Avoiding burnout
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
By Suzanne Roman
Productivity is undergoing a quiet revolution. For years we have been told that success meant working harder, being perfect and saying yes to everything. I followed that script and burned out more than once even when it was doing something I loved. Those experiences led me to join a growing group of people who argue that real performance comes from sustaining your energy, not just your time.
What makes success sustainable?
A sustainable career or business fits your personality, honors your limits and aligns with your values. Instead of sprinting from one deadline to the next, you build something you can live in without losing yourself. The World Health Organization notes that burnout is caused by chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed and is marked by exhaustion, cynicism and reduced efficacy. Sustainable success does the opposite: it leaves you energized, engaged and effective.
After my own burnouts, I realized that the usual advice about to do lists and waking up earlier wasn’t enough. Time management matters, but it won’t save you if your energy is depleted faster than you can replenish it.
The productivity myth that causes burnout
The myth at the heart of hustle culture is that if you plan well and work longer you can push through forever. In reality, energy, not time defines what and how much you can do, and it’s not an infinite resource. In a Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling book called The Power of Full Engagement, performance expert Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr introduced (at least to me) the theory of the four interconnected sources of energy — physical, emotional, mental and spiritual — and that full engagement requires drawing on all of them. Each source can be renewed through deliberate practices.
Productivity advice that focuses on only physical stamina and scheduling time, ignores emotional and mental depletion and that people get depleted by different things. For example, for some, especially introverts, emotional energy runs out first when a big chunk of the day is taken up by meetings, small talk and office gossip. For others interacting and socializing is energizing but they are easily burnt out by repetitive or difficult, mentally draining tasks.
A system that supports long term results
A more humane system treats energy like a renewable resource. Here are three principles I use in my work:
Know your leaks. Identify what drains you fastest: mental multitasking, physical activity, lack of purpose or constant interaction. Your answer tells you what needs to change.
Realign your work. If busywork leaves you drained, shift towards tasks with purpose, delegating and outsourcing the rest or move into a role that values your strengths. You could try to turn a hobby into a business or seek a department at work where your contribution matters. Protect your emotional energy by saying no to unnecessary meetings and setting clear boundaries with clients. It’s better to serve fewer clients well than to scatter your focus across dozens.
Schedule renewal, not just tasks. Taking short breaks every 90 minutes, reframing negative thoughts and reducing digital distractions are just some of the ways to restore physical, emotional and mental energy. Activities that give you meaning like volunteering for a cause you care about, creative hobbies like painting or simply walking in nature can all recharge your spiritual energy.
Redefining productivity means working in harmony with yourself. By rejecting the ideas that busyness equals worth, that pushing through is everything and instead embracing an energy centered approach, you will build a version of success you can sustain.
Connect With Suzanne
Comments