Burnout, Red Tape, and Trust Issues (Oh My!): The Case for Workplace Autonomy

Are you stuck in a job where every decision feels like it needs five levels of approval? Do constant status updates and micromanagement have you feeling more like a robot than a real contributor? You’re not alone—and it’s time to talk about why autonomy at work isn’t just a luxury, but a necessity.

In this episode, we’re digging into the soul-crushing impact of red tape, micromanagement, and the lack of trust in the workplace. You’ll learn how the absence of workplace autonomy fuels burnout, kills motivation, and leaves you mentally checked out. Drawing on personal experience (hello, higher ed red tape!), I’ll break down why autonomy is essential for employee engagement, productivity, and creating a career that actually feels meaningful.

We’ll explore:
✔️ What workplace autonomy really means—and why you need it
✔️ The sneaky signs of burnout caused by micromanagement and bureaucracy
✔️ Real-life examples of autonomy killers that might sound way too familiar
✔️ Actionable steps to reclaim your autonomy—even in rigid roles

Whether you’re an employee feeling drained or a leader looking to create a more engaged team, this episode is packed with insights and practical advice.

Check out the detailed show notes (https://tarakermiet.com/podcast/) and leave your thoughts or questions about today's topic.

00:00 Introduction: The Autonomy Question

00:31 The Importance of Autonomy at Work

03:48 Scenarios of Low Autonomy

07:52 The Impact of Micromanagement and Red Tape

08:50 Steps to Reclaim Autonomy

10:11 Advice for Leaders and Managers

11:23 Conclusion: Taking Back Control

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction: The Autonomy Question
• 1:17 The Importance of Autonomy at Work
• 4:34 Scenarios of Low Autonomy
• 8:38 The Impact of Micromanagement and Red Tape
• 9:36 Steps to Reclaim Autonomy
• 10:57 Advice for Leaders and Managers
• 12:09 Conclusion: Taking Back Control

Transcript

[00:00:00] So here's a question for you. When's the last time you made a decision at work without needing five people to sign off on it? Or here's another one. How many times this week have you had to give someone an update on something that they probably didn't even need to know about? I'm talking about those little status updates on things you've totally got handled, but for some reason you still have to check in about.

That right there, my friend, is a sign you might be missing a little something called autonomy at work. And today we're going to dig into why autonomy isn't just a nice to have, but is actually essential. And trust me, I know all about this from my days working in higher ed, the layers of approvals, the committees for committees, the endless policies that make even the simplest task feel like you're trudging through mud.

It's the very definition of red tape, and I didn't like it. We're talking about practically needing to loop in a committee for every [00:01:00] paperclip purchase. And heaven forbid you need a second one, you might actually need another round of approvals. By the time you got the okay to do anything, the motivation to actually do it was long gone.

Listen, autonomy at work isn't just about being able to make a few decisions or having control over where you put your stapler. It's actually one of the biggest factors in whether you're motivated or headed straight for burnout. So today we're going to get real about autonomy, why it's so damn important and how the lack of it turns us into those miserable clock watching zombies.

So grab a drink. Settle in, and let's get into why feeling like a passenger in your own job is a surefire way to burn out.

Autonomy is basically the freedom to do your job without somebody hovering over you, second guessing every decision, and [00:02:00] micromanaging you to the point of insanity. It's trust, plain and simple. When you have autonomy, it means that your boss or your team believes that you're actually capable of handling things.

It's the ability to make decisions, get creative, and actually own what you're doing. It's trusting yourself to get things done and knowing that your boss or manager trusts you to do it too. Autonomy is what actually gives meaning to what you're doing every day. But unfortunately, in so many places, autonomy is treated like a nice to have rather than an absolute must. You might feel more like you're following orders than actually doing anything that feels like yours. And that's the problem. When all you're doing is checking boxes handed down by someone else, it's not long before your energy, your drive, and yeah, your mental health start taking a hit.

And that's ridiculous. Because autonomy isn't some perk you get to enjoy when you're employee of the month. It's what keeps you from feeling like a [00:03:00] freaking robot. I mean, let me ask you this. Do you feel excited to show up to a job where you're only following orders with no room to make decisions? Of course not.

No one does. We're human. We need a sense of control, a sense of ownership over what we do. Autonomy gives you ownership over what you're doing. It lets you use your brain, bring in your creativity, and actually make a difference. When you don't have that, you're basically stuck following a to do list someone else handed you, and honestly, what's motivating about that?

But let me be clear here. Autonomy isn't about throwing structure out the window or doing whatever you want. It's about having enough space to work in a way that feels natural, meaningful, and honestly, a little bit fun.

Now let me throw out a few scenarios, and you tell me if they sound familiar. I'll bet one of these hits close to home. So, scenario number one. You're constantly waiting on approvals. Like [00:04:00] even to send an email, you're double checking with somebody else. You're trying to make things happen, but every decision has to be run up the ladder for a stamp of approval from folks who probably haven't touched your project in months.

Or you've got scenario two. You've got a boss who's always checking in. Like, always. Every tiny detail needs a status update, and it's not even about deadlines or quality anymore. It's really about control. They need to know what you're doing every second of every day to the point where you feel like you're back in high school asking for a hall pass to go to the bathroom.

And then there's scenario three. Your job is so scripted that if you had a cardboard cutout at your desk, no one would probably even notice. Every task, every project is pre planned to the point where your only job is to follow the instructions.

If you're nodding along, then yeah, you're probably low on autonomy. And the worst part? You may not even realize how draining it is because you're just [00:05:00] surviving. But that lack of autonomy eats away at you. When there's no autonomy, every decision feels like a debate. Everything has to go through the chain.

And what happens then? You end up waiting around for approvals and updates, getting pulled into status meetings that suck up more time than they're worth, and my personal favorite, you spend more time telling people what you're about to do than actually doing it. I hear this all the time. People feel like their jobs are basically just them waiting for permission to do their jobs.

And it's exhausting. I know what it's like to feel passionate about your work but have that passion slowly chipped away by endless red tape. In higher ed, it's so easy to start with the best of intentions and big ideas only to find yourself stuck in a system that's more focused on process than progress.

I remember watching amazing, dedicated colleagues feel like their hands were tied by all the red tape. They were just so [00:06:00] bogged down by structure that any real innovation or excitement started to feel impossible. I mean, let's imagine this. Every single decision you make at work requires a quick sign off from someone else.

Sending an email? You better check with your boss first. Got an idea for how to speed up a process? Let's run it by three levels of management. Hell, wanna switch where the stapler goes? That'll need a committee. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's what lack of autonomy looks like. See, when you're waiting for approval all the time, you lose momentum. You lose confidence, too. You start thinking, maybe they don't trust me, or maybe I'm not good enough to make these decisions. And before you know it, you're mentally checked out. You're there physically, but you're not really there, you know?

It's like you're running on autopilot, just doing what you're told to avoid rocking the boat. And let me tell you, autopilot doesn't fuel anybody's drive for too long. When [00:07:00] you have zero say in what you're doing, it's more than just annoying. It's like your brain is saying, why should I even care? You lose that connection to work.

You're just following someone else's script, right? And that's a mental drain because humans, believe it or not, actually need a sense of control. It's really part of what keeps us motivated. When we don't get that, here's what happens. We start checking out mentally. We lose that spark. The enthusiasm that we had for the job?

Gone. And soon, every day just feels like we're showing up, putting in the hours, and leaving. Rinse and repeat. If you've ever felt that way, let me tell you, you're probably not overworked. You're under autonomied. Yeah, I just made that up, but you get the point. Without autonomy, work loses its meaning. Now I want to talk about a few of these autonomy killers specifically because they're everywhere.

First up, micromanagement. [00:08:00] You know that boss who needs updates every five minutes like it's a crime if they're not cc'd on every email? Micromanagement screams, I don't trust you. And guess what happens when someone doesn't trust you? You start doubting yourself and you don't trust yourself. Suddenly you're asking yourself, wait, do I know how to do this?

When you absolutely do. Then there's red tape and bureaucracy. The hoops you have to jump through just to get something small done. Have you ever worked somewhere that required five different approvals to order office supplies?

So what do you do if you're in one of those roles that's more do as you're told than run with it? Let's be real, not everyone can walk into the boss's office and demand complete control. But there are little ways to start taking back some autonomy. [00:09:00] First, set some boundaries. If you're dealing with a micromanager, take control of how you update them.

Instead of getting constant check ins, offer to send a weekly or bi weekly update with everything they need to know. This way you're showing them that you're on top of it, but on your terms. It sounds simple, but it can make a huge difference in how often you're interrupted. Second, ask to own a specific task or project. Even if it's a small one, having something that you can take full control of can boost your motivation like you wouldn't believe. Maybe you can't take over the whole department, but maybe there is a task or project that you could run solo. Frame it as a win win.

You get to show what you can do and your boss has one less thing to worry about. And third, find small ways to make the work feel like yours. I mean, I get it. Not every job has a ton of flexibility, but look for little tweaks that you can make to your process, your workspace, or your approach that [00:10:00] give you a sense of ownership. Even in the most rigid roles, there's usually something that you can do your way.

Trust me, every bit of control you add does make a difference. Now, if you're a leader or manager tuning in, I'm talking to you too, because creating a culture of autonomy, isn't just for employees. It's also on the people running the show. If you want to keep your team engaged and avoid burnout, start with autonomy.

Give people room to make decisions. Don't make every tiny task a group activity and trust your team to do their jobs and give them space to run with ideas. Autonomy doesn't mean no oversight, but it does mean trusting people to do the work without having to monitor their every freaking move. When you give people the space to own their projects, make decisions, and use their strengths, productivity skyrockets.

Because here's the not so secret secret. People work best when they feel like their work [00:11:00] actually matters. If you want a motivated, engaged team, it's time to start giving them some freedom. Cut down on unnecessary check ins, let people lead where they can, and watch how they step up when they're actually trusted to do their damn jobs.

People don't leave jobs where they feel trusted. They leave jobs where they feel controlled, monitored, and stifled.

All right, so let's wrap this up. Autonomy isn't a perk. It's essential for engagement, motivation and avoiding burnout. If you're feeling drained, ask yourself, do you have a say in what you're doing? Or are you just following orders? If it's the latter, think about where you can take back a bit of control, advocate for yourself, even in small ways, and remember that you deserve to have ownership over your work.

So here's my challenge for you. Find one tiny area in your work this week, where you can make a change. One thing that you can control. Maybe it's one task you can own from start to [00:12:00] finish, or one process that you can tweak just a little bit. It doesn't have to be huge, just a small change that's yours.

Because taking back that little bit of autonomy is a step toward making your job feel like yours again. And as always, thanks for tuning in. If this hit home for you, let me know. Drop a comment or send me a DM on Instagram to share your own experiences with autonomy at work.

if you're ready to create a career that you actually want to show up for, stick around because we're just getting started, friend. At the end of the day, you deserve more than just clocking in. You deserve to feel like your work has purpose and autonomy is where that starts.