Do Product Marketers Burnout Faster?

Facing burnout head-on over the past few weeks has made me wonder a bigger question about my profession: do Product Marketers burnout faster than other roles?

I wonder this because of the nature of our jobs: we’re constantly seeking to connect, to learn, to gain insight, to draw conclusions, but then we must also turn around and deliver, educate, inform, create, and promote.

It’s a bit like publishing a hopefully world-changing research paper every single day. Forever. 

Or maybe like being one of those chefs who travels the world for inspiration. Except they do that every day, and then have to put a new meal on the table in time for dinner.

I’m exaggerating, of course. But the nature of product marketing does sometimes feel like we’re all things to all parts of the business, both strategic and execution.

And that can start to impact anyone.

What are the Signs of Burnout in Product Marketers?

Burnout is real, and it can have a huge impact on your health, work performance, and overall wellbeing.

One common sign is feeling overwhelmed or under-resourced. Whether it's because of too many tasks or not enough resources, the workload can become overwhelming and take its toll on your mental health.

Another sign is constantly feeling drained. If you find yourself constantly tired and unable to focus on work, that could be a red flag. 🚩

Finally, if you notice a decrease in motivation or enthusiasm for your work, that could be a sign of burnout. If you're feeling unmotivated and uninspired by the day-to-day tasks of product marketing, it's time to take a step back and reassess.

So, How Do We Fix It?

I’ve started to frame what motivates me into concrete ideas, then using these to regain momentum. The three things that seriously motivate me at any job (not just in product marketing!) are passion, knowledge, and success.

• Passion in Product Marketing - I need to feel connected to what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.

• Knowledge is Power - I need time and space to learn and gain insights in order to share them.

• Measuring Success, not Just Attaining It. - I need the ability to measure success and failure in order to improve.

Fill Your Cups.

Each of these things represents one of my cups. And when I feel one of the cups starting to run dry, I know that burnout is heading my way.

So I’m starting a new thing where I focus on filling a cup, one at a time. Here’s what I mean.

Filling My Passion Cup

This one is a bit tough to pin down, but when I focus on it, I find it incredibly rewarding. This involves asking the fundamental questions about why I’m doing the work I’m doing. What am I fixing? Who am I helping? How are their lives better?

Finding passion in what I do helps drive me forward so that even when I have a fantastic vacation or a much-needed break, I’m motivated to return to work, not dreading it.

Filling My Knowledge Cup

This can be one of the more relaxing ways to combat burnout, while still getting things done. I love to read, especially books in my field or about the problems my product seeks to solve. But when I’m feeling burnt out, I start to lose the appetite for knowledge in favor of just completing the day-to-day.

Make time for learning. Set it aside. Block out your calendar. Ask your manager for it. Learning things and gaining insight is one of the top traits of good product marketing at an organization; they benefit when you’re able to take time to do it — then share what you’ve learned to make your product better.

Filling My Success Cup

I’m not the only one who’s motivated by numbers going up.

But what de-motivates me? Numbers I can’t even measure. Being unable to attribute success (or even failure!) to my work leaves me overwhelmed and unable to invest my time and brainpower to the right things.

I need to be able to measure outcomes in order to adequately feel successful at all. This comes down to working toward solid operational foundations at your organization.

• Do you have a clear understanding of where users or buyers come from and how they get there?

• Do you have a clear understanding of where users go and what they do?

• Do you have a clear understand of how they feel about your product?

Start by working toward answering these fundamental questions with your organization; you can’t do it alone.

I can’t think of a time when all 3 cups will be filled at once (and let’s face it, my personal table looks more like a bake sale than a wine tasting), but it’s a start. And it helps me visualize and organize these feelings of burnout into actionable feelings.

And hey, when I’m feeling less overwhelmed, I’m able to create more stuff like this newsletter!