Ambre Naija, French
Chief Executive Officer, #Writolerance movement
“Not only I’ve heard about burnout, I’ve been through this experience last year. In my case, it started with difficulty in breathing, then panic attacks, feeling worried for no reason and not being able to calm down.
“A combination of other things also made it very difficult to manage - palpitations, cold sweats, and the feeling of being disconnected from mind and body.
I resigned from my job as it was the cause of the problem. I felt instantly better but was still completely off-track. Burnout deprives you of your self-confidence.
“After a couple of weeks, I went to Nepal on a 10-day Vipassana meditation and it really helped me put my life back on track.
“Please don’t stay alone if you are experiencing similar symptoms, contact your GP and seek help from a therapist.
“Now, the only time where I can really manage to have no pressure is when I am alone and allow myself to meditate.”
Wissam Al Shaikh Hassan
Palestinian-Lebanese, Owner of Al Dar Sweets, Abu Dhabi
“I don’t feel close to burning out and that’s because I enjoy plenty of activities outside of work such as doing stand up comedy, hosting my own podcast and going to the gym every day.
“As long as I experience growth on a personal level, I don’t feel stuck and I feel positive.
“My approach in life is to measure the effort I am putting in with the reward that I’m getting out of it. If my effort is more than the reward, then I drop it.
I believe in working hard but if all you do is exert your time and effort to make money, that’s when the problem starts. There needs to be a point for personal growth.
“I believe in working hard but if all you do is exert your time and effort to make money, that’s when the problem starts. There needs to be a point for personal growth.”
Bilal Khalil
Vice President, Lamar Holidays
“The best way to avoid a burnout is to understand what your role and purpose is at your job. If someone is working just thinking about their salary, that can lead to stress, whereas if you really understand the impact of your work to the company as well as to the public, your frame of mind will be more positive.
“That’s how I approach my work, I look at what value I am bringing; it gives me the motivation to do what I am doing without feeling overburdened.
“I work hard but in my opinion it’s not about the number of hours; it’s more down to working intelligently ... [without] consuming all your energy.
I also make sure to have a life outside of work and to look after myself which I feel is very important.
K.K. Ashraf
India, CEO, Creative Education Services
“It’s all about planning and organising your workload.
My motto isn’t work hard but rather work smart, and that is what I always tell my staff. It’s not about putting in so many hours, it’s really about completing tasks.
“I manage to keep myself stress-free and positive by having the mind set that says there is a solution for every problem. “There are always going to be challenges but in my experience, it’s all about remaining calm and finding the solution. This belief keeps me from being worried.”
