’s been a constant spotlight on how companies can recognize the signs of burnout in their employees and address them accordingly. Despite the growing body of research on the prevalence and recognition of burnout, unfortunately, there appears to be very little improvement in reducing its presence in the workplace. A concerning 57% of workers reported having burnout-related symptoms, which included emotional exhaustion and a desire to quit, according to a 2023 APA Work In America Survey.
Although organizations must continue to be pressured to tackle policies and behaviors that contribute to burnout, it’s apparent that leaders in high-pressure roles will need to be equipped with the emotional skills to tackle this issue on an individual level.
In this context, high-pressure roles refer to positions where people are tasked with making decisions under tight timeline constraints while also consistently delivering high-quality work. When leaders are in high-pressure roles without resources in place to help them manage the stress, this can lead to mental health issues, physical health symptoms, and poor decision-making.
A new study from Lyra Health echoed this sentiment, finding that 27% of managers indicated that their mental health negatively impacted their jobs. It’s additionally important that individuals in these roles are adequately supported by their superiors, as data from this study also found that 40% of U.S. managers don’t feel confident in their ability to address their employees’ mental health needs.
“Having adequate mental health and emotional intelligence support is important for employee retention, engagement, and workplace culture,” says Dr. Jude Emokpare, an employee well-being consultant and founder of Corporate Wellness Solutions. “Without this type of training, I’ve seen too many career leaders give into stress and burnout.”
“High-pressure roles add to the stress that’s already a part of building a career, especially as a person of color,” Dr. Emokpare continues. “Having tools to address, manage, and continue to work in high-pressure workplaces builds a high-performance culture and creates strong leaders. Mental health support is a must-have, not maybe.”
For those in high-pressure leadership positions, the lack of workplace support to manage emotional demands, coupled with insufficient resources to address burnout's impact on mental health, demonstrates the need for accessible emotional skills to help mitigate these challenges. This is why it’s imperative that leaders in these scenarios are able to learn four emotional skills to help them avoid burnout when dealing with intense stress and work pressure.
These skills are rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, self-awareness, and mindfulness practices. They will help leaders refill their cups and learn how to set firm boundaries that prioritize their well-being.
1. Notice the “People-Pleasing” Urge
The “People-Pleasing” urge refers to the instinct you might have to say “yes!” to a request asked of you, especially when the request is coming from a person who you respect or who is in a position of authority.
The desire not to disappoint others or to appear overly helpful can often override the logical need to check your calendar or capacity to make sure that you have bandwidth before prematurely committing. By noticing the “people-pleasing” urge first, you give yourself the opportunity to check your intentions and control your impulses. This will allow you to make thoughtful decisions that prioritize your well-being and will prevent burnout in the long run.
2. Identify the Costs
Recognizing the hidden costs behind saying “yes” or ‘no” will support you in prioritizing your well-being in positions where you’re expected to make critical decisions in a short span of time.
“Identifying the costs (either way) is one of the best ways for leaders to reduce stress and burnout in high-pressure roles. By genuinely thinking through the time, energy, and bandwidth requirements of saying either yes or no, you’ll identify the true cost associated with the decision you’re thinking about making. Your time and energy matter; treat them as such,” says Chi Odogwu, Host of The Bulletproof Entrepreneur podcast and Founder of Smooth Operator AI consultancy.
3. Plan Your Nos
Prepare a list of go-to phrases that you can have available in your back pocket for the most commonly asked questions that you tend to feel pressured to say yes to at the moment. This is especially helpful if you struggle with over-committing and then regretting it later.
Having phrases like “I can’t commit to that at this moment, but I’ll let you know if anything changes,” or “I’ll double-check my calendar and let you know if I can make that work” as potential responses gives you the opportunity to set boundaries firmly.
4. Challenge All-Or-Nothing Thinking
All-or-nothing thinking patterns are rigid, inflexible beliefs that we hold about ourselves, our life experiences, or the world around us. These beliefs cause people to view situations as either black or white and leave no room for nuance. A leader in a demanding, high-pressure role may be more susceptible to this type of thought pattern because they often feel like they can’t afford to make mistakes.
“All-or-nothing thoughts can put you in a no-win situation in your career and add to your stress tremendously,” says corporate leadership consultant Lori A. McNeil. “You have options, and you need to know that. Don’t fall into the belief and pressure to think of decisions as all or nothing. Weigh your options and make the best decision for your mental health.”
Having a high-pressure role doesn’t mean that you have to allow the role to pressure you. It’s possible to have a demanding job but be equipped with the skills and tools you need to prevent burnout.
If you start to notice yourself feeling overwhelmed and exhausted from the challenges you face in your role, that’s a sign to be proactive and choose an emotional skill from this list to put into practice right away. This will help you take back control of your well-being before burnout sets in.
