Article Meetings / Events 2 min read

Daily Buzz: Reframe Your Work Approach to Minimize Burnout

Setting too high of expectations for yourself? Change your work mindset to keep burnout at bay. Also: the Golden Rule of annual meetings.

Jeff Hsin

September 16, 2019

Heads up: this content is over 5 years old, so some information may be out of date.

Grinding every day at work can help you reach the next level of your career, but a nonstop workflow will also pave a path straight to burnout.

To keep enthusiasm up and exhaustion low, professionals need to reframe how they approach their work, workplace coach Anne Sugar writes on Inc  (opens in a new tab). And often that process starts with evaluating your workflow biannually.

“Sometimes, it can be hard to figure out where it is you’re having difficulties in your work. That’s why it’s essential to evaluate every six months how you get work done,” she says. “Look at everything you do with beginner’s eyes.”

Another key to a new work mindset: Let go of perfectionism.

“For example, many highly successful leaders believe they can’t ever miss a deadline or ask for help,” Sugar explains. “However, leaders I’ve worked with have learned that if they ‘drop the ball’ once in a while, they won’t be fired.”

So, self-reflect on your expectations of yourself. Are they realistic? If not, try lowering your standards to a more attainable expectation of work. And when you do feel overwhelmed or need to push back on a deadline, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Switch Up Your Event Experience

What creates a memorable experience? Giving people something unexpected, things they’ve never seen before. https://t.co/h1XFjrby8N  (opens in a new tab) #meetingprofs  (opens in a new tab) #conferences  (opens in a new tab) #eventplanning  (opens in a new tab) #events  (opens in a new tab) #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab) #sponsorship  (opens in a new tab) #expochat  (opens in a new tab) #sponsor  (opens in a new tab) #exhibition  (opens in a new tab)

— Conference Care Package (@Confcarepackage) September 16, 2019  (opens in a new tab)

It’s the Golden Rule of annual meetings: To keep attendees coming back year after year, planners must provide new experiences.

“A copy and paste of the previous year isn’t going to win the hearts and minds of attendees or the exhibitors,” says Chris Preston on the Freeman blog  (opens in a new tab). “Instead, give your event a heart and soul rooted in the commitment you make to your own brand: to deliver sustainable growth for years to come. That dedication creates unforgettable experiences for attendees and exhibitors alike.”

When planning these experiences, Preston suggests getting to know your target audience with a focus on the future. What do they want and need from events now, and what will they want and need from meetings in the future?

“If you make customer experience the priority,” he says, “it has a major positive effect on your long-term growth.”