How to Reduce Burnout and Skyrocket Team Productivity

Burnout is not just a personal problem. It is a leadership problem. When energy drops, creativity fades, conflicts rise, and your top performers start looking elsewhere. Most companies respond with “check the box” wellness perks such as a gym membership or a fruit bowl in the break room, but the data shows us that does not move the needle.

True wellness in the workplace is not about perks. It is a strategic leadership tool that, when done right, delivers 6x-10x ROI, fuels innovation, and helps you keep your best people. In my conversation with Sheri Traxler, we unpacked how leaders can build a culture where health is not only valued but modeled, and why that is the key to unlocking consistent high performance.

You can listen to full episode here:

Leading Yourself - Little Habits, Big Impact

If you are not living the habits you want your team to adopt, they will not stick. Your actions, not your memos, set the tone. You don’t have to be a triathlete or bodybuilder to shift the behaviors of others. (In fact, those might intimidate and backfire.)

Model high-impact, low-effort behaviors like:

• Standing during calls or meetings.

• Getting sunlight exposure mid-day.

• Drinking a glass of water before your first coffee.

• Taking a 10-minute walk after lunch.

• Bring a healthy lunch from home.

• Doing walking meetings, in-person or on calls, and encouraging others to do the same.

When you consistently live these habits, your team starts to follow. When your team does that, we call it a the “leadership canary.” A leading indicator that your influence is working.

Action Steps

1. Block personal wellness time on your calendar and protect it like your most important meeting.

2. Pick one habit to model daily for the next 30 days.

3. Be transparent about it and let your team see you doing it.

Lead Others – Meet Them Where They Are

Wellness programs work when they meet people where they are. Sheri uses the Stages of Change framework:

1. Pre-contemplation: Employees are not yet aware change is needed. Use passive education such as posters, short videos, and newsletter tips.

2. Contemplation: They are considering a change. Offer low-barrier events like lunch-and-learns.

3. Exploration: Provide resources to try such as walking groups, access to coaching, or BetterHelp subscriptions.

4. Action: Support them as they commit with scheduled breaks, standing desks, and group challenges.

5. Maintenance: Keep momentum through variety and recognition.

Start by assessing the needs of your organization. Determine which stage or stages most of your people are in and put your efforts there. You may find that your organization is spread across all five stages, which means creating a layered approach that reaches everyone.

Action Steps

1. Survey your team to learn what wellness means to them.

2. Identify the top two barriers preventing healthier habits.

3. Implement one quick win in the next 30 days such as a team walking break or breakroom food upgrade.

Becoming a No Limit Leader

Wellness is not an HR box to check. It is a leadership lever that fuels performance, strengthens culture, and keeps your best people thriving.

The leaders who treat it as a strategic advantage and live it themselves win twice: they get better results and a healthier, more engaged team to deliver them.

Challenge Limits. Develop Leaders. Fuel Greatness.
— Sean

PS: I help leaders unlock new levels of performance for themselves and teams. Ready to see what you’re truly capable of? Let’s Talk!

E-mail me directly at [email protected] with the subject line: I’m Ready!

Prefer the Podcast?

Catch the full conversation with Sheri Traxler here:
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