Burn Out Banter

Brewing the Balance at Mango Meadow.

It was the usual tea break at Mango Meadows, a much-needed pause in the day, but as always, Dr. Batti Mallappa had turned it into a masterclass. He sat with his signature cup of ginger tea, his favorite student Sid (Siddaramiah Bellad) by his side, while the rest of us—Chits, Chats, and myself—formed the audience. 

Sid had kicked off the conversation, mentioning Narayana Murthy’s latest comment on work culture and the L&T fellow’s take on corporate burnout. “People are burning out, Sir,” Sid said, shaking his head. “The exhaustion is real.” 

Dr. Mallappa took a slow sip, a knowing glint in his eyes. “Sid, burnout is just the surface wound. The deeper injury? Work stress isn’t just making people tired—it’s making them sick.” 

That got our attention. Chits stopped mid-sip, and even Chats, the perpetual cynic, had paused. 

“Seventy-six percent of Indian professionals, my dear friends,” Dr. Mallappa continued. “That’s how many are suffering from severe exhaustion due to work. But it’s not just about feeling drained—it’s leading to psychosomatic disorders. Headaches, digestive issues, chronic fatigue. And let’s not even get started on lifestyle diseases—hypertension, diabetes, obesity.” He ticked them off on his fingers. 

“Sir, are you saying stress can actually cause those?” Chits asked, wide-eyed. 

“Absolutely. Emotional distress doesn’t just stay in your head, my dear. It manifests in the body. And the worst part? It’s not just work. This spills over into personal relationships, sleep patterns, even eating habits. Tell me, Sid, what happens when someone’s perpetually exhausted?” 

“They snap,” Sid replied. “They lose focus. Their relationships suffer.” 

“Exactly. Which is why work-life balance isn’t just a nice concept—it’s a necessity,” Dr. Mallappa said, setting his cup down with a decisive clink. “And organizations that don’t recognize this? Well, they’ll pay the price. Higher absenteeism, lower productivity, unhappy employees walking out the door.” 

Chats, always the practical one, jumped in. “So, what’s the fix? You can’t exactly tell your boss, ‘Sorry, I need a nap between meetings.’” 

Dr. Mallappa chuckled. “True, but balance isn’t about naps—it’s about structure. And that brings me to your question, my dear.” He turned to me with a smile. “How do we tackle it? Well, let’s break it down.” 

He leaned forward, fingers steepled, and began. 

**1. Time Distribution** 

“The first step is consciously allocating time for work, rest, and self-care. Many people work as if their energy is unlimited, but it isn’t. Overworking today means underperforming tomorrow. You have to balance these three elements so that you’re not constantly overwhelmed.” 

Sid nodded. “Like blocking time for things that matter instead of just reacting to whatever comes up?” 

“Exactly,” Dr. Mallappa said. “Otherwise, you’re just firefighting all day, every day.” 

**2. Handling Communication** 

“This is a big one,” he continued. “The work-from-anywhere culture has blurred boundaries. People take calls at dinner, check emails in bed, and are mentally at work 24/7. Set clear boundaries—dedicated work hours, no emails post a certain time, maybe even an ‘offline’ window in the evening.” 

Chats groaned. “Easier said than done, Sir. What if your boss expects you to be available all the time?” 

“That’s a culture problem,” Dr. Mallappa said. “And cultures change when enough people push back. You can start small—turning off notifications after work, setting up an autoresponder that politely says, ‘I’ll get back to you during work hours.’” 

Chits looked intrigued. “That sounds… doable.” 

**3. Prioritizing Tasks** 

“Now, let’s talk about what really needs to be done. Not everything is urgent, and not everything needs to be done by you,” he said. “Learn to prioritize. What’s high-impact? What’s just noise? Delegate where possible.” 

Sid grinned. “That’s where most people struggle—letting go.” 

Dr. Mallappa chuckled. “True. But trust me, the ability to prioritize and delegate separates the perpetually exhausted from the truly effective.” 

**4. Personal Development** 

“This one’s often overlooked,” he said, leaning back. “You must keep growing. Read. Attend workshops. Learn something new. It recharges you. Without personal growth, you stagnate, and stagnation breeds frustration.” 

Chats raised an eyebrow. “So, work-life balance isn’t just about working less?” 

“No, my friend,” Dr. Mallappa said, smiling. “It’s about working smarter and living better.” 

**The Business Side of Work-Life Balance** 

“And before you ask—yes, businesses benefit from this too,” he added. “Organizations that support work-life balance see lower absenteeism, better staff retention, stronger team morale. A stressed-out workforce is a weak workforce.” 

“That’s all well and good, Sir,” Chits said, “but most of us don’t have time for this level of self-care.” 

Dr. Mallappa’s eyes twinkled. “Ah, but what if I told you we’ve built a framework to make it easier?” 

Sid jumped in. “That’s where our 90-day program comes in! We help professionals systematically reduce stress and build resilience using hypnotherapy, Choice Theory, and Brain Potential techniques.” 

**1. Hypnotherapy** – “This helps reprogram stress responses at a subconscious level.” 

**2. Choice Theory** – “Teaches that stress isn’t just something that ‘happens’ to you. You have control over your responses.” 

**3. Brain Potential Technique** – “Strengthens cognitive resilience so you don’t crumble under pressure.” 

Dr. Mallappa smiled. “In short, we don’t just tell you to ‘manage stress’—we give you the tools to do it.” 

There was a brief silence as we digested all this. Even Chats looked interested. 

“Alright, Sir,” Chits finally said. “Let’s say I sign up for this 90-day thing. What happens?” 

“Well,” Sid grinned, “first, we figure out what’s really causing your stress. Then, we tailor the approach—whether it’s hypnotherapy, practical scheduling techniques, or lifestyle shifts. By the end, you’ll feel more in control. Less drained. More present in your own life.” 

I leaned back and stretched. “Sounds like something most of us need, honestly.” 

Dr. Mallappa nodded sagely. “Work is important, my friends, but so is living. You can either run yourself into the ground or learn to pace yourself. Your choice.” 

The kettle whistled, and someone poured another round of tea. Outside, the world rushed on, but for a moment, within our little tea circle, balance didn’t seem like such an impossible goal after all.