Professional Passion as a Path to Burnout

One of the biggest ways I ‘effed up my commitment to work?  Passion projects.
It's easy to get caught up in a fast-paced work environment where the desire to contribute, impress your colleagues/boss, support your team, or get involved in something meaningful can lead to over-commitment. While you may initially feel motivated and energized by committing heavily to new or exciting work, the reality is too much of a good thing at work can lead to stress, possible burnout and ultimately, impacts to your productivity. But when you’re passionate about a project or a particular aspect of your work (like I was), it's easy to get carried away and take on more than you can handle. 
 
I’ve worked in many amazing organizations, and had to learn for myself not to get caught up in all the things I could do that would make a meaningful difference. I’d often get so wrapped up in delivering on projects and commitments that supported my employees and our organization I’d end up ignoring my own needs.  I pushed my work week up to 80 hours, and then the consequences hit.  Exhaustion, physical symptoms (like muscle and back pain) coupled with an unhappy family at home would all pile on right at the point in time I needed to deliver on my big promises.  It’s not a recipe for success (professionally or personally).
 
Not everyone’s path to burnout is through a passion for the work they do.  Here are some other common ways you may get lured into over-committing yourself at work:

• Fear of missing out (FOMO):  You want to be involved in everything that's happening at work, and you don't want to miss out on any opportunities to showcase your skills, be more visible to your boss (or your boss’s boss) or prove your worth. This FOMO mentality can lead to over-commitment and taking on more than you can reasonably handle (or deliver).
  
  
• Over-expression of values:  You want to deliver to the highest quality standard, the most stringent level of detail or the most robust outcome you possibly can because it’s what you expect of yourself, or what you feel the work/organization/client deserve… but it’s way more than your boss asked you to do.  It’s a toxic mix that makes you feel over-worked and under-appreciated and can lead to burnout.
  
  
• A Desire for recognition and approval:  We all want to be recognized for our hard work and achievements, but sometimes that desire may mean you over-commit yourself in the hope of receiving praise and approval from others.  The desire for recognition can be a slippery slope, as taking on too much work can ultimately lead to missed deadlines, compromised quality and a decline in performance as well as your wellbeing.
  
  
• Scope creep:  Sometimes over-commitment happens without your express permission.  You say “Yes” to something, and then discover it’s a whole lot more commitment than you bargained for, but don’t know how to get out of it.  Or you took something on that was reasonable, only to have it grow out of control (because of outside factors, or because you are so good at what you do your organization wants more).  While it feels vulnerable to admit it’s too much or to just say no, getting your boss or organization to understand what’s needed for success can keep you from reaching critical capacity and failing unexpectedly (burning out along the way).
  
  
• Pressure from colleagues or superiors:  You may get pressure to work as much and as hard as everyone else, as a way of being accepted, or to feel like you belong.  You may also be asked to take on additional work from colleagues or your boss who struggle with their own workload. While it's important to fit in and be a team player, recognizing your own limitations and only taking on what you can responsibly complete means you’ll be available to help in the long run, rather than flaming out.
  
  
• To protect your staff: As a leader, wanting to protect employees can also contribute to over-commitment at work. It's natural to want to shield your team from stress and workload, but in doing so, you may end up taking on too much work yourself. This is especially true for managers or team leaders who feel responsible for ensuring that their employees are not overworked or overwhelmed. While it's important to protect your employees and ensure that they’re not overburdened, you also need to recognize the importance of your own work/life moderation (or you might not be there to protect them at all).

 
There’ll always be reasons to take on more commitments at work: These are never in short supply.  The hard part is remembering the cost of over-commitment.  Passion and enthusiasm are great qualities to have, but it's important to recognize your own limitations and not take on more than you can handle.

​To avoid burnout and maintain productivity, it's important to recognize your boundaries, scaling your work accordingly (and any associated expectations). By doing so, you can achieve your goals (and those of your organization) without sacrificing your health and well-being. This also means you’ll be able to achieve all the commitments you need to over your long and successful career.

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