Breaking the Cycle of Burnout and Disengagement: How to Reconnect and Thrive

Breaking the Cycle of Burnout and Disengagement: How to Reconnect and Thrive

Have you ever felt drained of all motivation and energy and struggled to find purpose in your work? If so, you’re not alone. Burnout and disengagement are two common issues affecting millions worldwide, causing decreased productivity, low morale, and poor mental health.

 

Identifying Burnout vs. Disengagement

While burnout and disengagement are often used interchangeably, they are different. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, while disengagement is a lack of motivation and commitment to work. Identifying the signs of burnout early on is crucial to avoid its negative consequences.

Some common signs of burnout include chronic fatigue, decreased productivity, and feelings of cynicism and detachment from work. On the other hand, disengagement is characterized by procrastination, reduced quality of work, and a lack of enthusiasm for tasks.

The good news is that you can overcome burnout and disengagement by reconnecting with your work and thriving.

 

Strategies for Overcoming Burnout and Staying Motivated

You can take some essential steps to prevent and overcome burnout. Here are some strategies that can help:

 

Hacks to Keep People Motivated and Free up Time for Priorities

  • Prioritize tasks: Determine what is most important to do now, soon, versus later. I love the app called “Things” to keep from getting overwhelmed.
  • Take breaks: A “time out” is not just for kids. There are benefits for adults to recharge and re-energize. This can include stretching, taking a walk, or engaging in any activity that you find relaxing.
  • Set boundaries: Learn to say no to requests that don’t align with your priorities or goals. This helps to avoid over-committing and related stress.
  • Delegate: If you have a team, give up some tasks to free up time for strategic initiatives.  And if a friend or family member offers help, say yes with gratitude too.
  • Create a routine: Establish one that fits your lifestyle, including work hours, breaks, and leisure time to create a sense of structure in the chaotic world we live in.

Productivity “Power-Ups” to Show up as Your Best Self Without Burnout

Productivity “power-ups” are habits and tools that help you work more efficiently and with less stress. Marcey Rader, a productivity expert, shares many great tips about “power-ups” on my DoingCXRight podcast episode 33. Ideas include:

  • Reduce distractions: Turn off notifications on your phone and computer, close unnecessary tabs, and use noise-canceling headphones to block out noise.
  • Time-block your schedule: Allocate sections on your calendar for specific tasks to increase focus and reduce multitasking.
  • Use a task manager: Some popular platforms are Todoist and Trello, which can help you organize your projects and meet deadlines without relying on your busy brain to remember.

Tactics to Amp up Energy, Conquer Calendars, and Emails with Focus

  • Take care of your physical health: Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep to boost your energy levels and reduce stress. These may be obvious yet often overlooked.
  • Use the “Two-Minute Rule”: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately instead of adding it to your to-do list.
  • Schedule email and social media time: Set specific times for checking messages to avoid distractions throughout the day.
  • Set calendar boundaries: Schedule your workday with start and end times, and avoid planning meetings during your most productive hours.

Get More Tips and Tricks To Reduce Burnout and Thrive

Listen to Stacy Sherman’s Doing CXRight Podcast with featured guest Marcey Rader.

Product Recommendation:

Empower Employees and Customer Service Agents With ThriveGlobal’s “Reset”

 

While attending 3 Tree Tech Customer Experience Executive roundtable, I learned about ThriveGlobal’s Reset solution presented by Richard Zee. If you are unfamiliar, I suggest you learn more about the popular product designed to help people quickly gain mental resilience, de-stress in real-time, and increase productivity. There are tons of use cases for contact centers, technicians working in dangerous environments, and more.

ThriveGlobal figured out how to link science and storytelling to help people pause and focus on their breath and what is most important in life. It’s integrated into popular conference platforms such as Zoom and Webex too. More details are on the company’s website.

 

Conclusion

Prioritizing your mental health and well-being is essential to avoid burnout and disengagement. By identifying the signs and taking steps to prevent burnout, such as using hacks to stay motivated, taking productivity power-ups, and amping up energy, you can stay on top of your game while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The same applies to your colleagues and work teams, where technology platforms like Thrive Reset can be a valuable resource. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be better equipped to show up as your best self for your customers, colleagues, boss, family, and friends, no matter what challenges come your way.

Maximizing Agent and Employee Engagement To Deliver Customer Excellence

Maximizing Agent and Employee Engagement To Deliver Customer Excellence

Doing CX Right podcast show on Spotify with host Stacy Sherman
DoingCXRight-Podcast-on-Amazon-with-host-Stacy-Sherman.
Doing Customer Experience (CX) Right Podcast - Hosted by Stacy Sherman
Doing CX Right podcast show on iHeart Radio with host Stacy Sherman

What does employee engagement really mean? How do you prevent a toxic work environment, and bad bosses from rising the ranks contributing to increased employee and customer service agent resignations?

Stacy Sherman interviews Robertson Stewart, a University teacher, and business author to provide actionable tactics to address major challenges that companies face today and for the foreseeable future.

You can AVOID high costs in terms of retention (the lack of), leading to excessive turnover, recruitment, and training expenses, and reduced productivity. By the end of the podcast, you’ll learn how to lead in optimal ways in which everyone wins: you as the manager, the employee/agent, and the customers too.

Get Updates About Doing CX Right

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Watch Stacy Sherman’s Interview on Youtube

About Robertson Stewart ~Maximizing Customer Service Agent and Employee Engagement To Deliver Customer Excellence

“My experience as an employee and manager has now stretched over a period of nearly 40 years, during which time I’ve had numerous opportunities to learn. Arriving in France in 1992 and not speaking a word of French I managed to work my way up from cleaner to General Manager of some of the biggest Luxury Hotels in Europe (three of those hotels with a thousand rooms or more).

​During the course of my career, I have led teams from a handful to several hundred. I now teach management to Masters and Bachelors’s students in both English and French at reputed management schools in Paris France. I also coach and mentor executives and managers on an individual basis. Last but certainly not least I also run a training company with my partner in Paris.

​I live in France between the west coast (Vendée) and Paris but tend to spend the majority of my time in the capital due to my various work obligations and activities. My greatest interest and passion is for people management and the way that this is evolving and what it is evolving towards.

I started writing in 2019 following a discussion (actually an argument!) that I had with various people regarding what was more important; the way that customers were treated in service industries or the way that employees were treated in those very same organizations. This discussion set me to thinking about the importance of companies taking a more employee-centric view towards the way they were running their business. In other words, being less « customer-centric » and being more involved with the way they were managing relationships with their employees. Over the last years, I have also taught a lot to my students about the importance of building internal value (for the employees) before external value for the customers (putting so to speak the « horse before the cart » and not behind it!).

​All of this is what led me to write my first book Employee Power which talks about why there is so much need today for a paradigm shift from customer to employee-centric management. In the book, I explain why it is that Employee Relationship Management (ERM) should always come before Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Not only that but I also explain in the book how to harness this power that I call employee power in order to create sustainable competitive advantage.

​My second book was released in November of 2020 and is called One to One – Managing quality time with individuals for engagement and success. My main ambition for the moment is to become a mainstream management writer and author.”

LinkedIn, Twitter,  Website

About Stacy Sherman: Founder of Doing CX Right®‬

An award-winning certified marketing and customer experience (CX) corporate executive, speaker, author, and podcaster, known for DoingCXRight®. She created a Heart & Science™ framework that accelerates customer loyalty, referrals, and revenue, fueled by engaged employees and customer service representatives. Stacy’s been in the trenches improving experiences as a brand differentiator for 20+ years, working at companies of all sizes and industries, like Liveops, Schindler elevator, Verizon, Martha Steward Craft, AT&T++.   Stacy is on a mission to help people DOING, not just TALKING about CX, so real human connections & happiness exist. Continue reading bio >here.

5 Reasons to Get Customer Experience Certification & University Recommendations

5 Reasons to Get Customer Experience Certification & University Recommendations

Delivering great customer experiences has become a top priority for many companies. Given the increased focus, employees and leaders with CX skills are in great demand. While on the job training and reading books provide great learnings, getting CX certified from a formal university program can accelerate your career. It did for me and that’s why I recommend you do the same.

The customer experience course I completed is now offered at several reputable schools including:

5 REASONS TO GET CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (CX) CERTIFICATION

  1. FLEXIBILIT& CONVENIENCE. You can take CX course online. There’s no deadline to finish and can begin the class right now.
  2. COURSE CONTENT. You’ll gain access to helpful tools and templates that you can bring back to your job to make an immediate impact.
  3. TEACHERS EXPERTISE. Classes are taught by CX leaders across different industries. They share meaningful and relevant examples that reinforce the coursework including developing personas and journey maps, CX measurements, building a CX culture, and more.
  4. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES: Connect with people who have instituted successful CX programs at their workplace.
  5. UNIVERSITY-BASED COURSE. The program is not a seminar or conference.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REDUCED TUITION COST

I’ve been able to get DoingCXRight®‬ readers a significant discount per my board position.

DISCOUNT APPLIES TO MORE CERTIFICATION COURSES:

Design Thinking

  • Navigating Through Disruption with New Strategic Models
  • New Models for Hiring, Retaining & Growing People for the Future
  • Fostering a Culture of Innovation
  • Sustaining Growth with Best Practices for Organizational Design & Governance

Going Virtual

  • The Future of Big Data Security
  • Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
  • The Blockchain Revolution
  • Data Analytics Platforms & Tools
  • Managing a Global Operation

Cybersecurity

  • What’s the Big Deal about Cybersecurity
  • Cybersecurity Insurance Strategy & Risk Alignment
  • Risk Quantification, Vulnerability & Compliance
  • Managing Through a Breach & difficult times

Besides A Discount, I Can Help You:

  • Elevate your personal brand and position you as a CX Leader on your resume, social media, etc.
  • Create an impressive capstone project that helps your career.
  • Apply CX methodologies i.e. Journey mapping at your company to gain a competitive edge.
  • Get introduced to experts and communities to expand your CX network.
  • And much more.
Doing Customer & Employee Experience Right In The Digital Age

Doing Customer & Employee Experience Right In The Digital Age

Doing CX Right podcast show on Spotify with host Stacy Sherman
DoingCXRight-Podcast-on-Amazon-with-host-Stacy-Sherman.
Doing Customer Experience (CX) Right Podcast - Hosted by Stacy Sherman
Doing CX Right podcast show on iHeart Radio with host Stacy Sherman

Get Updates About Doing CX Right

Follow On Social Media

Join eNewsletter

Watch Stacy Sherman’s Interview on Youtube

About Steven Van Belleghem:

Doing Customer Experience Right In The Digital Age

A global thought leader in the field of Customer Experience. His passion is spreading ideas about the future of customer experience. Steven believes in the combination of common sense, new technologies, an empathic human touch, playing the long-term game, and taking your social responsibility to win the hearts and business of customers over and over again. He is the author of multiple international bestselling books including ‘The Conversation Manager’, ‘When Digital Becomes Human’, ‘Customers the Day after Tomorrow’, ‘The Offer You Can’t Refuse’ and a technology thriller called Eternal.

Website Twitter: @stevenvbe. Instagram: @stevenvanbelleghem  Youtube 

About Stacy Sherman: Founder of Doing CX Right®‬

An award-winning certified marketing and customer experience (CX) corporate executive, speaker, author, and podcaster, known for DoingCXRight®. She created a Heart & Science™ framework that accelerates customer loyalty, referrals, and revenue, fueled by engaged employees and customer service representatives. Stacy’s been in the trenches improving experiences as a brand differentiator for 20+ years, working at companies of all sizes and industries, like Liveops, Schindler elevator, Verizon, Martha Steward Craft, AT&T++.   Stacy is on a mission to help people DOING, not just TALKING about CX, so real human connections & happiness exist. Continue reading bio >here.

10 Impactful Ways To Authentically Thank Employees

10 Impactful Ways To Authentically Thank Employees

It’s no secret that happy employees yield better business results. There’s a lot of research indicating customer satisfaction and loyalty rise when employees enjoy their jobs and workplace. They go hand-in-hand. As leadership expert Simon Sinek says, “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.

Research shows (work.com):

“69% of employees work harder when they feel appreciated.
79% feel motivated when recognized.”
“51% of workers are recognized once a quarter.” I’ve been in organizations where it’s more like once per year. 

I know that creating a great company culture does not happen automatically or overnight. It requires intentional design and ongoing focus. As Thanksgiving approaches (and beyond), take time to express gratitude. It’s in your control!   

 

10 Authentic Ways To Thank Employees:

  1. Send personalized thank-you notes. Recognize your staff for delighting customers.
  2. Do something that shows your team they matter. If you don’t know what that is, simply ask.
  3. Invite teams to an Executive meal (virtual works) based on results & positive customer feedback. 
  4. Publicize awesome work. Compliment individuals & teams on the company website.
  5. Enable people to recognize each other. Gamify experiences. Tie prizes to customer value.
  6. Send small gift or balloons to top performers & those with Y/Y improvements.
  7. Buy lunch for people resolving customer issues daily i.ecustomer service reps. survey team, etc. 
  8. Create a CEO video message thanking employees for creating customer promoters.
  9. Offer a bonus or day off to those who routinely demonstrate customer excellence.
  10. Feed employees and show up. I’ve seen Executives literally serve happiness at employee Thanksgiving lunch.

For more inspiration and actionable ideas, watch my interview with Ryan Estis. His true stories will touch the core of your heart as he beautifully portrays a Starbuck barista, Lily, who “pours happiness” every day.

You’ll appreciate my interview even more by watching I’ll never forget that cup of coffee. Play it at your workplace and discuss it as a team as you’ll get people engaged and motivated to show up as their best selves.

Doing CX Right Reminders:

  • Small acts of kindness go a long way. “People may forget what you said or did, but never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
  • Employees are your heroes. If they don’t feel important, your customers will feel it.
  • Don’t wait for formal end of year reviews. If you’re not appreciating employees throughout the year, your competitors will. They’re searching for great talent.
  • Don’t overthink it. Thank people everywhere i.e. meetings, LinkedIn “kudos” posts, etc.
  • Be empathetic and sincere. Employees know when managers are “checking a box.” 

Employee Satisfaction and DoingCXRight Source: Ashley Johnson

 

What do YOU do show appreciation in authentic and meaningful ways?  

Check out >Doing CX Right®‬ podcasts for more inspiration and actionable tips about Doing Customer & Employee Experiences Right.

Doing CX Right podcast show on Spotify with host Stacy Sherman
DoingCXRight-Podcast-on-Amazon-with-host-Stacy-Sherman.
Doing Customer Experience (CX) Right Podcast - Hosted by Stacy Sherman
Doing CX Right podcast show on iHeart Radio with host Stacy Sherman