Here's how you can spot and tackle burnout in your colleagues.

Look for changes in behavior, such as increased irritability, decreased productivity, or withdrawal from social interactions. Physical symptoms like fatigue and frequent illnesses can also be indicators. Approach colleagues with empathy and concern. Encourage them to share their experiences and feelings without judgment. Advocate for reasonable workloads and encourage regular breaks. Support flexible working hours and ensure they take time off when needed. Offer access to mental health resources, such as counseling services or stress management workshops. Create an environment where colleagues feel comfortable discussing burnout. Lead by example by prioritizing your own well-being.

Fostering an open and supportive culture is not only key to nurturing a high-performing environment, but also to avoiding burnout. You can achieve this by: - Leading by Example: Managers and leaders should openly discuss their own challenges and strategies for maintaining work-life balance. - Normalizing Help-Seeking: Regularly communicate that asking for help is a sign of strength and professional maturity, not weakness. - Implementing Regular Check-Ins: Schedule frequent one-on-one meetings to discuss workload, stress levels, and potential burnout symptoms. - Encouraging Peer Support: Foster a collaborative environment where team members feel comfortable supporting and covering for each other.

Taking regular breaks is key to feeling refreshed. Here are some strategies I use/come across: - If you're on calls where you're just sitting in front of a screen, consider taking the call while going for a walk. - Block time out in your diary to focus on tasks that require your full attention and turn off all notifications. - Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises. - Take short naps if it's culturally appropriate (this is very common in some Asian working cultures). - Promote the importance of taking lunch breaks away from the desk. - Incorporate group exercises as short breaks – at a previous company, the team used to have "plank breaks."

I was chewed out for reaching out to a POC over the weekend, it was embarrassing to be on the receiving end, but honestly, I understand, we were both supporting a very difficult ISP account. He was tired, needed a day to himself. I apologized, reached out to someone else and handled that escalation. The point is, if you're burned out, look for a backup, if you don't have a backup, and not in the right state of mind to support, keep your phone on silent. As much as I understand network outages, subscribers without broadband services are not real emergencies[but aren't they?! :D], there's also no need to burn bridges with your colleagues who are also in the thick of it. Like family, we had our moments but stood by each other for later cases.