Recently I was fortunate to be a guest on the SHRM COMPASS Podcast with Aly Sharp & Demetrius Norman. Compass’ focus is the emerging professional who may not be aware of how to recognize and combat burnout.

Given the fast-paced world we live in, Gen Z professionals may not yet realize that well-being is one of the most important aspects of career success?

Why?

Because without a focus on well-being they may experience undue pressure to excel in their career at an unreasonable rate. Thinking that working long hours and taking on a huge workload is the key to success actually has the opposite effect. After a short period of time, exhaustion will set in and then a bad attitude when career progression does not meet their expectations.

Emotionally, this leads to withdrawal, feelings of overwhelm, and even angry outbursts towards colleagues or loved ones.

According to the Mary Christie Institute 2023 Survey, 45% of Gen Z workers claim their work has taken a negative toll on their mental health in the previous twelve months.

We talked about several ways to help Gen Z workers succeed in their career without burning out.

Purpose

One key to well-being is to find a higher purpose in your work. Look at the company’s mission and values and connect your job to those values. This will intensity your job satisfaction and feeling of value for yourself and the organization.

Ask for Help

One thing I wish I had known in my early career is that it’s okay to ask for help. I can vividly remember talking to my mother and older brother and being warned never to ask for help. They advised that asking for help would make me appear as if I didn’t know how to do the work. I was brand new! How can a young professional know exactly how to succeed in a work environment they have never experienced?

A good manager is a coach, but what if your manager was recently promoted for technical skills and does not know how to coach you? Engaging a mentor is a smart way to ask for help. How do you figure out whom to ask? Build strong personal connections by attending employee resource group (ERG) meetings or Toastmasters or any other employee activity. If you do have any employee groups, volunteer to help. That is the fastest way to get to know people from around the company.

Furthermore, social connection is a key aspect of banishing burnout. Having a best friend at work whom you can commiserate with can significantly relieve stress and improve mood.

Boundaries

Another part of managing your career is setting boundaries. When you begin to feel overburdened, it is incumbent upon you to approach the manager with a request to review your priorities and set reasonable deadlines.

In reality, managers don’t want to burn out their teams. If they do, people leave and then there is a hole in the productivity. So setting healthy boundaries helps not only you, but the team.

Fun

Having fun seems so obvious but when we get so enmeshed in our work, we forget. Engage in activities during your free time. Music, comedy, theater and social gatherings can serve as a powerful antidote to burnout.

Developing well-being habits is crucial for career success. Take proactive steps to manage your career so as to maintain positive mental health and prevent burnout. Embracing these strategies enriches you professionally and personally.

SHRM MEMBERS receive .5 PDC for listening to the podcast.

And you can receive 3 PDC’s for reading my Banish Burnout Toolkit available here: https://www.JaniceLitvin.com/book.

To listen to the podcast, click here:

Here is the link to the complete podcast: https://career-compass.simplecast.com/episodes/thriving-beyond-burnout-with-janice-litvin?utm_source=all&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=communications~careercompass~021423