Product Managers know the job is a grind. Sometimes, the grind can get too real, and you become burnt out as a Product Manager. Hustlin long hours, weekends, holidays, and blowing off your friends to meet a launch deadline can get old quickly. Burnout is real, and it’s affecting more and more of our product manager homies every day.
How Do Product Managers Get Burnout?
To understand how Product Managers get burnt out, we need to understand what causes it. Those scientist types and Harvard dudes have found six major factors that cause burnout. And you know what? It only takes some of these factors. Just one or two can cause a Product Manager to burn TF out.
Unmanageable Workload As a Product Manager
One of the most common reasons for Product Manager burnout is an unmanageable workload. Those are situations where the work just won’t quit. You got stakeholders coming at you from all sides, making requests left and right. On top of that, your boss asks you to look into something his friend found with the app. And let me tell you, there’s only so much a Product Manager can do with a limited amount of time.
You’re trying to keep everything together to make everyone happy, but the truth is, sometimes it just ain’t possible. You’re constantly running on fumes, and no amount of Adderall can help. It’s a real frustration for many product managers, and it’s a major reason that burnouts happen. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, feel free to reach out for help. Remember, it’s okay to say “no” sometimes.
Lack of Autonomy
When it comes to product manager burnout, another big factor is a lack of autonomy. As a product manager, you should have the power to make decisions and guide your team. Everyone does say you’re the “CEO” of the product. When you don’t have the autonomy to make your own decisions, you’re no better than an intern. Your team is looking to you for product leadership, but if you don’t have the authority to make the necessary decisions, it’s just not going to work. This lack of autonomy can quickly lead to burnout for product managers. It’s a tough pill to swallow, feeling like you’re just a cog in the machine. So, if you’re feeling handcuffed, it’s time to talk with your boss and ensure you have the autonomy you need to be a successful Product Manager.
Unfair Environment
Unfairness is a corporate reality. You got people who are getting ahead just because they know the right people, not because they’re putting in the work. As a product manager, it’s even worse when you’re overworked and still not getting the recognition you deserve. This kind of environment will lead a product manager to burnout for sure. You want to feel like your hard work is paying off and that your performance is being recognized.
So, if you’re in a situation where the deck is stacked against you, it’s important to speak up. It’s also time to brush up on your resume.
Lack of Community
The people you work with can make or break your day. The lack of a community is a problem in Product Management teams. Many teams are highly functioning with strong work relationships. However, others can be riddled with miscommunication, conflict, and hate. The latter can quickly cause burnout.
Insufficient Recognition
When you put in the work and don’t get the recognition you deserve, it’s a real kick in the face. It’s like saying, “your efforts ain’t good enough.” That feeling of underappreciation can lead a product manager to burnout, especially for product managers. It’s not just about the money. Recognition can come in different forms, like bonuses or promotions, and intrinsic ones, positive feedback or acknowledgment for your hard work. Okay, yea, mostly money. So if you’re putting in the work, make sure you’re getting the respect you deserve.
Conflicting Values
As a product manager or any corporate simp, it’s important to roll with the right squad. If you have different values than the company, it’s like being on the wrong team; it will take a lot of work to stay motivated and keep grinding. You’ll be laid off in no time. It may indicate that a job is not the right fit. Regardless, it can be a catalyst for burnout as a product manager.
Why Is Product Management Prone to Burnout?
While burnout is a problem in many professions, things specific to the field of product management make it particularly likely to be a catalyst for burnout. Why is burnout as a product manager so common? Here are a few characteristics that can contribute to it.
Product Management Is A Stressful Role
Stress and pressure in a job are often directly tied to a person’s level of responsibility for the success or failure of an organization. Product managers have an extensive level of responsibility, which leads to burnout. You are ultimately responsible for a product’s success or failure.
Product managers must work with extensive amounts of data and information to make decisions that will guide how well customers receive a product. But you don’t really know if what you’re building is what the customer wants. While many people are involved in these processes, the product manager ultimately looked to for answers.
High Collaboration Role
Product managers have high levels of collaboration. Within the organization, they work to ensure that many different teams and roles effectively work together to ensure the product succeeds. This means they often find themselves mediating conflicts or resolving problems.
Product managers often find themselves navigating requests – and sometimes demands – from stakeholders about additions to software or desired features. Managing clients is often just as difficult as managing product design.
Insufferable Personality Types
If you have worked in product management for a long time, you have noticed that certain personality types are more frequent in these roles. The Type A’s. Many product managers have characteristics of “high performers,” ambitiousness, and a strong work ethic.
While these are very positive characteristics, they can also lead to a person becoming overwhelmed in a role. This tendency can be further impacted in situations such as when resources are in short supply.
Long Hours Lead To Product Management Burnout
Product Management is not a 9-5 job. It’s more like 9-9 with weekends. No matter what people tell you, you’re expected to always be available as a product manager. Your VP is most likely working all the time, and if you don’t match them, you’re a candidate for PIP.
How to Mitigate Product Manager Burnout
There are a number of steps that you can take at the organizational level to prevent product manager burnout. Here are some of the most effective things that you can do. (Check out our Guide on coasting as a PM)
Prioritize Well-Being
Everyone needs a break. This is certainly true with people in high-stress occupations like product managers. Prioritizing well-being means encouraging people to take their vacation days and adopt positive practices.
There are going to be critical times when people must work extensively. Trying to balance these with the ability to recover and pursue a work-life balance is important for preventing product management burnout.
Build Camaraderie
We are social creatures at heart. Having effective teams is an important strategy for preventing product manager burnout. When people enjoy their teams and colleagues, they are better equipped to handle more responsibilities and demands.
This is something that must be done over time and needs to be intentional within the culture of an organization. Building strong, successful teams can reap many benefits for companies, including preventing burnout.
Empower Employees
Organizations have typically operated in a top-down hierarchy; however, many companies find that adopting distributed leadership has many benefits. Empowering employees to make decisions can increase motivation, improve productivity, and harness the strengths of a diverse team.
Giving greater power to make decisions and working to reduce bureaucracy are both important strategies for helping empower your employees. Employees who feel trusted and supported are less likely to experience burnout.
How to Deal with Burnout as a Product Manager
While there are certainly many things that organizations can do to mitigate burnout, you may find yourself in the role of a product manager who is feeling excessive work stress. How can you deal with burnout as a product manager? Here are a few tips.
Schedule Priorities
This means prioritizing not only work tasks but, more specifically, other factors as well. Family, friendships, and social commitments should be balanced well with work. Use time management techniques to ensure you are keeping your quality of life high for your work. Stepping away from work to recharge, Product Managers will be better equipped to handle the job demands when they return.
Get Sleep
It is certainly tempting to put in extra hours at work to get a job done, and we all have had to do this from time to time. However, you should strive to prioritize getting enough sleep regularly. Seven to eight hours of sleep is important for many biological functions, including reducing cortisol levels, the stress hormone.
Find Time to Exercise
You might think it’s crazy to add another task to your plate when you’re already feeling burnt out, but trust me, getting some sets and reps in can help you reduce stress. Find an exercise you enjoy and make at least thirty minutes three times a week to engage in it.
Reflect on Your Work Goals
If you find yourself experiencing burnout as a product manager, consider taking some time to reflect on your career goals and how well your current job fits them. You may be ready for more responsibilities or a new opportunity.
Take Short Breaks
Research is clear that taking short breaks during the workday can improve productivity and reduce stress. Whether you take a walk on your lunch break, take a 10-minute break to meditate, or do something else, breaking up your work can help reduce burnout.
Final Thoughts On Burnout as a Product Manager
You have to take care of yourself in corporate, especially in the PM game. Burnout is a real issue, and it’s crucial you don’t ignore it. Understand the factors that cause burnout and take steps to prevent or mitigate it. Product Managers can maintain their passion and energy for their work over the long term. Take some breaks, find support from others, and don’t neglect your family. Ultimately, the key to avoiding burnout is to be proactive about taking care of yourself and seeking out resources that can help.