3 Things Successful Managers Do On Weekends to Avoid Burnout
As the manager and leader in your workplace, staying “caught up” on work can often feel like something of a pipe dream and unfortunately, leads to burnout. Because this is such a widely shared sentiment, we’ve unfortunately seen so many managers treat the weekend as a time to catch up or get ahead on work.
Yes, it’s important to ensure that you and your team are consistently meeting important deadlines, but blurring the lines between the work week and the weekend is actually somewhat detrimental to one’s return to the office on Monday morning. Research tells us that, in order to feel fully refreshed for the week ahead, managers should treat weekends as an opportunity to fully enjoy their free time and indulge a bit more than usual.
After all, nonstop work that carries into the weekend can leave managers feeling overworked and even burnt out over time. And if you know anything about the serious effects of burnout– which include increased anxiety and feelings of hopelessness– you’ll definitely want to approach weekends the way that countless successful managers already do.
Managing your time wisely to avoid burnout before it happens is integral for the success of all managers and workplace leaders
It wouldn’t be a Leadology blog post without some sage wisdom from Brené Brown. In her bestselling book, Dare to Lead, she discusses the simple weekend habits of thriving leaders, which largely center acts of self-compassion. Instead of constantly hustling to prove their worth, these workplace leaders actually spend the weekend modeling self-care for the rest of their team, and, therefore, replenishing their energy.
Yes, these efforts also mean staying out of your employees’ inboxes on the weekend! While it’s perfectly fine to take a bit of time to strategize and prepare for the week ahead, it’s crucial that managers aren’t making their teams feel obligated to stay on top of email over the weekend. Instead, they can opt to schedule their send time in order to match a return to inboxes on Monday morning.
Lastly, successful managers and leaders know that the weekends are about prioritizing what allows them to reenergize and reconnect in their free time. Whether this means spending time around friends and family, taking a weekend trip, or engaging in a hobby, leaders who are truly showing up for the teams when they need to are first carving out the time to do the things that replenish their own energy.
How to cultivate the skills required to become a successful manager, and avoid burnout for yourself and your team
Developing these healthy weekend habits isn’t something that happens overnight, especially if you’ve grown used to treating weekends as an opportunity to catch up. But, with the desire to change existing work patterns, as well as access to the right resources like Leadology’s Dare to Lead program or Activate: The Influential Communication Program for Managers.
Just like you, countless others managers are finding ways to develop self-awareness and practice empathy for their teams… even when they’re not on the clock. Will you join them? Contact us today to assess you and your team’s unique needs!
