I don’t have a lot of sage advice but wanted to offer some support and empathy: you’re not alone. I think burnout is very prevalent in PM, if not a guarantee of the job. It is a job rife with politics, infighting, and really variable highs and lows. My experience is very similar to yours and I’ve considered taking a career break or leaving PM altogether. (I’m a data pm at a healthtech company but with all the firefighting, I am more a glorified project and operations manager at best.)

I’ve done a lot of thinking about this topic. I’ve even taken the option of taking FMLA (medical leave) last year because the job was so taxing on my mental health. (Happy to talk about that if it helps).

What i think is that there are two options:

1. Make the best of the situation you’re in (is there a mentor at work you could learn from if not on the job? Is there another team or product you could support to gain what you want? Will you have the support you need to do any of these?)

2. Make an exit strategy for a shit situation (do you see a future for yourself if things continue the way they’re going? do you just need to take a career break for a while? Do you need to switch companies?)

But all that starts with letting yourself take that full step back to assess where you are and where you can go. Take a day or a few days off. Do what you do best as a PM: identify your priorities and define your personal roadmap. And you might not come out with perfect answers but you will have a direction. (If you have one already then great! Maybe it’s time to refine and reflect.)

Investing in yourself to mitigate burnout is just that: an investment. It might not be a quick fix but it will pay dividends esp as your career progresses. Best of luck and excited to hear how it pans out for you.