Welcome to SmartCompany‘s new monthly book review where we’ll review a business book to help you thrive in business.
This month we’re talking about Burnout to Brilliant by Australian author, Dr Marny Lishman.
Lishman is a psychologist and life coach based in Western Australia. She has worked with individuals across various industry sectors to help them manage the many challenges of today’s work environment. She’s an acknowledged expert in workplace wellness and has been a regular media contributor, invited academic, and speaker on mental health at work.
Burnout to Brilliant is a book that addresses how to cope in high-demand work environments where the risk of burnout is prevalent. Injury caused by workplace stress is on the increase. SafeWork Australia reports that one in 11 of all serious work compensation claims in the 2021- 2022 year were attributed to mental health conditions.
Burnout to Brilliant does an excellent job of identifying signs of high stress that can lead to burnout and provides a wealth of advice on strategies to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety we may be experiencing.
Lishman spends a chapter unpacking stress, covering both the good and the bad that come from remaining in a highly anxious state. From there, she moves the reader to a place of action and hope – providing a wealth of strategies that support the reader to adopt lifestyle changes appropriate to individual needs.
It’s a how-to book that’s very relevant to our time, where flexible work environments can mean a blurring between home and work, and this makes self-care boundaries tough to negotiate. Lishman’s book provides a roadmap to help manage our stress levels.
Burnout to Brilliant is like having your own personal mindset coach available anytime. If you are feeling stressed, worried or anxious about work, grab a copy of this book.
As Lishman says “the way we think can change the way we feel” (p.101) and Burnout to Brilliant will certainly make you stop and think about caring for your mental wellbeing at work. Of course, it is not a replacement for professional help, but it is a good guide to help identify the signs and warning signals for burnout. The remainder of the book contains strategies to address burnout symptoms and the Burnout Blueprint detailed in the book is a very useful resource.
It’s a terrific book to share with colleagues, and workplace leaders can use it to spark discussion in the workplace about the importance of self-care strategies.
This is an engaging read. Take the time to complete the Considerations section found at the end of each chapter to ensure you get the most benefit from the content. My copy is full of personal notes, sticky note tabs and highlighted sections.
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The business book specialist – rereadable.com.au or any major bookstore.
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Leanne Faulkner is our resident book reviewer and the founder of the specialist business bookstore – Rereadable. Faulkner has worked as a small business mental health advocate for over 10 years, and has consulted on a range of projects supporting the small business community. She has also worked with COSBOA, ATO, Beyond Blue and ASBFEO. After completing her PhD on the mental health challenges in small business, Faulkner identified the link between business skills, confidence and stress at work. When not immersed in a business book, she is an in-demand keynote speaker with a focus on the mental health of the small business sector.
