Imagine an organisation led by a leader who is constantly angry and tired – What does the picture look like to you? Leadership fatigue is real and can happen due to several factors. If a leader is feeling exhausted, the impact can be observed through the leader’s behaviour and words.
Leadership fatigue can be managed with proper support. Psychologists can conduct detailed assessments to identify chronic stress and its impact on leaders’ personal and professional lives. Stress management for leaders can also give the organisation a new direction towards better wellness!
What Is Leadership Fatigue and Why It’s Different from Burnout
Leadership fatigue can be described as feeling exhausted, especially due to leadership-related work such as problem-solving, decision fatigue and mental overload. On the other hand, burnout can involve physical, emotional and psychological exhaustion. It may not necessarily be due to mental activities. Burnout can occur due to extreme physical labour, also.
The Hidden Causes of Leadership Fatigue
There can be multiple causes of leadership fatigue. Some of the points have been discussed below:
1. A leader often has to make important decisions such as who should be hired, who can no longer be a part of the company, etc, and these can lead to decision fatigue.
2. The leader may also be playing multiple roles at once, such as juggling between the roles of accountant, HR and creative team. This can also contribute towards leadership burnout.
3. A leader may not get time for oneself, and the boundaries between personal and professional life can get blurred. This can also influence one’s mental health.
There is a lot of emotional load that leaders carry on their backs. Identifying the emotional and mental buildup in a timely manner can help achieve better mental health.
Common Signs of Leadership and Executive Burnout
If the signs of leadership burnout are identified timely one can seek support and take effective steps to prevent further executive burnout. Some common signs that one can be mindful of have been explained below.
Mental Exhaustion and Reduced Clarity
- Losing things, experiencing memory difficulties
- Overburdened with work and decreased productivity
- Excessive overthinking even for simple things
Irritability, Detachment, or Emotional Numbness
- Tantrums and conflicts at the workplace
- Lack of patience and being in a hurry always
- Avoiding interpersonal communication
Declining Decision Quality
- Lack of accountability after decision-making
- Poor ethical judgment in decisions
- Taking an extreme time for minor decisions also
Why Stress Management for Leaders Often Fails
Leaders are often so engaged in their work that their own health ends up taking a back seat. As a consequence, leaders often fail to recognise early signs of leadership fatigue. Further, even when stress management for leaders is being explored, they may not touch on the deeper concerns. The underlying concerns can remain wounded, thereby making it challenging for stress management to show positive results in the long term.
Mental Health Reset: What Leaders Actually Need
Mental health reset can allow the leaders to pause and take some time for their well-being. This can allow the leaders to reflect and explore the following aspects:
1. Their boundaries between personal and professional life
2.The multiple roles they have been juggling on their own
3. Space and time to process challenging emotions
Practical Stress Management Strategies for Leaders
Stress management for leaders should be customised as per their needs and goals. Some of the many stress management techniques have been described below.
Purpose: Actionable but realistic.
1. Taking small breaks in between work
2. Digital detox for better wellness
3. Ensuring sleep quality and duration are maintained
4. Learning to delegate work
5. Seeking consultation from a psychologist
Scheduled Mental Recovery Blocks
1. Scheduling a no-meeting zone in the day for reflection
2. Set time for a brief exercise or a walk in the park
3. Journaling to express oneself and keep reflecting
Mindful Leadership Without the Buzzwords
1. Improving awareness of ‘here and now’
2. Learning to respond instead of react
3. Trusting one’s strengths and past learnings
When Leaders Should Seek Professional Mental Health Support
A lot of people’s livelihoods can be dependent upon a leader. To ensure one’s own wellness as well as the organisation’s proper functioning, one should be open towards seeking mental health support when needed. Some times when mental health support can be useful include:
1. Experiencing decision fatigue frequently
2. Unable to draw boundaries in personal and professional life
3. Difficulty paying attention and concentrating at work
4. Increased conflicts and irritable mood
5. Feeling low, anxious and aggressive
6. Lack of motivation and decreased productivity
Creating Sustainable Leadership Without Mental Collapse
Growth in personal and professional life can often go hand-in-hand when a balanced approach is used. Mental health care and self-care should be normalised, along with working hard towards achieving one’s goals. Building a healthy support network and recognising signs of emotional distress promptly can contribute to building leadership!
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a luxurious rehab center that allows you to experience a mental health reset, then feel free to explore Athena Luxus! We offer personalised mental health support for executive burnout and many other concerns. Our team uses a holistic approach to support the clients. You can learn more about work by calling us at 9718921212 and it would be our privilege to assist you!
