Your client is overwhelmed by long work hours and high job demands. How can you help them overcome burnout?
Feeling overwhelmed by work is a common issue that leads to burnout, but there are practical steps to help your client regain balance. Here's what you can do:
What strategies have you found effective in managing burnout?
Your client is overwhelmed by long work hours and high job demands. How can you help them overcome burnout?
Feeling overwhelmed by work is a common issue that leads to burnout, but there are practical steps to help your client regain balance. Here's what you can do:
What strategies have you found effective in managing burnout?
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Burnout is a real challenge, especially when we push ourselves too hard for too long. When clients feel overwhelmed by long hours and high demands, I help them recognise burnout signs and emphasise setting boundaries. I encourage them to prioritise self-care and create clear separation between work and personal time. Many high achievers I work with struggle to unwind, so I teach them how to truly rest and focus on activities outside of work. We also explore ways to manage their workload by delegating tasks or breaking down big projects. I remind them that asking for help, whether from colleagues or by taking breaks is a step in preventing burnout and caring for themselves.
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To help your client overcome burnout, encourage them to assess and prioritize their tasks, focusing on what truly drives value. Recommend delegating or outsourcing non-essential work where possible. Suggest setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, with scheduled breaks and time off to recharge. Offer tools for better time management, like task batching or the Pomodoro technique, and help them identify areas where they can streamline processes. Encourage regular self-care practices and check in regularly to assess progress and adjust strategies.
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I recommend starting with reflection: identify tasks consuming the most time and evaluate ways to manage them. Breaking larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, delegating, or automating where possible can provide relief. If delegation or automation isn’t feasible, clients should create a detailed list of tasks with time estimates and discuss it with their manager to seek support and prioritize effectively. Clear communication about workload challenges can lead to collaborative solutions. If direct support isn’t forthcoming, escalating the issue to HR or senior management may be necessary. Additionally, I encourage clients to take regular breaks, prioritize self-care, and reflect on their well-being to maintain balance.
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Interestingly enough I was seeing this with so many of my clients that I developed a proprietary process to help them navigate the stress and burn out associated with being overworked. you start with aggressive prioritization, you carve out balance and down time. you take on a healthy living approach, you delegate where ever possible. You time journal track for 3 weeks. you renegotiate your work flow with your employer by aligning your goals to team goals to the organization's goals. You identify 3 greatest demands on our time 1) actions; 2) thoughts; and 3)conversations.
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Burnout can affect productivity and well-being, but small changes can make a big difference. Encourage your client to set clear boundaries, ensuring work doesn’t spill into personal time. Promote regular breaks to recharge and sustain focus. Help them identify tasks they can delegate to lighten their workload. You empower them to regain control and build resilience by taking these steps.
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My perspective may be unconventional, but I remind my clients that it’s just a job. Prioritize self-care—take that vacation, treat yourself, and don’t hesitate to use a sick day to recharge and enjoy a lighthearted giggle.
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To help your client overcome burnout, encourage them to prioritize self-care by setting boundaries, delegating tasks, and taking regular breaks. Recommend mindfulness practices, such as yoga or meditation, to manage stress, and guide them to reevaluate their workload and career goals for better balance.
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Burnout is something I’ve seen many clients struggle with, and one particular experience stands out. A client of mine was working 12-hour days, feeling drained and disconnected from their personal life. The first thing I did was help them prioritize. We listed out their tasks and realized half of them could either wait or be delegated. Next, we worked on boundaries. They started saying no to unnecessary meetings and set a firm "end of workday" time. Most importantly, we added self-care to their routine—a morning walk and 10 minutes of mindfulness before bed. The key was realizing that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish—it’s necessary for success. If you’re overwhelmed, start small. Little changes can make a big difference.
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I believe my client has a contract that clearly states the working hours, which I assume would be reasonable and within the law. I also believe the client has clear KPIs. So, I would begin by assessing his work ethic, general organisation skills and attitude. This is to check if he is the problem or if he, indeed, is being unfairly overloaded with more than he signed up for. After establishing this, then I would guide him accordingly. For instance, if he is not organised, then we have to start by working on prioritisation and effective and efficient execution. if it is an employer issue, like a breach of contract, we will discuss the way forward and agree that nothing is worth his health and sanity and that actions are needed.
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This is another easy one. Sit down and say "I can see you are frustrated to the max, tell me what is choking the life out of you about XXX project." He/she either is trying to do a two person job, is using software that is not user friendly, is depending on people underneath who don't have the responsibility but not the ability, or, frankly, this job is beyond their ability.
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