Who Stole My Thunder? (About Burnout)

May 9, 2008 on 2:06 pm | In Burnout | No Comments

 

I use to be such a positive person and be in control of my life- What happened?

Do you see everything that comes your way as a problem, even a catastrophe?

Do you tend to fly off the handle over something that is relatively minor instead of addressing major issues in your life? (Called “sweating the small stuff”)?

Do you get road rage?

Do you spend more time stressing over a project than actually working on it?

Do activities that should be fun (spending time at a child’s baseball, soccer game) irritate you instead of being fun and relaxing?

These are just a few examples of how we have changed the joys of life into annoyances.  How did we get this way?   

Most employees appear to be able to juggle their time between work and family for a while, and then something happens.  Sometimes employees “feel” they are so important at work that they begin to place all of their energy and time into their jobs and neglect family time.  The funny thing is that we don’t even realize that we are neglecting our families (and ourselves) until someone points it out to us.  Of course, we disagree and inform the other family members that they don’t understand how important the job is, and the job will not demand as much time in the future.  Are we trying to convince the family members, or “ourselves”?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you are probably experiencing “excess stress” in your life (job or family).   If this is not recognized and managed properly, it could cause major health problems as well as family problems.  A certain amount of stress can be healthy: but the results of on-going, long lasting stress can affect your mind, body, and spirit.  When this stress becomes “out of control” it is called BURNOUT! 

Who is most at risk for BURNOUT?

·         Persons who show the most promise at the beginning of their careers.

·         Perfectionists and workaholics

·         High achievers

·         Persons who work in the “helping occupations”

·         Professionals in the medical field, law enforcement, and education are especially prone to burnout symptoms.

 

How do employees suffering from BURNOUT feel?

·         That they must answer for everything that happens

·         They blame others or the situation (rather than taking action for change)

·         They feel co-workers cooperate very little with them

·         Feel powerless to change things

·         They eventually assume a “martyr-like” position  

 

How does BURNOUT happen?

Burnout usually happens when a person’s life is “out of balance” whether at work or at home.  Most people do not realize that stress at home often preceeds stress at work.  Does the old saying “If MAMA ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” come to mind?  Burnout applies to home life, family life, and social obligations.  

What causes the excessive stress that leads to BURNOUT?

·        Poor time management

·        Not setting priorities/boundaries

·        Difficulties adapting to changes in the schedule or work routine

·        Feeling overwhelmed with responsibility

·        Lack of support from family or co-workers

   

How will I know if I am experiencing BURNOUT? (Early/Late signs)

·  Feeling fatigued and frustrated

·  Increased consumption of caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine

·  Total loss of interest in job/negative feelings about work

·  Withdrawal from other people/co-workers

·  Moodiness and irritability /chronic absenteeism 

·  Low self-esteem/productivity drops

 

Can BURNOUT be REVERSED? 

·         Examine how you perceive an issue

·         Laugh (humor and laughter are tremendous healers)

·         Share your feelings and concerns with co-workers/ supervisor

·         Set limits and take charge of your life (It’s OK to say NO)

·         Set boundaries at work/home/social activities

 

If you try these interventions and continue to experience feelings of BURNOUT, you might consider looking for a different job.  Being in a stimulating environment that motivates us to do our best is what helps to bring out our skills/talents that are unique to each of us. 

We are not doing ourselves, our agency, or our clients any good if we are not motivated to do our best.  There is a big difference in activity and actions: activity makes us appear to be busy, but having a good action plan is what produces results and increased productivity.  Having balance in our physical, spiritual, and emotional parts of our life is most important in living our life to the fullest potential.  If we can make a commitment to treat ourselves as well as we treat our clients and family members, maybe we will not experience BURNOUT and we can have our THUNDER back!