You can dodge burn out - I promise
Burning yourself out is not a badge of honor and it takes much longer to recover and bounce back from it each time you find yourself here. Find 4 tips to tune into yourself and avoid burning out.
In a world where we are consistently being overloaded with information, it's really easy for us to feel overwhelmed more often than we'd like to admit. And top it off by working in an industry that is 24/7, where we have been taught that the other comes first. This is a recipe for burn out, over and over. And is results in shame. We ask ourselves, how did we allow this to happen again?
You are no alone! I have burnt myself out, over and over again. I kept telling myself "but I love what I do, so how can I be so exhausted and uninspired?" The answer is simple yet very layered. We have been trained that the guest and our team come first. That the curtain is up and everything that is personal, including our feelings, are to be left at the door. We are taught to create magical experiences for our guests, no matter what condition we are in that day. That is A LOT of pressure, non?
In order to avoid burn out, we have to admit we have been there, or you might be there right now. And you have to be willing to take little steps to get yourself back to a healthy and stable place first before you can set up a new structure for yourself. The hospitality industry would not be alive without our guests, so of course, we are in the business of creating experiences. That will never not be a fact. However, we can shift the narrative and create more space for ourselves to be human and take the path less traveled - avoiding burn out.
I'm sure you're asking yourself, but how do we do that?
I define hospitality as showing up for yourself first so you can show up for others. This means there is some exploration ahead of you, redefining work to be done and some honest conversations to be had. Are you curious?
I sure hope you are.
If you start to show up for yourself first and lead in that way, you will notice a shift in trust, confidence and fun within your entire team. No one wants to be led by someone who is cranky, tired and reactive -do they?
Again, no shame here, I've been there too!
Where to even start? I encourage you to:
first write out your daily routines and see where you can fit in some more time for the things that bring you joy throughout your day.
I also suggest you add in moment to nourish yourself - do you need to bring a water bottle and put it in a place that's visible to YOU as your reminder to hydrate?
Can you stash some snacks in a drawer that you can easily access when the hungry hits?
Can you step outside when you simply need a moment to yourself to reground and get out of the noisy dining room?
All these steps seems little but they have a big impact. You will be showing yourself that YOU DO INDEED COME FIRST and the best part, the guests won't notice, but your team will. When they see you taking care of you, they will be happy you are.
The last step you can take that won't take up much time is celebration. What is one thing that you are proud of every day? Write it down, share it with your team, share it with your friends.
Burn out is real, and it's extremely unhealthy. It has lasting effects on our entire system that can take years to stabilize, including your passion for your career. I want to help you not get to that place.
Now, let me be your cheerleader from afar - take one little step for YOU to pull yourself out of the path of burning out and feeling resentful for having gotten there.