Mentors invest their time, energy, and resources in the growth of others. Mentorship goes above and beyond a person's formal work obligations and is typically a volunteer activity. The most influential mentors tend to be intuitively recognized and drawn to by junior members. And those mentors (usually already fairly busy) find that demand from potential mentees is continually on the rise. Great mentors are therefore susceptible to becoming over-committed, overburdened, and ultimately less effective in their mentoring role.
The dynamics of mentoring relationships have been further altered by the Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted programs, in-person meetings, and mentoring schedules. However, it has also provided us with fresh perspectives on how to mentor.
Mentoring implies an ongoing relationship, much like caring for others or teaching, and many mentors take this commitment very seriously. A mentor may feel under pressure to keep performing at a high level to satisfy mentees' demands while not giving careful consideration to their own wellness, even while they are showing signs of tiredness and decreasing effectiveness in the mentor role.
The term "burnout," which was first used more than 40 years ago, refers to behavioural symptoms like fatigue, cynicism, and inefficiency. Mentorships, just like any other personal or professional relationship, may suffer from the negative effects of these three factors.
Effective mentors usually score well on tests of empathy and compassion. This makes it difficult for some people to establish limits or set boundaries that will enable them to practice the necessary self-care. They might become more prone to burnout as a result of this.
We'll get to discuss factors that lead to burnout and how to avoid burnout as a mentor, but first, take a look at factors that further increase the likelihood of mentor burnout:
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The emotional tiredness that builds up until the demands of mentoring become too much for a mentor to handle is a problem for mentors who take on too many mentees or have nettlesome mentees who want extra attention, time, and supervision. Those who take mentorship seriously run a larger risk in environments where there aren't enough mid-to senior-level managers or executives mentoring.
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There is a conflict between lobbying and gatekeeping in various professions. The mentor is responsible for directing and supporting a trainee while also acting as the profession's gatekeeper for competency. This friction is evident in the military, the health care industry and other fields where advancing a badly qualified mentee through the training pipeline could endanger others.
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Mentors who do not have time set aside in their schedules for mentoring—often because the company does not actually value mentoring—and those who have heavy domestic caregiving responsibilities are more likely to experience exhaustion. Women mentors are more likely than men to have time constraints. In addition to spending 8.5 more hours a week on childcare and other domestic duties, full-time working women also report feeling more institutional or social pressure to take on more administrative duties, attend to the emotional needs of others, and mentor less senior women.
All of these dangers may have detrimental effects on mentoring relationships and mentee development. For instance, a mentor may get disengaged during conversations if they are too exhausted to have another career conversation (or if they are utterly spent and uninspired).
As a result, mentees may mistakenly interpret their distance as boredom, apathy, or even a critique of their own skill and potential as a mentee. For their mentees, mentors also act as powerful role models; a mentor who is burnt out may be unable to provide a good example for self-care and self-awareness.
No matter how well-intentioned your efforts are, you will eventually run out of energy and be unable to mentor or assist anyone at all. The following are tips on how to avoid burnout as a mentor:
Recognize the symptoms and regularly assess your burnout risk factors
Regular reflection will help you detect mentoring burnout's early warning symptoms. Be alert to warning indications such as feeling consistently worn out, being more pessimistic than normal, or displaying signs of indifference. Ask dependable coworkers to help you keep an eye on your emotional tolerance for developing relationships. They can do this by letting you know if they notice any patterns. E.g, a tendency to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or distracted.
When you show signs of fatigue or impaired skill, ask them to speak up and say something in a kind manner. For instance, ask a peer to check in with you frequently to discuss your mentoring workload. And any relationship-related difficulties you may have. Offer to assist them in the same way. Taking an online burnout test is also an option for you.
Keep your mentoring efforts in check
You may need to quit presuming that only traditional one-on-one mentoring connections can result in high-quality mentoring partnerships. Think about mentoring strategies that make the most of your time while expanding your mentoring network. Hire new cohorts who could meet once a month with a handful of mentors who'll provide support and direction. They will learn from their mentors and each other.
Make mentoring enjoyable
Mentoring is a form of work that is both incredibly satisfying and invigorating. Think about doing a mutual role shadow, organizing a networking event for your mentee, reading a book, or attending a conference together. A job shadow, if you are in different organizations, could be a good idea.
Discuss how to avoid burnout with your mentee
Recognize the situation, its facts, and its difficulties. Be honest and open about your own capacity. And talk with your mentees about the (sometimes unintentional) effects of working at a lower capacity. This open and sensitive role modelling has a big influence on the mentees. It's beneficial to display your flaws.
While keeping in mind that you are the more powerful party in the relationship, try to avoid making your mentee feel accountable for your burnout. Use strategic self-disclosure to mentor mentees in developing self-awareness and self-care by modelling these abilities for them. These open discussions will also provide the mentee context if you need to cut back on meeting frequency or take a break. Administrators can support the actions of mentors within an organization by recognizing and extolling them.
It is undoubtedly possible to be a successful mentor and prevent burnout. Successful mentors are aware that mentoring can be among the most fulfilling experiences both in their careers and personal life. Relationships with mentees benefit mentors greatly. However, we rarely discuss the costs of mentoring openly.
In conclusion, being open about the potential difficulties involved with mentoring in the current climate is essential to avoiding burnout. Great mentors put their mentees first, and mentees should do the same. Make it obvious to your mentees and your coworkers what your emotional well-being, your bandwidth, and your boundaries are. Put in place monitoring methods that demonstrate both self-awareness and open communication with coworkers. Now that you've got the hang of how to avoid burnout. You can now avoid fatigue in trying to assist others.
Read also: You could be mentoring the next Dangote, so why aren't you doing it yet?