I used my pitchfork yesterday. It’s a hefty tool, solid wood and stainless steel. We’re clearing an area to plant vegetables, and I used it to toss heavy chunks of clay sod over to the compost pile. And today I’m celebrating, big time. Because I’m not in pain. People who experience chronic pain or illness understand how acute pain can entrench deep pathways of fear in our brains.

Completing the stress cycle is one of the most important things we can do to prevent burnout. Your brain doesn’t know that the email from your boss isn’t a saber-toothed tiger, and that the unpleasant interaction with a co-worker doesn’t mean they’re trying to kill you.

I see clients needing balance. Rest. Recovery. And we work together to find ways that they can be impactful at work, while also preventing burnout. This is the shift that I think more workplaces should be paying attention to – if we’ve learned nothing else during the past four years, surely it’s that the old way of doing things is no longer viable.

The second no-cost leadership principle is Trust. When there’s trust, people feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best efforts. From my perspective, trust matters simply because we spend so much of our lives at work. It’s a long time to spend feeling uncertain and unsafe. This is a big topic, and for many folks it’s an unfortunate reality that trust does not seem possible.

The Arbutus Coast Young Leaders Accelerator Program is for new or aspiring leaders who want to create change in their workplaces and communities. Leaders are facing challenges like never before, and I passionately believe in supporting a younger generation as they grow into changemakers.

I’ve thought a lot about physiological needs: the basics at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Food, water, shelter, sleep. People working in social services are very familiar with how challenging it can be to meet those basic needs, particularly for folks experiencing homelessness without access to shelter, and people living in poverty.

I remember reading an article about different types of power in organizations, and feeling a deep discomfort as I realized the multiple types of power I held in the workplace. I didn't want to inadvertently cause harm through my lack of self-awareness about the layers of privilege and levels of influence I had.

On March 2, 2020, I started in a new role heading up a new team – I was thrilled for the opportunity, and ready to dive in. Two weeks later, as we wrapped up the day on Friday, March 13, I said to a co-worker, “You might want to forward your desk phone to your cell phone. I don’t think we’re coming back on Monday.”

Our society often glorifies individualism and self-reliance, and the idea of self-care has gained significant traction in recent years. From bubble baths to meditation apps, the focus on personal well-being has become a cornerstone of modern wellness culture.

Burnout is more than just a bad day at work; it's a prolonged response to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

It’s that time again – the season for goal setting and intentionality, whether it’s in your personal life or at work. Everyone is making lists and thinking about systems, and teams are gearing up for strategic planning to guide business objectives for the next fiscal year.

No internet. No cell service. No tv. No people. Sound like a dream, or your worst nightmare? I took myself on a solo 48-hour retreat, tucked away in a little cabin in the woods, perched on a cliff above the ocean.

Many years ago, in a universe far, far away, I had a bad performance review. I remember sitting down in the meeting room with a normal level of jitters, ready to talk about my accomplishments from the past year – and leaving 45 minutes later in tears, feeling betrayed, shocked, and deeply confused.