Burnout can progress from (initially) a really positive place! You're excited, enthusiastic, want to demonstrate your worth, take on new projects... and then more projects, but it's ok, you can still handle it. Things are getting stressful, but it's ok, it's ok.

Before each coaching session with a client, I have a ritual. This practice helps centre and ground me – ensuring that I’m bringing my best to every conversation. First up – water. My brain doesn’t function if I’m dehydrated, and I need to track the conversation, watch for nonverbal cues, listen for the deeper meaning behind what a client is saying, and connect back to patterns from past sessions and broader future goals.

What does it feel like to have boundaries? In my case, for a long time, it felt stressful, a sick anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, clammy hands, shortened breath and a tight throat, hands shaking from adrenaline. Establishing boundaries with friends and family, in my personal life, at work, or out in the world – oof.

As someone with a million ideas and projects on the go, I'm regularly risking decision fatigue. I'm always interested to hear how other folks prioritize their work and focus on what's most important to them. The Spheres of Influence model can help act as a filter for overwhelm.

A propeller blade in my back was the only sign I needed. When I was 18, I worked at a marina for one day – after slipping off the back of a boat and slamming into a propeller blade, I decided it wasn’t for me. From the time I first started working as a babysitter at age 12 and throughout my 20s, I used to regularly quit jobs.

We often share stories and appreciation when people leave – whether it’s at a memorial, or someone moves on from a workplace, or at a retirement party. These milestone life events are an important part of being in community with one another. But there are those other day-to-day moments too.

I couldn’t breathe. I was inhaling air, but it felt thin and deprived of oxygen, like I was climbing Everest instead of sitting in traffic. I knew it was “just” a panic attack. I’d been having them over and over that spring, and they continued through the summer. Or at least – I was almost sure it was a panic attack. Could it be a heart attack, or stroke, or brain tumour?

Integrating rest throughout the day ensures we stay balanced and healthy. It’s particularly important to do something at the end of the day that signals to your nervous system that you’re safe from the stressors of the day, and that it’s ok to relax into a deep, restorative sleep.

Of all the lessons my dad gave me, his final one was the biggest: life is just too short to not pursue your dreams. For all of you out there who are supporting or providing care for a loved one with Parkinson’s, or grieving a loss, or suffering from Parkinson’s yourself, I see you. It’s a nasty brutal disease, and I hope someday there’s a cure. Hold yourself tender and allow yourself grace.

The third no-cost leadership principle is Growth. Investing in growth and development is crucial for success at the individual and organizational level. However, fostering growth without breaking the bank necessitates a strategic approach.

I used my pitchfork yesterday. It’s a hefty tool, solid wood and stainless steel. We’re clearing an area to plant vegetables, and I used it to toss heavy chunks of clay sod over to the compost pile. And today I’m celebrating, big time. Because I’m not in pain. People who experience chronic pain or illness understand how acute pain can entrench deep pathways of fear in our brains.

Completing the stress cycle is one of the most important things we can do to prevent burnout. Your brain doesn’t know that the email from your boss isn’t a saber-toothed tiger, and that the unpleasant interaction with a co-worker doesn’t mean they’re trying to kill you.

I see clients needing balance. Rest. Recovery. And we work together to find ways that they can be impactful at work, while also preventing burnout. This is the shift that I think more workplaces should be paying attention to – if we’ve learned nothing else during the past four years, surely it’s that the old way of doing things is no longer viable.

The second no-cost leadership principle is Trust. When there’s trust, people feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best efforts. From my perspective, trust matters simply because we spend so much of our lives at work. It’s a long time to spend feeling uncertain and unsafe. This is a big topic, and for many folks it’s an unfortunate reality that trust does not seem possible.

The Arbutus Coast Young Leaders Accelerator Program is for new or aspiring leaders who want to create change in their workplaces and communities. Leaders are facing challenges like never before, and I passionately believe in supporting a younger generation as they grow into changemakers.

I’ve thought a lot about physiological needs: the basics at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Food, water, shelter, sleep. People working in social services are very familiar with how challenging it can be to meet those basic needs, particularly for folks experiencing homelessness without access to shelter, and people living in poverty.

When I first read about the different types of power in organizations, I felt a deep discomfort as I realized the multiple types of power I held. I didn't want to inadvertently cause harm through lack of self-awareness about my layers of privilege and levels of influence.

On March 2, 2020, I started in a new role heading up a new team – I was thrilled for the opportunity, and ready to dive in. Two weeks later, as we wrapped up the day on Friday, March 13, I said to a co-worker, “You might want to forward your desk phone to your cell phone. I don’t think we’re coming back on Monday.”

Our society often glorifies individualism and self-reliance, and the idea of self-care has gained significant traction in recent years. From bubble baths to meditation apps, the focus on personal well-being has become a cornerstone of modern wellness culture.

Burnout is more than just a bad day at work; it's a prolonged response to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.