Prevent Mid-Career Burnout

October 21, 2013

Ambitious and career driven, you have been that way as far back as you can remember. And what is wrong with that? Long hours and late nights have become routine. A 24/7 lifestyle has led you to success, but where else could you be heading?

What happens when you mentally and physically hit a wall?

And more importantly, if you haven’t hit that wall yet, how can you prevent inevitable burnout?

An alarming number of young professional women are burning out at work before they reach 30. They appear to “have it all”— great salaries, benefits, paid vacation, but behind closed doors exhaustion and high stress levels are stacking up. In statistic provided by McKinsey research, the corporate ladder reflects this.

Women hold 53% of corporate entry-level jobs.
That percentage drops drastically to 37% for mid-management roles.
Only 26% for vice presidents and senior managers.

Men are two times as likely as women to advance at each career transition stage. But why? Women are just as qualified, intelligent and hard working. The answer is personal wellbeing. Men are more likely to take time to do things that help their wellbeing in the workplace.

Men are 25% more likely to take breaks throughout the day for personal activities.
7% more likely to take a walk.
5% more likely to go out to lunch.
35% more likely to take breaks “just to relax.”

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. It is time to start treating it that way. (Yes, even when it comes to work.) There is an expectation when we start on a career path, that we have arrived and “made it”. Unfortunately, it is just the beginning. We start at the bottom of the ladder and are climbing rung by rung to the top. There are many twists along the way, which makes it impossible to predict where we will end up. That can be challenging to move forward at times, but with the right mindset in place you can be successful and prevent becoming one of the many who burnout before they even get a chance to shine.

First and foremost, find your passion. It is essential to fueling successful, long-term leadership and personal growth. You can’t fake passion. It is either there, or it is not. If you are still searching for it, it is never too late, so keep working toward discovering your purpose. Aside from passion, there are three essential personal leadership elements that have been found across the board in all different career paths that make a big difference in overall life satisfaction. They are known as the “Core Four: Essential Personal Elements of Leadership”.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities — Lifelong learners in many areas and disciplines. Continuing education can not only refuel your passion, but also give you a leg up on others in your field.

Physical Self – Physical health, wellness, & storing up energy reserves. Time set aside for yourself if essential to your wellbeing. All work and no play makes you a perfect candidate for mid career burnout.

Mental & Psychological Strength, Resilience – Leverage a combination of strategies and focused attention to hone the brain’s ability to respond to stress, crises and over stimulation.

Passion – Consistently pursue of efforts you are personally passionate about.

Examining your current work and life situation, where do you feel you are struggling? Do you need to learn a new skill set to enhance your experience? Are you in need of taking time for yourself? Knowing where you need to build strength and resilience is only the first step. The key is building strength in each of the four areas in balance, continually throughout your lifetime. Start with your biggest struggle and continue to grow from there.

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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv

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