I’ve experienced burnout in my last 3 agency roles and am currently in a role at one of the most toxic environments I’ve ever experienced. Starting to feel really jaded about the biz. Is it possible to experience healthy work life balance and find a non toxic culture in this industry?

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I am feeling burn out right now and I am taking a step back. I stopped putting 100% into work and instead 70%. This helped me a lot by giving me the ability to give more effort instead of running full steam constantly.

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I have yet to find a non-toxic company (agency or client side), or one that doesn’t burn me out. I guess it is me… I’m clearly the problem.

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Honestly, I don't think any service-based position escapes the toxicity. Mostly bc we're at the beck and call of clients and some are better than others...but managing clients is just hard and not for everyone

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As someone who has also experienced burnout in the past, I can definitely relate to how you're feeling. It can be really discouraging to constantly deal with toxic environments and a lack of work-life balance. However, I do believe that there are companies out there that prioritize employee well-being and a positive work culture. It may take some time and effort to find the right fit, but don't give up hope.

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There’s no such thing. Even agencies that swear they are the anti-agency become an exact copy of the same toxic environments— long hours, favoritism, etc included. You’re at the mercy of clients at the end of the day. Giant Spoon and the newer agencies try to be different but nope. It’s a self-serving county club with people so jaded and driven by awards that help their ego.

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I definitely felt this way on the agency side. I moved client side a few years ago (in-house agency) and while it’s not all rainbows and sugar, it’s significantly less toxic and exhausting. I think it really comes down to the culture of the agency / client and how much you are able to just tackle your workload without being expected to go above and beyond on new work and new biz often.

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@AS1 since I’m at the in house agency I didn’t really have to market my skill set in a different way. I also got lucky as this brand was a former client of mine on the agency side and I was referred in by my old marketing director client, which goes a long way. If you have any opportunity to network your way in with former clients I highly recommend it.

In general your title will go down going from agency to brand side as agency titles are quite inflated. I was a director and now I’m a sr. Manager. But it’s worth it for me to get my foot in the door. Felt more like a lateral to me then a “step down”

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Yes, it is absolutely possible to find a healthy work-life balance and a non-toxic culture in the advertising industry. However, it may take some effort and research on your part to find the right company and work environment. Look for companies with a reputation for promoting work-life balance and a positive culture.

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