Burnout is caused by resentment

Marissa Mayer from Google spoke at the 92nd St. Y last night. One thing she touched on is employee burnout.

Her theory is that burnout is caused by resentment.

When people have to make sacrifices for work - like missing their child’s soccer game - they end up being resentful. She is proactive with her employees to make sure they don’t experience lots of resentment-causing activities. If being at Tuesday night dinner with friends is the one thing you need to keep you happy, you should be there every week.

My must-haves to prevent me burning out are:

• Exercising 2 - 3 times a week
• Eating well (fruits and veggies)
• 8 hours of sleep at least 4 nights a week
• Unplugging totally for at least a week a year

Next time you’re feeling frustrated with work, make sure to keep your resentment cup empty. It can only get so full before you burn out.