Ready to conquer work burnout? Try this proven strategy

There’s no doubt that life demands a lot from us these days. Whether it’s our family, finances, relationships, or finances — never mind the greatest workplace and business disruption we’ve seen in generations — work can feel like another burden to bear.

With more people feeling “burned out,” new terms have been created to describe its impact. “Quiet quitting” has crept into remote and in-person offices alike. And now, “loud quitting” is on the rise, where employees actively engage in activities that undermine leadership and purposefully harm the business.

Even if you’re not personally burned out at work, burnout may affect you indirectly through your colleagues or loved ones. Maybe you’re worried about its impact on your employees and organization. Or perhaps you want to support a friend or loved one who’s burned out at work.

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. According to a global survey, 40% of the global workforce feels burned out at work. That’s 1.3 billion people! In the US alone, stress and burnout result in a corporate loss of $300 billion every year.

The REAL Cause of Burnout

When we feel burnout, the natural impulse is to escape. To hide, to withdraw, to retreat. We think conserving our limited reserves of energy will protect us from the crushing weight of overwhelm. Logically, our minds conclude that if we could just do less, lighten our load, and find more “balance,” our lives would be free from burn out. By managing our depleted energy reserves, we hope to catch up “someday” in the future.

But this approach only leaves us feeling emptier, because we fail to bring our whole selves to the table. We’re allowing for a hollowed, half version of ourselves to go live our life and miss out on a life of meaning.

The truth is burnout is a symptom, not the cause of suffering. It’s a symptom of not aligning with our true purpose in life: to make an impact. To contribute to the greater good. To make a difference in the lives of others. To tap into our innate skills and passion to make the world a better place. To give more, serve more, and become more. When we punch the clock and grind away the day, we deny ourselves a life of meaning and connection that draws us to a higher purpose – and this drains us.

You Get What You Tolerate

Tony reminds us we all get what we tolerate in life: what we tolerate in ourselves and what we tolerate in others. When you’re no longer willing to tolerate burnout, THAT is when life changes. When you face challenges like burnout with the core belief that problems are just obstacles, you can take massive action and travel the journey toward an extraordinary life.

The meaning you bring to stress and burnout also matters and can determine whether or not you feel burned out. Is someone disrespecting you, or challenging you? Is this a burden, or an opportunity to become more?

Scientific research shows that people who view stress as useful or energizing have less physical health issues than those with a disempowering view of stress. Further research shows stress tolerance is strongly associated with several measures of happiness, well-being and fulfillment. Ultimately, assigning a new meaning to burnout can transform how you respond to it – and get beyond it.

Meaning = Emotion = Life

Meaning equals emotion and emotion equals life. The meaning you give your experiences will always change how you feel — and the emotion you feel will always become the quality of your life.

You might be asking, what if my work or business doesn’t feel purposeful or meaningful?

If your current career doesn’t ignite a profound sense of purpose within you, it’s even more important to infuse meaning into it. How can you BRING meaning? Where can you FIND it? Where can you DECIDE to show up with your whole self? How can you ALIGN your work with what matters most to you?

Consciously decide to show up with unwavering dedication and actively engage instead of disconnecting. And if your current work or job isn’t right for you, then use your time there to become much more valuable for wherever life takes you next.

Action Steps for Optimizing Fulfillment in Your Work Life

How do we overcome burnout at work? Simple: lean IN to the challenge and find your WHY. A compelling future that excites you will provide more than enough energy to push through the challenges, even when you’re tired.

And don’t shy away from deeper connections when you start to feel burned out at work. Think about how your daily outcomes serve a greater purpose for another human being.

Maybe that’s showing colleagues, by your own example, that work is a place to grow and thrive, not just a place to clock in and take home a paycheck. Maybe it’s learning more about your company’s customers and why they value the products or services being offered.

Or perhaps it’s incorporating contribution into your company culture. Making money is nice, but nothing speaks to our hearts more than seeing the joy on another human’s face after giving them what they truly needed.

Everyone’s work situation is unique, so ask yourself this: How can I connect on a deeper level? How can I have a greater impact on the lives of others? How can I find meaning in my daily work?

Find Your Why at Unleash the Power Within

If you’re ready to dive deeper into discovering your WHY, Tony Robbins’ four-day immersive seminar, Unleash the Power Within (UPW) is the perfect opportunity. At UPW, you’ll discover how to unlock and align your daily actions with your true purpose, annihilate limitations that may have stopped you in the past, and step into your truest self.

Marc Benioff — CEO and co-founder of the Salesforce software company — has attended UPW and has this to say about Tony’s events:

“Tony Robbins and his strategies and tools, have been at the core of our culture from the beginning. He has been one of the critical keys to Salesforce.com’s leadership in cloud computing and its growth into an over 26.5 billion dollar company.” – Marc Benioff

This isn’t just a pump up; it’s results, backed by science. The Snyder Lab of Genetics at Stanford University conducted studies on Tony Robbins’ events with remarkable results.

Study participants experienced a +50% increase in positive emotions including life satisfaction, inner strength and well-being 30 days after attending an event. At the same time, participants reported a -70% decrease in negative emotions like loneliness, sadness, anger, stress and anxiety.

In addition, they reported feeling happier and more satisfied in their relationships. What’s more, these results held up even one month later. Participants also saw a 38% decrease in anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, even 11 months later, while the baseline showed a 28% increase in anxiety.

When it comes to performance, these studies showed a 139% Increase in testosterone to cortisol ratio – known as an index of “readiness to perform” and is reflective of a signature biochemical marker of achievement.

These results show that the skills participants master at Unleash the Power Within help them navigate even the toughest, most challenging times in their lives with greater emotional fitness and resiliency.

So, are you ready to overcome work burnout and awaken a purpose that speaks to your heart and true passions? With Unleash the Power Within, you’ll ignite these changes and more, empowering you to unlock your full potential and create the life you’ve always wanted.