C-Suite executive burnout is one of the most pressing issues facing today’s leaders. Long hours, relentless performance pressure, and constant decision-making take their toll. If you’re a CEO, COO, or senior leader, learning to recognize and address burnout is critical — not only for your health but for your organization’s long-term success.

Causes of C-Suite Executive Burnout from Chief Executive Magazine

I came across an article on the topic of C-Suite Job Burnout in Chief Executive magazine recently that caught my eye and prompted me to think.

As most of you know by now, being a lifelong reader, I’m a curator and aggregator of stellar content. Moreover, topics of interest that I believe might fit my personal circumstance or those of my collective audience always pique my interest. Because as leaders, we’re all busy people, running from one challenge to the next. Be that as it may, who has the time to read anymore?

Chief Executive teamed with the Mayo Clinic to explore the overlooked and taboo topic of job stress leading to CEO burnout. I would encourage you to step back from the fray for a moment and explore this topic in further detail.

Specifically, ignoring the realities that running a business is a high stress occupation, and not properly dealing with that, places your health and well-being (and perhaps your life) at risk. Thought leadership and dispensing wisdom is part of my responsibility to my readers.

How to Recognize Early Warning Signs courtesy of the Mayo Clinic

Since I spent most of my professional career in Florida, I was blessed to have a Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Consequently, I made it part of my regimen and habit to get an annual executive physical. The information gleaned from these annual visits by design were intended to be preventative in nature. Further, you owe it to your family and your work family. Furthermore, if you’re anything like me, you don’t know what you don;;t know about your health. The testing surfaced areas of concern. No different from you, I’d rather know about those things ahead of time rather than get surprised. Further, my Board encouraged expected good health by “taking care of the engine.” Chiefly, by being preemptive and intentional about taking care of myself. Additionally, Duke and the Cleveland Clinic offer executive physicals.

C-Suite Job burnout is a type of stress Linked to Work

As the attached article points out, job burnout isn’t a medical diagnosis and thus, its root cause(s) remain elusive. In general, symptoms often include feeling worn out- both physically and emotionally. Moreover, some physicians believe that depression might be the cause as in “cause/effect.”

Ask Yourself These Questions About C-Suite Job Burnout

If you’re listless and feeling worn out the Mayo Clinic encourages you to be introspective. Ask yourself these questions:

• • Do you question the value of your work?

• • Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?

• • Do you feel removed from your work and the people you work with?

• • Have you lost patience with co-workers, customers or clients?

• • Do you lack the energy to do your job well?

• • Is it hard to focus on your job?

• • Do you feel little satisfaction from what you get done?

• • Do you feel let down by your job?

• • Do you doubt your skills and abilities?

• • Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to numb how you feel?

• • Have your sleep habits changed?

• • Do you have headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints with no known cause?

Lastly, if you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, please check in with your physician. Your life and well-being may depend on it.

If you or your leadership team are showing signs of burnout, it may be time to pause and re-calibrate. A seasoned executive coach can help restore clarity, balance, and focus — ensuring you lead with renewed energy and purpose.