Congressional Management Foundation | Preventing Burnout: Using the Science of Stress & Energy Management to Reset and Recover

Burnout is on the rise. Remote work has blurred personal and professional boundaries for workers everywhere, while a marked increase in meetings has also resulted in longer workdays. For Congress, add in the increased constituent demands and operational changes of the past year, traumatic attacks on the Capitol, and no substantive break in the congressional calendar, and congressional staff are left feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

Working harder and working longer hours are NOT the answer. Join the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) and SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, as we welcome special guests, Dr. Sahar Yousef and Professor Lucas Miller of the Becoming Superhuman Lab, who offer data-driven guidance on topics such as:

How burnout is different from stress and depression
How to reverse the slow damage it does to the brain and body
Practical frameworks and tips for beating burnout and Zoom fatigue and tapping into your energy reserves

RECORDING ONLY AVAILABLE Through May 22

"Preventing Burnout: Using the Science of Stress & Energy Management to Reset and Recover" was held on Wednesday, May 5 from 2-3:30pm Eastern/11-12:30pm Pacific. The recording of this program was only available until May 22.

Here's what a few congressional staffers had to say about the session:

"Thank you so much for putting this event together.
It sounds like hyperbole, but this session changed my life."

"This presentation was amazing! I really enjoyed this."

"Thank you for a wonderful presentation. I look forward to watching this over again."

"Chiefs of Staffs, Managers, District Directors and even Members should take this training."

The viewing window for this recording has expired, but you can still take advantage of the resources from the Becoming Superhuman Lab:

Sign up for their monthly newsletter that summarizes new research and includes practical tips for the community (optional code "CMF") at: becomingsuperhuman.science/#resources and follow them on Instagram @becomingsuperhumanlab!

**BONUS: All attendees also have exclusive access to a simple, 3-minute tool to quickly assess your burnout risk: https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUqMvdFkRtYMBDw

If you have any questions about this program, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , CMF's Acting Vice President/Director of Research & Publications.

About the Presenters

Dr. Sahar Yousef and Professor Lucas Miller are cognitive neuroscientists and the youngest faculty in UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. They co-run “Becoming Superhuman,” a training and consulting firm that teaches busy professionals who think for a living how to get their most important work done, in less time, with less stress. Everything they offer has been rigorously tested and refined, then thoroughly vetted by high-performing teams in high-pressure industries. They have worked with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, and VISA, and have been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Business Insider.

More Information

The "Life in Congress" project is a partnership between CMF and SHRM that seeks to identify human resource challenges in Congress and provide recommendations for overcoming them in order to make Congress a better place for both Members and staffers to work.

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building trust and effectiveness in Congress. CMF does not employ or retain a registered lobbyist. Our programs comply with both House and Senate ethics rules and laws, allowing staff to attend. Learn more at CongressFoundation.org and on Twitter @CongressFdn.

SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today's evolving workplaces. With 300,000+ HR and business executive members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 115 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org and on Twitter @SHRM.