Why we need to talk about BURNOUT
Why we need to talk about BURNOUT
It's real, it's on the rise, and we have the power to do something about it
Hey Changemakers!
Let me begin by simply checking-in with our Agents of Change community and seeing where we all stand in terms of workplace burnout. Please respond to the question below:
Burnout is real, and it is on the rise
If you are feeling burnout, exhaustion, and overwork right now, you are not alone.
The issue of workplace burnout is certainly not new, especially within the fields of museums, arts & culture, and nonprofits in general. However, according to recent reports, burnout has reached an alarmingly high level in these job sectors and across the entire country.
Deloitte’s 2022 Burnout Survey found that 77% of professionals have experienced employee burnout at their current job. Also worth noting, they reported that about 66% of workers report skipping at least one meal a day because of overwork, and 25-30% of workers do not even feel comfortable taking vacation days.
The inaugural report by Museums Moving Forward (MMF) surveyed staff from more than 50 museums in the US, and they found that two-thirds of museum workers are thinking about leaving their jobs citing burnout as the major factor. And 76% of millennial workers say they are considering leaving the industry due to burnout, low pay, and a lack of opportunities for growth.
One of the reasons I think it is spiking right now, especially within museums and other nonprofits, is that we have learned to accept burnout and overwork as a permanent condition of the pandemic-era and post-pandemic workplace. The “doing more with less” survival mindset that so many organizations adopted during the period of pandemic closures, lockdowns, and budget cuts has become our new normal. Back in 2021, the American Alliance of Museums reported that half of museum workers reported an increase in their workload — and I think things have just gotten worse since then, with institutions reopening their doors, returning to high programming (sometimes higher than before the pandemic), and expecting more and more from a smaller team filled with new & recent hires.
Working with museum and nonprofit professionals through my consulting work and workshops, I am seeing this all happen, and it is so real. I’m regularly and consistently meeting people who feel utterly exhausted, understaffed, unhappy, and stuck in a cycle of overwork. I am meeting people who feel constant pressure from managers & leadership to do more, offer more programs, install more exhibitions, have more meetings, etc. I recently talked to someone who has slept overnight at their organization because of the demands of their job, and I’ve met so many people who work all week long and then go in all weekend (due to their programming schedules).
So it is definitely time for some real talk when it comes to burnout in the workplace (and in our lives).
How can we ever begin to address this burnout crisis?
Just this week, my partner Bryna and I wrapped up a 4-session Changemaker Institute that we facilitated for a specific organization in the northeast (similar to our other Institutes, like the Institute for Changemakers this Fall open for anyone to join). The issue of burnout was raised immediately during the first week, so we decided to rethink our sessions and insert an entire day devoted to addressing burnout.
Rather than take the typical approach of offering self care strategies — which ultimately only address the symptoms of burnout — we decided to dive into the small behaviors and habits that form the basis of our own work practice. These small habits, when multiplied across an entire team, form the foundation of a workplace culture. As author, healer, and organizer adrienne maree brown writes (and I quote this quite a bit in my work):
“What we practice at the small scale sets the pattern for the whole system.”
During our session focused on addressing burnout, we spent time unpacking our need for speed and simply talking about what it might feel like to slow down (see my post “Slow the F*ck Down”) We asked ourselves: What is the worst thing that will happen if I slowed down?
Then we discussed a set of strategies for interrupting a culture of burnout, including the powerful practices of prioritizing and making choices (things I have written about in my post “You Can’t Do Everything Everywhere All at Once”).
But the most effective exercise we introduced with this group was about learning to say “no” effectively. How many times have you said “yes” when you wish you could have said “no”? We explored a series of strategies designed to help everyone offer a more graceful, empowered “no” and develop a workplace culture that allows for “no” more often.
And upon wrapping up our final session with this team, so many people shared that they printed out our slides on “How to Say No Effectively” and posted them at their desk, using this to slowly bring these new habits and behaviors into their work practice.
After our experiences with this institution, we decided to focus an entire session of the Fall Institute for Changemakers on addressing burnout, sharing these strategies with the fall cohort. Because we can’t really make change happen in our organizations (and in our lives) when we are feeling burned out and exhausted. Burnout is a foundational issue we must address, first and foremost, before taking on other changes and challenges in our work.
Burnout is real and it is on the rise, but we have the power to do something about it.
Making radical change … one small step at a time
While it might feel like the only way we can possibly address the crisis of burnout is by implementing huge dramatic policy shifts across an entire organization or employment sector, I believe that the most meaningful shifts are going to happen at the micro level. We are in control of changing our own habits and work practices, which are the building blocks that come together to create a workplace culture.
If you are feeling burned out right now, check out the Fall Institute for Changemakers that starts October 18th.
Not only will we be directly addressing burnout through a series of strategies, the Institutes bring together an incredible group of changemakers and professionals who support each other at a time when we all need to find our people. These experiences provide invaluable time (outside of our daily grind) for us to reflect on our practice, ask ourselves some needed questions, gain energy and ideas from others, and leave with practical strategies that we can use right away.
Registration is open now for the Fall Institute. You can find all the details and a link to register here. Hope to see you as part of our fall cohort!
“If you are someone that is actively working towards change, the Institute for Changemakers is where you will find your people, your co-conspirators. Mike brilliantly balances theory with action and creating time for connection. This is one of the best experiences that I have participated in.” -Rebekah, Summer 2022 participant
“The care, thought, and intentionality that went into creating and facilitating the Insitute was so evident from the very first session! Thank you to Mike and Bryna for creating a space that allowed for such open discussions on change-making and relationship-building!” -Phil, Summer 2023 participant