A Fool-proof Solution to Marketing Burnout
If you’re in marketing right now and fatigue is setting in from the constant pivots, the “always-on” expectations, the creative well running dry… Know this: you’re not alone.
When you love what you do but it starts to feel like a slog, that’s not just being tired. That’s marketing burnout. We came into this field for creativity, connection, and storytelling. But when the deadlines, metrics and trends pile up, the joy is suddenly MIA.
The good news is there’s a practical solution.
The numbers tell a story.
Let’s start by looking at who’s actually experiencing the burnout, and whether or not we should really be concerned.
According to a 2025 Marketing Week survey of more than 3,500 marketers, 58% said they felt overwhelmed in the past year, and 50% reported emotional exhaustion. Nearly half (48%) said they no longer enjoy the work that once inspired them. What’s worse: If you’re on a smaller team, the numbers spike even higher: In organizations under 250 employees, nearly 60% of marketers report feeling overwhelmed.
And even though burnout rates among marketing professionals are 30% higher than the general workforce (ANC Global HR), it feels like no one outside of the marketing scope seems to understand or pay attention to it.
Apparently, your team can’t be “always on” without consequence.
Modern marketing seems designed for burnout. Every campaign feels urgent, and every trend feels mandatory. Just when you get good at one discipline (like design), you’re expected to become the expert in five more (like socials, analytics, SEO). And if we can be cynical for just one second, plenty of the other departments have teams of people tackling the same amount of tasks that are piled onto just you.
So, how do we fix it?
The answer’s definitely not another workflow app or a mandatory “wellness hour” (looking at you, HR).
We can sum the solution up into three easy steps:
I know, they sound obvious. But taking a quick moment for each of these can truly change how you show up to your work and team.
(And if they don’t, I included some “next steps” at the end of this post for you to consider!)
1 — Reconnect: With people and perspective.
Burnout thrives in isolation.
Marketing is, at its core, about human connection, but ironically, the job can make you feel completely disconnected from people.
Reach out to your peers. Check in with your team. Talk honestly about how you’re really doing. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is share the mental load or a laugh about the pressure you’re all facing.
Community restores clarity, and reconnecting with others will help refresh your perspective on your work.
2 — Reframe: Bring back the Why.
Remember when you first started in marketing?
You probably lit up at the idea of getting a paycheck to do work that you love. That spark is still there, it’s just buried under your metrics and deadlines.
Reframe your work: Connect daily tasks back to their original intent:
Why does this campaign matter?
What change are we trying to create?
How does this work connect to our values?
When your purpose is clear, creativity follows. The goal isn’t to do more, but to make what you do matter.
3 — Reset: Clear the Clutter.
Before you can reignite creativity, you have to clear space for it.
Look at everything currently on your plate: the projects, meetings, recurring tasks, and even “quick asks” that may go unnoticed or undocumented.
Now ask yourself honestly:
What’s truly driving impact, and what’s just noise?
What could be 1) automated, 2) delegated, or 3) paused for a season?
You can’t create from chaos. The “reset” phase is about reclaiming mental breathing room so you can think strategically again, instead of constantly reacting or putting out fires.
”The workload problem isn’t me, it’s coming from someone above me…”
We’ve all been there.
If you’ve already tried these three steps and nothing’s working, you may be ready to talk about your workload with your boss. Sometimes leadership doesn’t fully see what it’s like in your position. They don’t feel the stress of wearing all the hats, switching context when going from project to project, or how your “urgent” tasks keep piling up no matter how hard you work.
That’s where Videre Bonum comes in. Our flexible marketing subscription gives team members like you real support. For a low monthly cost, we come alongside you to tackle that heavy workload without sacrificing quality or turn times. It’s a practical way to make the work manageable while keeping creativity and strategy alive.
Click here to learn more about Videre Bonum’s monthly subscription.
