Identifying and overcoming burnout with Dr Becky Sage

This week Nic and Nat sit down with Dr Becky Sage (Director of Acceleration at EDUCATE and former CEO of Interactive Scientific) to share their personal experiences with identifying and overcoming burnout.

The symptoms of burnout can include energy depletion and exhaustion, increased negativity at work and reduced productivity. It's the result of exposure to prolonged and intense periods of stress and can go hand in hand with deeper mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Due to the very nature of their roles, entrepreneurs are particularly susceptible to burnout and often push themselves right to the limits of their mental wellbeing. Often they can struggle to detach their own identity from the business and suffer chronic stress as a result. When you feel that you are your business, you absorb everything that happens within that business - good or bad.

One particular step in the entrepreneurial journey that leaves individuals vulnerable to burnout is growing a team - while bringing in those first few employees can take pressure off your day-to-day workload, the process adds another layer of pressure and responsibility on to founders. Becky discusses this paradox and shares her tips for recruiting in a slower, steadier and more mindful way.

Becky and Nic talk about how they first identified that they were suffering from burnout and the steps they were forced to take to alleviate some of the pressure on them, and how recognising it was the first big step toward relief.

They talk about the steps they took to overcome burnout - realising as individuals they can't do everything themselves, and need to relax their grip on the reigns in order to truly do the best by their business. Making time for micro-breaks and finding more of a balance in the day-to-day has been vital for their recoveries.

In being forced to distinguish life at work and life outside of it, Becky has found great solace in gymnastics, yoga and gratitude journaling. She shares her vision for the new journey she has found herself on as a result of overcoming burnout.

If you are struggling with feelings of overwhelm, stress or burnout please see the NHS Working Well resources and reach out to a mental health professional.

Join the conversation on CookiesHQ Twitter. Head over to LinkedIn to find out more about Becky.

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