That Millennial Burn
Let’s break up with hustle culture.
for good.
Spread the word…
2022 was the year of burnout. I’d been so close to massive burnout before but had always managed to shuffle my feet back from the cliff's edge - but not this time.
In the age of people glamourising the hustle and grind, there were a few emotions I experienced that I was not expecting. But I’ll get to those in a minute. First of all, let’s go back to where it all began…1990, the year I was born - no, not really, it actually started properly in 2020.
That’s a massive two years ago, so it made me wonder, what sort of exhaustive hangover had 2020 left on others? Are there more people my age burning out in a heap, and people just aren’t talking about it?
Have we all really got our shit together?
I work in the start-up world, and although I love the scrappy unorganised chaos that the industry brings, it does come with its downsides.
You are constantly ON; there’s little to no sense of stability or job security and living in an agile world means not only do you have to pivot your job role continuously, but that too includes your sense of identity, your value and your impact in an organisation and sometimes - your identity.
Being a mid-level career woman in a male-dominated industry is hard, but throw in a healthy dose of imposter syndrome, the idea that you always have to give 200% just to prove your worth and you’re on the fast path of a complete dumpster fire.
The pandemic absolutely sucked for everyone. I worked my arse off for a company that didn’t give me the same returns. There were constantly huge staff cuts. Even though we all agreed to cut our work week and our pay by 20%, we were all, in reality, working twice as much as before with 100x more stress. There were early mornings and late nights with work trickling into my dreams. I would often wake up with my laptop perched open next to me - ready and waiting for another day of grind.
Something had to give - little did I know it had to be me. So, that’s the breaking point, right?
Oh no. Let me tell you, I had a whole new way to crush myself into the ground.
I talked about my identity earlier - well, my work has much to do with what drives me. I love what I do, and I put my whole self into it. I started feeling unfulfilled in this constant stream of creative production. I knew how much I loved working and helping the community, so I needed to supplement my already full cup with more…
I took up two other not-for-profit board positions in close succession. My future self looking back in hindsight: “what the actual hell, you wonderful but stupid busy idiot”.
Ok, let’s preface this with, I learned a hell of a lot. What I wasn’t ready for was the reality of the workload on top of the stress of my 9 - 5.
But I’ve got a little extra cherry-on-top for this brewing storm; I started a new job. This leads me to my first lesson;
Lesson 1
Take a break between roles! I cannot stress this enough! You need that mental break. Often times we feel a great sense of guilt when we leave one role (hello, empaths), and it’s hard to adjust to a new role when we are still holding that weight.
Starting a new role is not easy, even when it’s on the most amazingly supportive and progressive team - it’s hard. Allow yourself the mental time to recoup and regroup.
So, I did not take a break, even though I was already burning the candle at both ends - because, for me, that was my modus operandi.
Lesson 2
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take time to recognise when you’re running on empty. DO NOT PUSH THROUGH because your body won’t thank you on the other side, and no one will applaud you for being a burnt-out husk.
My body let me know before my mind was willing to accept it. I was done. I got sick, really sick. My body couldn’t fight it off anymore. I was completely halted in my tracks, unable to even get myself out of bed in the mornings. Not even 3 cups of coffee could rouse my eyelids to stay open. Aside from the physical impact of my burnout, it also transferred to my ability to perform basic tasks. I struggled with making simple decisions - do I wear socks today? Too hard.
With that comes a feeling of powerlessness and a constant stream of doubt, and that’s not good for anyone. It feels as though you’re living in a foggy daze.
Lesson 3
Be transparent. Let your managers know how you are going. Shame was one of the most unexpected emotions that I had around admitting to myself that my body couldn’t support my burnout. I remember being incredibly nervous about booking a call with my HR manager at the time - as if I was in trouble!
Lesson 4
My final and perhaps the most important, is setting your boundaries. With a new year, defining that balance between what is possible and what is right should be your priority. What is your relationship with work? Where is the balance? What has to give, and what can stay?
Make balance an important part of your ongoing progression - in fact, make it part of your job description. Say goodbye to those “Hustle Culture” manifestations, it’s no longer time to set them as an expectation.
Reset, refocus and rewind. If taking a step back is what you need for your mental health, do it.
If you feel like you might be heading down the burn out path check in with your GP, speak to your managers or anyone you trust - there are so many tools and resources out there to help.
So what’s next? Well…
Hustle culture? I don’t know her.
But for now, I’m figuring out what that means for me.
If you want to know more about dealing with burnout, what it looks like and useful resources to help, take a look at The Burnout Project by previous Hive Speaker Dr Amy Imms.
