BURNOUT CAN BE MANAGED both personally and professionally — in the home and in the workplace . Individuals can manage burnout by strategies like progressive muscle relaxation , guided imagery , diaphragmatic breathing , meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction . It can also be managed by the type of foods you eat , the amount of sleep you get , vigorous experience and managing substance use .

It ’ s also important to understand your social needs : Are you an introvert or an extrovert ? Find your friends and be aware of isolation and loneliness . Recognize your spiritual and psychological needs : Find time to do partake in quiet reflection or religious / spiritual practice , spend time outdoors , practice gratitude , be of service to others and give time or resources to something you care about .

Organizational strategies are important to managers to ensure their organization is not on the path to burnout . It ’ s imperative to gather feedback to understand what ’ s working , what ’ s not working and what motivates or drains your teams . l Workload : Manage your team ’ s workload with a longterm strategy in mind . Overworking your team leads to burnout , higher turnover , lower engagement , lower discretionary effort . You want to build in time for teams to recover after high demand times . Train your managers to spot the signs of burnout in their teams before it takes hold .

l

Autonomy : Implement practices that empower employees with choice and flexibility in their day-to-day work . Involve employees in decision-making processes and beware of micro-managing . l Uncertainty : In the absence of complete information ,

l

l provide as much information and transparency as possible . Clearly designate where employees can find up-to-date information . You want to communicate frequently through multiple channels and give clear , consistent messages . Recognition : Match recognition practices with employee preferences . There are four types of recognition :

1 Public acknowledgment and appreciation

2 Private praise

3 Monetary reward , including raises and bonuses

4 Career advancement , including promotions and

5 higher-visibility project assignments Workplace Culture : Build a strong community with inclusive , equitable practices and policies . As a manager , you want to build trust through fairness and transparency and identify and model your values . n

EDITOR ’ S NOTE : Alexandra Harper , director of education at ISPA , sat in on Jane Cho ’ s presentation and chose the above highlight to share .

32 PULSE n JULY 2023