Too busy to tune in to our recent member exclusive webinar with marketing expert Abigail Dixon? Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for the top tips and key takeaways from ‘A marketer’s guide to unlocking career fulfilment and growth’ to better understand how marketers can leverage personal understanding to fuel growth and prevent burnout.

In a recent CIM webinar, Dixon discussed how to achieve career fulfilment and emphasised the importance of personal understanding to reduce burnout. Understanding the realities of the challenges marketers face will help us to recognise the signs of burnout and take proactive steps to prevent it.

Marketers face lots of different stresses and often work in high pressure environments surrounded by constant change. With wide ranging experience and a passion for the industry, Dixon offers valuable advice on spotting and preventing burnout, and creating a fulfilling career.

The industry issues

The marketing industry faces endless challenges; marketers are in an ever-evolving role, constantly adopting new technologies and adapting to new ideas. With many companies taking an ‘always on’ approach to their marketing, it is no wonder that industry professionals can often feel overwhelmed and that they lack support from the wider business. Failing to provide empathy and encouragement to staff members risks creating a negative work environment, leading to resentment, stress and ultimately, burnout.

What is true burnout?

According to Dixon, burnout is a period of prolonged stress. ‘True burnout’ is very different from general tiredness, with many experiencing sometimes debilitating mental and physical symptoms. Managing work-related stress alongside the general demands of life becomes impossible under intense pressure; this can lead to individuals feeling overwhelmed and unable to rest fully, leading to overwhelm.

Some of the key signs and symptoms to look out for are:

• Chronic exhaustion
• Severe lack of motivation
• Not finding enjoyment in things you used to
• Emotional exhaustion
• Physical pains, including headaches, nausea, insomnia and fatigue

Burnout can look different for everyone, and this list of symptoms is not exhaustive. Acknowledging what is not normal for you is crucial to accepting and beginning to work through burnout. It is important to recognise these symptoms not only in ourselves, but in those around us too.

Developing personal understanding

Developing an understanding of your strengths, motivations, values, and purpose will give you the necessary energy and inner drive to develop a clear vision for the future, ultimately improving resilience and leading to a more fulfilling career. Understanding yourself and your needs will help others to understand the same, resulting in more productive conversations allowing you to better manage your workload.

Dixon shared some advice during her webinar on how to begin to understand how you work best:

• Set boundaries
• Prioritise your self-care
• Communicate your needs

Addressing burnout

By having a better understanding of yourself and communicating your needs to the team around you, we can all start to notice the signs of burnout and address it before it becomes a problem. We can retain our confidence levels by being intentional about doing things that play to our values and strengths and constantly build up our cup by spending more time on activities we enjoy. 

By recognising the signs early and taking preventive measures marketers can protect themselves. Setting boundaries, taking time off, and focusing on activities that ‘fill up your cup’, are essential.

Employers should be proactive in their approach to preventing burnout in their employees. It is important that employers provide resources that build understanding and resilience and create a culture of empathy and psychological safety where employees feel safe to openly talk with each other and their managers.

Building resilience

Resilience is having the ability to bounce back from setbacks, rather than simply enduring until you are unable to go on.

Dixon outlined the five pillars of resilience which are:

• Energy
• Inner drive
• Flexible thinking
• Strong relationships
• A clear vision for the future

To cultivate these qualities and become a more resilient marketer, she emphasises setting clear goals, staying true to your values, and building a strong support network around you.

Career fulfilment

Achieving a fulfilling career looks different to everyone. Having a flexible, yet goal-oriented approach to career planning and re-evaluating that plan as needed is essential in reaching the vision you’ve set for yourself. Following your own interests will help you make positive career choices and strive for opportunities that align with your values and goals.

Marketing can be a truly rewarding profession; as an industry, it’s full of passionate change makers who’ve curated truly rewarding careers. So, make time for what you enjoy most, develop your personal understanding, prioritise your needs and keep working towards your goals.

Abigail Dixon’s The Whole Marketer Leadership Masterclass will help you gain a deeper level of self-awareness, essential for developing your marketing leadership skills. This course will equip you with the practical skills needed to lead your marketing function, organisation, and teams in a style that inspires and motivates.

Learn more about The Whole Marketer Leadership Masterclass here