7 Mistakes You're Making with Burnout Prevention (And How LGBTQ+ Leaders Can Fix Them)

As an LGBTQ+ leader, you're already carrying more than most people realize. The invisible weight of code-switching, the extra effort to prove yourself, the emotional labor of creating safe spaces for others, it all adds up. And when it comes to burnout prevention, even the most well-intentioned leaders make mistakes that can sabotage their efforts before they even begin.

You're not failing. You're human. But recognizing these seven common mistakes can help you build a more sustainable approach to leadership, one that protects both you and your team.

Mistake #1: Ignoring the Early Warning Signs

You know that feeling when something's off, but you push through anyway? Maybe you're more irritable than usual, or you're dreading Monday mornings. Perhaps you're snapping at your partner or scrolling social media until 2 AM.

Too many leaders wait until they're completely depleted before addressing burnout. By then, the damage is already done, to your health, your relationships, and your team's morale.

How to fix it: Start paying attention to the whispers before they become screams. Check in with yourself daily. Ask: "How's my energy? What's my stress level? Am I feeling connected or isolated?"

As an LGBTQ+ leader, you might feel pressure to appear exceptionally competent to prove your worth. This can make you more likely to ignore warning signs. Remember: acknowledging exhaustion isn't weakness, it's wisdom.

Create a simple daily check-in routine. Rate your energy, mood, and stress on a scale of 1-10. When numbers consistently drop, that's your cue to adjust before you hit the wall.

Mistake #2: Treating Symptoms Instead of Causes

When you're stressed, do you reach for another coffee? Work late to "catch up"? Skip lunch to power through?

These band-aid solutions might provide temporary relief, but they're like putting a tiny bandage on a broken dam. You're not addressing why the burnout is happening in the first place.

How to fix it: Stop asking "How can I cope better?" and start asking "What's causing this in the first place?"

Look at your workload, your team dynamics, your company culture. Are you working in an environment where you can be authentic? Are you constantly managing others' reactions to your identity? Are expectations unclear or constantly changing?

For LGBTQ+ leaders, this often means examining whether your workplace truly supports your authentic self. If you're spending energy hiding parts of your identity, that's energy you can't put toward your actual job.

Mistake #3: Being Terrible at Saying "No"

"Sure, I can take on that project." "Of course I can stay late." "No problem, I'll handle it."

Sound familiar? As leaders, especially those from marginalized communities, we often feel we need to say yes to everything to prove our value. But every yes to something unimportant is a no to something that matters.

How to fix it: Practice strategic saying no. Before agreeing to anything, ask: "Does this align with my core priorities? What will I have to sacrifice to make this happen?"

Create a simple decision framework. When someone makes a request, pause and consider: Is this urgent and important? Important but not urgent? Urgent but not important? Neither urgent nor important?

Only say yes to the first two categories. Everything else gets a kind but firm no, or gets delegated.

Mistake #4: Leading Through Confusion

When your team doesn't know what success looks like, they'll work twice as hard trying to cover all the bases. Unclear expectations create chaos, and chaos creates burnout, for everyone.

As an LGBTQ+ leader, you might be especially sensitive to this because you've likely experienced workplaces where the "real" expectations weren't clearly communicated, where there were unspoken rules about who could advance and how.

How to fix it: Make expectations crystal clear. Not just once, but regularly. Goals should be specific, achievable, and flexible enough to adjust when priorities shift.

Hold weekly check-ins with your team. Ask: "What's clear? What's confusing? What support do you need?" When priorities change, and they will, communicate that change immediately.

Create psychological safety by being transparent about your own uncertainties. It's okay to say, "I don't have all the answers yet, but here's what I know so far."

Mistake #5: Ignoring Boundaries (Yours and Theirs)

You check emails at 10 PM. You work weekends. You're always "on." And whether you realize it or not, you're teaching your team that this is normal and expected.

Boundaries aren't just about saying no, they're about protecting the energy you need to show up authentically and sustainably.

How to fix it: Set clear boundaries and actually stick to them. This isn't just about your work hours, it's about protecting your mental and emotional energy.

Start small. Maybe you don't check emails after 8 PM. Maybe you take actual lunch breaks. Maybe you use your vacation days.

Model this behavior visibly. When you send emails outside work hours, use the delay send feature. When you take time off, actually disconnect. Your team is watching, and they need to see that rest is not only allowed but necessary.

For LGBTQ+ leaders, boundaries might also mean protecting yourself from emotional labor that isn't your job, like being the sole educator about LGBTQ+ issues for your entire organization.

Mistake #6: Trying to Lead in Isolation

Leadership can feel lonely, especially when you're part of a marginalized community. You might feel like you need to have all the answers, handle everything yourself, or avoid showing vulnerability.

But isolation accelerates burnout. When you don't have support systems, connection, or safe spaces to process challenges, you're trying to fill everyone else's cup while yours runs empty.

How to fix it: Invest in relationships, both with your team and with other leaders who understand your experience.

Create regular one-on-ones with your team members. Not just about work, but about them as people. Ask how they're really doing. Share appropriate parts of your own experience.

Find your people outside your organization too. Connect with other LGBTQ+ leaders, join professional networks, find a mentor or coach who gets it.

Build a workplace culture where people feel seen and valued for who they are, not just what they produce. This reduces everyone's emotional labor and creates genuine connection.

Mistake #7: Fighting Battles You Can't Win

You can't control the economy. You can't control organizational restructuring. You can't control whether some people will be accepting of your identity. You can't control every aspect of your team's experience.

But many leaders exhaust themselves trying to control things outside their influence while neglecting what they actually can change.

How to fix it: Focus ruthlessly on your sphere of influence. You can control your team's workload, the inclusivity of your policies, the psychological safety of your workspace, and the support systems you provide.

Make a list of everything that's stressing you out. Draw two columns: "I can influence this" and "This is outside my control." Put your energy only into the first column.

For LGBTQ+ leaders, this might mean accepting that you can't change every person's mind about LGBTQ+ issues, but you can create policies and practices that protect and support your team members.

Your Next Step

Burnout prevention isn't about perfection, it's about awareness and intentional action. You don't have to fix everything at once.

Pick one mistake from this list. The one that made you think, "Oh no, that's definitely me." Start there.

Remember: you can't pour from an empty cup, and your team needs you to model sustainability, not martyrdom. Taking care of yourself isn't selfish: it's essential leadership.

You're already doing harder things than most people can imagine. You've got this.