Medical experts on Saturday urged company directors and business leaders to prioritise their mental and physical wellbeing, warning that burnout can adversely affect workplace productivity, decision-making and corporate governance.
They made the call at the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria’s “Walk for Life” event in Lagos, themed “From Burnout to Bloom: Recharge, Reconnect and Restore.”
Speaking at the event, the experts said burnout affects physical health, emotional wellbeing and workplace productivity. They called on organisations to create psychologically safe workplaces, integrate employee wellbeing into performance indicators and encourage healthier lifestyles to improve performance and strengthen corporate governance.
Consultant Physician at Iwosan Euracare Family Medicine, Dr. Babafemi Adenuga, described burnout as an occupational condition caused by chronic workplace stress that is not properly managed.
According to Dr. Adenuga, burnout goes beyond ordinary tiredness, affecting physical health, emotional wellbeing and workplace productivity. He said available data showed that about 57 per cent of Nigerians experience daily stress, while between 30 and 50 per cent of workers face workplace-related mental health challenges.
Adenuga added that studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that about 49 per cent of doctors in Lagos experienced burnout.
According to him, prolonged burnout increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, weakens the immune system, impairs concentration and reduces professional effectiveness. He identified persistent exhaustion, irritability, poor concentration, social withdrawal, increased dependence on stimulants, recurrent illnesses and declining workplace performance as common warning signs of burnout.
Adenuga attributed the high rate of burnout in Nigeria to long commuting hours, poor infrastructure, economic pressures, toxic workplace cultures and societal attitudes that equate vulnerability with weakness.
He said recovery requires adequate sleep, healthy nutrition, regular exercise, meaningful social connections, stress management and maintaining clear work-life boundaries.
“Energy management is more important than time management. Sustainable success requires recovery, and strong leaders know when to rest,” Dr. Adenuga said. He urged organisations to integrate employee wellbeing into performance indicators, conduct regular staff wellness assessments and create psychologically safe workplaces.
Also speaking, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. GbonjubolaAbiru said many professionals experiencing burnout are often unaware of the condition because they overlook its early symptoms.
Abiru identified poor sleep, unhealthy eating habits, irritability, social withdrawal and emotional exhaustion as early indicators of burnout. She urged workers to cultivate healthy habits, maintain social relationships and practise what she described as “mental hygiene” to preserve their mental and physical wellbeing.
The President of CIoD Nigeria, Adetunji Oyebanji, said the growing demands of leadership have led many directors to neglect their health while pursuing organisational excellence.
According to Oyebanji, healthy directors are essential for building resilient boards and sustainable institutions.
He said physically fit, mentally alert and emotionally resilient directors are better positioned to provide sound judgment, strategic oversight and ethical leadership.
“Healthy directors build healthy boards, and healthy boards build resilient institutions,” Oyebanji said. “This event is much more than a fitness walk. It is a call to action for every director and leader to embrace healthier living, manage stress more intentionally and prioritise personal wellbeing with the same diligence devoted to corporate performance.”
Chairperson of the CIoD Health and Social Services Sectoral Group, Dr. Pamela Ajayi, said the initiative was aimed at raising awareness of the impact of stress and burnout on directors’ health and corporate decision-making. According to Dr. Ajayi, directors experiencing burnout may unknowingly make poor boardroom decisions with consequences for organisations and the wider economy. She encouraged directors to adopt regular physical exercise, particularly walking, as part of preventive healthcare.
“Walking is an important part of staying healthy, and we want directors to understand the need to take care of themselves,” Dr. Ajayi said.
