Children Teach Us How to Avoid Burnout

Children teach us how to avoid burnout.

Burnout and Children? Yes the two seem far apart, and for good reason. Children can teach us a lot about running-on-full when we feel like we're full time running-on-empty. They can teach us some valuable lessons on how to deal with stress, people, ourselves and a whole lot of other things.

Watch children and implement that special something they can teach you. Not only will your own leadership improve but you'll most certainly reduce stress and the chances of burnout. If you take your leadership seriously, book some time to learn from children. Be intentional about sitting and watching to learn.

And if they don't have kids at home, send your staff out to observe children and learn.

You Will Learn How to:

Relax
Trust others
Be curious
Get enough rest
Be enthusiastic
Take risks and try new things
Be yourself
Not have an image to manage
Be flexible and adapt to the circumstances
Care for those around you
Keep learning
Keep it simple
Adopt great big new thinking
Use your imagination
Share with others
Really enjoy laughter

Remember to incorporate these tips from kids into your own personal stress management toolbox.

Go to respected advisors
Notice interesting things
Return affection
Get over conflict real fast
Forgive
Work together
Organize a group task
See new possibilities
Change roles
Play to your strengths
Appreciate others who are different
Accept the rules but play hard within them
Take on assignments with enthusiasm
Be clear
Tackle new experiences expecting great things

What do they all have in common?

A great attitude.

If we're intent on avoiding burnout, then we must watch and learn from children.  There are solutions right in front of us, if we'll take the time to observe and meditate on what we see.

Observe children. Beat Burnout. Thrive.