> Implement a self care routine. Self care can be a 5 min meditation, > a walk or run, reading, spending time with family, or spending time > alone. We must commit to self care 

activities that feed our soul > before we become depleted. M_illions of Americans are returning back to work after being home during the pandemic. While this has been exciting for many,

some are feeling burned out by their work. What do you do if you are feeling burned out by your work? How do you reverse it? How can you “get your mojo back”? What can employers do to help

their staff reverse burnout?_ _In this interview series called “__Beating Burnout: 5 Things You Should Do If You Are Experiencing Work Burnout__,” we are talking to successful business

Illness and a Member of the Dartmouth Hitchcock — Campaign to Combat Behavioral Health Stigma and Discrimination._ _She created a training solution for leaders called, ‘The 4 Pillars of

Creating and Sustaining a Mentally Healthy Workplace Culture” that teaches leaders how to create a safe workplace culture that empowers employees to speak openly about mental health and

substance misuse without fear of judgment, retribution, or job loss._ _Her mission is to share her lived experience and teach leaders how to normalize the conversation about mental health

and substance misuse in the workplace. Lives depend on it._ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THIS INTERVIEW SERIES! BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THE MAIN FOCUS OF OUR INTERVIEW, OUR READERS WOULD

LOVE TO “GET TO KNOW YOU” A BIT BETTER. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD BACKSTORY? I had a great childhood and grew up in a wonderful family. We had a wonderful family unit. I am

the youngest of 3 children and the one with the most fire in her soul. My dad owned a bowling alley and my mother was a stay at home mom. We lived comfortably and there was very little

conflict in my house. WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR THE STORY. In 2018, I started speaking openly in the corpoate arena about my struggle (as a high

performer) with alcohol misuse, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in the workplace. I recognized that every time I shared my story, I was approached by countless people who just

wanted to say, “thank you for being honest and open, I suffer too.” These individuals who bravely stepped forward were VP’s, CEO’s, Directors, Managers, Nurses, Doctors, Attorneys, and

people just like you and me. When people told me they felt safe sharing their story with me and admitted they are also experiencing problems with mental health, I knew this was my calling. I

knew I needed to share my story to help others realize they are not alone. Especially in the workplace. I have the unique ability to teach leaders how to normalize the conversation about

mental health through the lens of the leader and through the lens of the lived experience. NONE OF US CAN ACHIEVE SUCCESS WITHOUT SOME HELP ALONG THE WAY. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR PERSON WHO

YOU FEEL GAVE YOU THE MOST HELP OR ENCOURAGEMENT TO BE WHO YOU ARE TODAY? CAN YOU SHARE A STORY ABOUT THAT? On July 16, 2009, I made the decision and the call that changed my life. On

7/16/2009, at 4:45 pm I made the decision to surrender and ask for help. I called my Dr. and said I need help. At 5:15pm, I was lead to an exam room and the assistant said, “the Nurse

Practitioner will see you soon.” When he walked into the room, I was crying in the corner and unable to breathe. I was filled with shame and was still afraid to ask for help. When I gained

my composure and told him that I was struggling with alcohol and mental health challenges, he looked me in the eye and said, “Kim I am going to help you and we are going to do this

together.” This nurse practitioner saw me as a person who needed help and created a safe container within the four walls of the exam room. His ability to see, support, and understand me is

the reason why I am here today. CAN YOU SHARE THE FUNNIEST OR MOST INTERESTING MISTAKE THAT OCCURRED TO YOU IN THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER? WHAT LESSON OR TAKE AWAY DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT?

One of the biggest mistakes I made was the night after I had won the ‘Directors Choice Award’ at a sales meeting. Ironically, the Directors Choice Award was meant for one who is a leader, a

trailblazer, someone committed to excellence. I felt honored to receive that award and also felt like an imposter. I celebrated with my coworkers after the event, and in usual celebratory

fashion, one drink led to two drinks which led to several more. I have no recollection of walking back to my hotel room that night. I learned the following day that there was a fire alarm in

the hotel, and everyone evacuated, everyone but me. I was passed out in my room. I also learned about “all the funny things I did.” I didn’t recall any of it. Outwardly, I laughed with my

coworkers about the events from the night prior but inwardly, I was humiliated and ashamed. I have been a high performer in the workplace my entire career. I was a mentor, coach, leader,

trailblazer, and nightly drinker. My daily dose of evening wine was 4–6 large glasses followed by morning hangovers. I wore a mask of high performance and happiness in the workplace, but

behind closed doors I felt like an imposter. These masks hid the intense amounts of shame and guilt I carried because I knew I had a problem but I was afraid to talk about it. I was afraid

to admit to my alcohol use because I feared being judged, losing my integrity, and ultimately losing my seat at the corporate table. Because of stigma in the workplace, I didn’t feel like I

had a safe space to speak openly about my internal pain. Consequently, I kept it hidden and remained silent. What I learned is that I am not alone and silence is toxic. CAN YOU SHARE YOUR

FAVORITE “LIFE LESSON QUOTE”? WHY DOES THAT RESONATE WITH YOU SO MUCH? My favorite quote is, “You are not alone and you matter.” This quote resonates with me because for many years, I

thought I was alone and that my life didn’t matter. I thought I was the only one who couldn’t control my drinking, manage my thoughts, or feel safe in my own skin. What I have learned is

that my story is not unique. What is unique is that I am willing to be vulnerable and share my story to help people know they are not alone and teach leaders how to create workplace cultures

that foster open dialog about mental health. It wasn’t until I began sharing my story that I realized I am not flawed and I am not the only one with mental health challenges. When people

realize they are not alone, it can be a pivotal moment in their recovery. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING OR EXCITING PROJECTS YOU ARE WORKING ON NOW? HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT HELP

PEOPLE? On 4/1/2020, I stepped away from my full time corporate job and stepped fully into creating solutions to help leaders change the culture in the workplace about mental health. During

the pandemic, I created Kim LaMontagne, LLC and the leadership training called, “The 4 Pillars of Creating and Sustaining a Mentally Healthy Workplace Culture.” The 4 Pillars training

teaches leaders how to recognize the impact of unaddressed mental illness, the power of peer support in the workplace, how decrease stigma, shift to person centered language, and implement

tools to help create a culture in the organization where everyone feels safe speaking openly about mental health. Organizational change begins at the top. This leadership training provides

actionable steps for leaders to take to help normalize the conversation about mental health. Lives depend on it. YOU ARE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS LEADER. WHICH THREE CHARACTER TRAITS DO YOU

THINK WERE MOST INSTRUMENTAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE A STORY OR EXAMPLE FOR EACH? Honesty — When I am honest about being a high performer who struggled in silence in the

workplace with undisclosed mental health challenges and alcohol misuse, I create a safe space for others to come forward and ask for help. Vulnerability — By being vulnerable and sharing my

truth, it illustrates the critical need to address mental health and well being in the workplace. No one is immune. Leaders must be equipped with tools to help them identify, support, and

encourage those who come forward and admit they need help. Passion — My passion to help others is very deep. I understand mental illness and what it was like to feel alone, like an imposter,

and unable to speak. My passion is to teach leaders to creates safe workplace cultures where everyone feels safe speaking openly about mental health without fear of judgment or shame. FOR

THE BENEFIT OF OUR READERS, CAN YOU BRIEFLY LET US KNOW WHY YOU ARE AN AUTHORITY ABOUT THE TOPIC OF BURNOUT? I am authority on burnout because of my lived experience and my experience

teaching leaders. Prior to my recovery, I worked until the point of exhaustion, lived in fight or flight mode 99% of the time, and almost took my own life in 2015. Once I had the courage to

acknowledge that I was burning out, sought help, and committed to making changes in my life both personally and professionally, my life began to change. OK, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. LET’S

NOW SHIFT TO THE MAIN FOCUS OF OUR INTERVIEW ABOUT BEATING BURNOUT. LET’S BEGIN WITH A BASIC DEFINITION OF TERMS SO THAT ALL OF US ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. HOW DO YOU DEFINE A “BURNOUT”? CAN

YOU EXPLAIN? Burnout is the result of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion due to exposure to prolonged stress. Burnout can lead to mental health challenges, substance misuse,

exhaustion, loss of interest, and hope. Burnout leads to decreased employee engagement and can lead to turnover. Burnout is dangerous and can be addressed by having open conversations in the

workplace. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE OR DESCRIBE THE OPPOSITE OF BURNOUT? The opposite of burnout is high employee engagement. When an employee feels safe, seen, heard, and understood, they are

more apt to reach out for help and embrace the tools they have been given to help them in recovery. A healthier employee (both mentally and physically) is a more engaged employee. THIS MIGHT

BE INTUITIVE TO YOU, BUT IT WILL BE INSTRUCTIVE TO EXPRESSLY ARTICULATE THIS. SOME SCEPTICS MAY ARGUE THAT BURNOUT IS A MINOR ANNOYANCE AND WE SHOULD JUST “SOLDIER ON’’ AND “GRIN AND BEAR

IT.” CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE A FEW REASONS WHY BURNOUT CAN HAVE LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON OUR INDIVIDUAL HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR SOCIETY? The belief that we must

“soldier on” and “grin and bear it” are contributing factors to burnout. We must change the belief that we must push through the hard stuff even when we are not physically or mentally

capable of doing so. I recently had a conversation with a client who was so proud that she never took a day off during her breast cancer treatments. She worked and met every client deadline

during her treatments. Although this is admirable, I have to question if this was a smart decision for her health. When leaders model what good work life balance looks like, they pave the

way for others to do the same. When we have more balance in our lives, we are happier, more aligned, alert, and engaged employees. FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, PERSPECTIVE, OR RESEARCH, WHAT ARE

THE MAIN CAUSES OF BURNOUT? The main causes of burnout include being exposed to high levels of stress, organizational culture, not feeling safe to speak openly and ask for help, unrealistic

expectations, overworked, and not taking time to rest and recharge. As the flight attendants say before takeoff, put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others. We burn out when we

forget or are too afraid to put our oxygen mask on first. FANTASTIC. HERE IS THE MAIN QUESTION OF OUR DISCUSSION. WHAT CAN AN INDIVIDUAL DO IF THEY ARE FEELING BURNED OUT BY WORK? HOW DOES

ONE REVERSE IT? HOW CAN YOU “GET YOUR MOJO BACK?” CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE YOUR “5 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING WORK BURNOUT?”. (Please share a story or an example for each.)

Employees must feel safe speaking their truth. * Acknowledge the feeling of being burned out. * Speak openly with your leader about the issues that are causing burnout and discuss solutions

* Identify your personal signs that you are experiencing burnout and share those signs with your leader, colleagues, family, and friends. * Describe what helps you most when you are showing

these signs and give them permission to reach in and help you when you aren't strong enough to ask for help. * Implement a self care routine. Self care can be a 5 min meditation, a walk

or run, reading, spending time with family, or spending time alone. We must commit to self care activities that feed our soul before we become depleted. WHAT CAN CONCERNED FRIENDS,

COLLEAGUES, AND LIFE PARTNERS DO TO HELP SOMEONE THEY CARE ABOUT REVERSE BURNOUT? A concerned friend and colleague can support you best when they know exactly what works for YOU when you

need help. Be proactive by sharing your personal signs that you are headed toward burnout. Then tell them how to help you when they see those signs. When you do this, you empower others to

help you when you are not physically or mentally capable of helping yourself. WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO TO HELP THEIR STAFF REVERSE BURNOUT? 1. Acknowledge that burnout is a real problem and

that leaders within your organization must commit to supporting employees experiencing burnout. The most powerful organizations make it possible for employees to remove the mask of fear and

shame and speak openly about mental health, substance misuse, and burnout. 2. Create a safe workplace culture that encourages open conversation about burnout and mental health. A safe

workplace culture is one where employees feel safe speaking openly without fear of judgment, retribution, or job loss. When employees feel safe, seen, heard, and understood, they are more

likely to speak openly, engage in treatment, and focus on their mental and physical health. 3. Embed the organizational commitment to mental health and well-being in all communications and

encourage the use of employee sponsored services (counseling, EAP, peer support) 4. Create a peer support network lead by peer support champions to bring the human connection to mental

health and burnout. Peer support champions are peers who have experienced challenges and are committed to creating a safe space for others to speak openly. 5. Shift to person centered

language and remove stigma in the workplace. Person centered language places a focus on the person first instead of the illness they live with. Examples include a “person living with mental

health challenges” or a “person living with substance misuse” vs. psycho, crazy, or addict. Addressing burnout in the workplace is critical. Changing the culture in the workplace begins at

the top. Leaders who commit to changing the culture in the workplace create safe spaces for employees to speak openly and ask for help in the workplace. A healthier employee is a more

engaged employee. These ideas are wonderful, but sadly they are not yet commonplace. What strategies would you suggest to raise awareness about the importance of supporting the mental

wellness of employees? Recognize the impact (human and financial) of unaddressed mental health in the workplace. Train leaders about mental health, how to identify an employee in distress

and crosswalk that employee to services. Create a peer support network and identify peer support champions. Decrease stigma in the workplace. Shift to person centered language. Create a

‘culture of safety’ in the workplace. A culture of safety is one where everyone feels safe speaking openly about mental health and substance misuse without fear of judgment, retribution, or

job loss. Changing the culture in the workplace begins at the top. Embed the leadership commitment to creating a ‘culture of safety’ in every employee facing communication. WHAT ARE A FEW OF

THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES YOU HAVE SEEN PEOPLE MAKE WHEN THEY TRY TO REVERSE BURNOUT IN THEMSELVES OR OTHERS? WHAT CAN THEY DO TO AVOID THOSE MISTAKES? 1. They delay acknowledging they are

approaching burnout and just keep pushing. 2. They delay taking care of themselves first. Put the oxygen mask on yourself first. 3. They feel ashamed to admit they are burning out because

they fear they are all alone. OK, WE ARE NEARLY DONE. YOU ARE A PERSON OF GREAT INFLUENCE. IF YOU COULD INSPIRE A MOVEMENT THAT WOULD BRING THE MOST AMOUNT OF GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF

PEOPLE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOUR IDEA CAN TRIGGER. I am on a mission to teach workplace leaders across the globe how to normalize the conversation about mental health in

the workplace and create cultures that foster open dialog about mental health without fear of judgment. Given the state of the world, we must be vigilant of our own mental health and those

around us. The first step is to normalize the conversation about mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health. We must remove the stigma and stand firm in the message

that It’s ok to not be ok and it’s ok to ask for help. WE ARE VERY BLESSED THAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN BUSINESS, VC FUNDING, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT READ THIS COLUMN. IS THERE A

PERSON IN THE WORLD, OR IN THE US, WHOM YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PRIVATE BREAKFAST OR LUNCH WITH, AND WHY? HE OR SHE MIGHT JUST SEE THIS, ESPECIALLY IF WE BOTH TAG THEM :-) I welcome the

opportunity to have breakfast or lunch with Brene Brown because I admire the research she has done around shame and vulnerability. She is a brave and courageous woman who speaks the truth

and raises awareness about the importance of vulnerability. Her work is closely aligned with mental health because truth, vulnerability, and sharing our stories saves lives. HOW CAN OUR

READERS FURTHER FOLLOW YOUR WORK ONLINE? Digital Media Assets www.kimlamontagne.net Download Kim LaMontagne logo Download Kim LaMontagne headshots @kimlamontagnementalhealth Social Media

Channels Facebook LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Twitter THANK YOU FOR THESE REALLY EXCELLENT INSIGHTS, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU SPENT WITH THIS. WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS AND

GOOD HEALTH!