Understanding Burnout At Work Conferences: Managing Mental Health Impacts

Burnout is a common issue in the workplace today, as many employees are faced with increasing expectations, stressors, and demands. Work conferences in particular, which can be opportunities to network and learn, may also become sources of significant stress and exhaustion. Conference attendees may find themselves juggling jam-packed schedules, enduring information overload, or rushing to attend sessions that open on a first-come, first-served basis, often while being away from home and outside their normal routines.

Understanding the mental health impacts of burnout at work conferences can be important for attendees, company leadership, and conference organizers. By setting effective goals and developing a cohesive plan, individuals may help ensure that work-based conferences can become more transformative and energizing events for them. Organizers also have a role to play in designing events with reasonable schedules. Here, we’ll examine the causes and impacts of work-conference burnout as well as approaches that individuals and organizers can use to try and prevent burnout and reduce stress.      

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What causes burnout at work conferences? 

Burnout at work in general refers to times when an employee feels overly stressed at their job. These feelings often develop over time and can cause a person to check out, feel anxious, or experience other effects. In some cases, burnout may lead to quiet quitting—which is when a person completes the minimum requirements of their job without putting in extra effort—or even to actual quitting. 

In the context of work conferences, burnout can occur due to information overload, over-scheduling, and network fatigue. Conference organizers often attempt to pack as much information into a conference or session as they can, leaving little room for processing. Sessions are also typically run back-to-back, leaving participants without time to relax or interact with their team to debrief. All of this—combined with travel and continuous networking and social interaction—may cause burnout. 

Mental health impacts of conference burnout

Although attending a conference can help employees connect with others and learn new information related to their job or organization, conference-related burnout can be detrimental. It can cause mental health impacts that may immediately affect a person cognitively and emotionally, and it may also reduce overall success and engagement at work over the longer term. 

Cognitive impacts of burnout at work conferences

Burnout may cause cognitive impacts like difficulty retaining information, mental fog, and trouble concentrating. ​​The large volume of information often presented at conferences in rapid succession can lead to a sense of overwhelm and difficulty processing and retaining key insights. Attendees may then struggle to problem-solve, think creatively, or interact socially.

Emotional and psychological stress

Anxiety and depression can also be linked to burnout. Individuals may feel anxious about not getting to every session or experiencing challenges in networking or making connections. This anxiety and increase in stress levels may cause a person to interpret that they’re not good at their job, or it may make the work seem overwhelming. As a result, they might experience the perception of imposter syndrome, which is when a person believes that they don’t perform well enough to be at their level or are not contributing enough. Increased stress may also lead to irritability or isolation for those who find networking or large crowds emotionally taxing. Over time, this type of persistent stress could contribute to a greater risk of depression.

Public health impacts of burnout

The impacts of employee burnout are not limited to a specific job or sector. Instead, they’re fairly widespread, making symptoms of burnout a significant public health concern in addition to impacting the daily lives of the individuals experiencing it. 

Large-scale public health effects

As more and more people experience burnout at work, it increasingly becomes a public health challenge. Chronic burnout has been linked to increased risk of physical and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal issues. An increase in burnout may also place a substantial burden on healthcare systems as more individuals seek treatment for stress-related illnesses. Plus, employees living with burnout are less likely to be engaged at work and able to do their jobs well, which could affect the populations they serve and the overall economy when occurring on a large scale.

Daily impacts

Burnout may also have daily impacts on public health. Employees experiencing burnout may have decreased focus and motivation, which can lower overall output and efficiency. A person experiencing burnout may be less likely to attend work regularly and turnover may be higher in careers with high burnout as well, reducing efficiency and increasing the costs for organizations. 

Early signs of burnout and stress

At a work conference, recognizing the early signs of burnout and stress may be important for reducing the overall impact of these conditions. One of the early signs of burnout is emotional exhaustion. While it can look different from person to person, common symptoms often include irritability and social withdrawal. These may signal that it’s time to take a break and/or receive mental health support. 

Another early, potential sign of burnout is a decline in motivation or enthusiasm. While a person may start out at a work conference with high levels of motivation and excitement, this can begin to decline throughout the day, weekend, or week. Feeling unwilling or unable to problem-solve through tasks or attend sessions may follow as additional signs of burnout.

Employee engagement techniques for conference organizers

Effective leadership in terms of conference planning may involve understanding and anticipating attendee needs and making a plan to keep them engaged and working toward key learning objectives. Conference organizers can positively impact the engagement of employees in attendance by implementing a few key techniques, including allowing for mental breaks and developing a well-paced schedule.  

Mental health breaks to boost attendee/employee engagement

Conference organizers often want to develop a full schedule so that attendees get the most out of a conference, but breaks can be crucial. Providing attendees with frequent breaks can be a way to help them get the most out of a conference while remaining mentally balanced. These rest periods may lead to greater retention of information and better stamina, making for more effective conferences overall.

Breaks can be formally planned times when attendees can opt in to mindfulness or relaxation opportunities. Or, simply providing more unstructured time is another option that may benefit participant mental health and energy levels. In addition, having a variety of session options may improve attendee or employee engagement, because individuals may have a greater chance of attending a session that they find meaningful to their line of work.   

Develop a well-paced schedule with effective time management 

Another key to the objectives of developing engaging conferences while reducing the chances of attendee burnout may be to craft a well-paced schedule. This can be done using effective time management strategies and innovative approaches involving technology. For example, organizers might focus on planning sessions that aren’t too long, avoiding multiple blocks of back-to-back activities, and providing apps or websites to help attendees manage their schedules and navigate the venue.

Effective time management at a conference can also involve starting and ending sessions on time. It can be frustrating to rush to a session, only to find that they’re going to start 15 minutes late. Likewise, it adds stress when a session ends late, forcing participants to rush to their next commitment. That’s why it can be important for conference organizers to stick to the schedule and provide ample time for individuals to take care of their personal needs in between events. 

Time management and mindfulness strategies to reduce the risk of burnout

While conference organizers bear much of the burden of reducing burnout at work conferences, attendees can also implement strategies to help themselves stay fresh and focused. Setting reminders or alerts for important events and giving yourself ample time to get from place to place can help you avoid feeling rushed or being late. Studying the venue map beforehand could also help in navigating the area efficiently.

For individuals feeling anxious or stressed while at a work conference, it may be beneficial to implement relaxation techniques or mindfulness strategies. These can include deep breathing techniques, meditation, or taking a short walk. Mindfulness practices may help calm the body’s physical response to stress and improve focus and concentration. 

Connecting with a mental health professional

Individuals who frequently feel anxiety, stress, or burnout related to attending work conferences or events may benefit from connecting with a therapist. Therapists may provide clients with new perspectives on challenging situations, and they can also teach mindfulness or therapeutic techniques designed to reduce burnout. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in particular may be an effective way to manage burnout. Through this talk therapy modality, a provider can help a person learn to identify and restructure negative thought patterns that may be contributing to their mental health challenges. 

It can be difficult for busy professionals to regularly attend traditional in-person therapy at a brick-and-mortar office, however, which is why many turn to online therapy instead. Online therapy sessions can take place from anywhere you have an internet connection and a personal device—at home, at the office, or on a work trip. This flexibility allows clients to get the care that they need at a convenient time and in a place where they feel comfortable. Online therapy can also be more affordable than in-person therapy in many cases, and research suggests that both formats can often be equally effective. 

Takeaway

Work conferences can be valuable events filled with learning and networking opportunities; however, they can also be sources of stress and anxiety, which may cause attendees to burn out before the conference ends. Some common signs of burnout include irritability and a loss of focus or motivation. Mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and therapy can be effective ways to reduce burnout and keep a person feeling fresh and focused at work.