Don’t Ignore Burnout

  

Burnout becomes a way of life for many people nowadays. If you are working on a job that is highly stressful and demanding, or a job that does not fit with your interests  and skills, or are you  trying to reach some unrealistic goals. These are among the common scenarios of impending burnout. But you have no choice the economy is tight, unemployment is on the rise and your skills are limited. Jobs are scarce these days and you can’t afford to be picky. You have a family to support, need to pay bills and bring foods on the table three square meals a day. In other words, you work to live. You can’t just quit your job every time you hit a wall.  

Many of us are worried that the feeling of burnout will strike anytime soon and if it does,  you wonder if you will ever recover from it.  What will you do if you won’t? Burnout is inevitable,  the question is when. Focusing on prevention is a smart thing to do, by learning how to recognize it’s early signs so you can take steps before it becomes your worst nightmare. The earlier the stage of burnout you are in, the easier it will be to find a solution to the situation. Sometimes a simple stress management strategy is all what it takes to solve the problem.

Listen to your body and mind when it’s telling you “I am exhausted and I need a break”.  Most people are stubborn on this, they would say, “I can’t afford to take a break, I have so many bills to pay” so they ignore the warning signs and force themselves to work through it. The end result, your energy reserves has depleted and you feel  extremely exhausted not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well.  


After all, some people burnout because they work too long and too hard. The key is to balance life, there should be a time for work and time to relax and have fun. Reward yourself with an enjoyable and relaxing vacation occasionally. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, by eating healthy foods, exercising and sleeping adequately. Get a physical check up to make sure you have no hidden health problem that is causing you to be depressed or makes you extremely exhausted.

On the other side, burnout can sometimes be used as a motivation. Sometimes it’s a signal that there is an exciting new adventure just around the corner waiting for you. Listen to your inner voice and it will tell you what it is. Like for example, when I experienced burnout few years back, I had a long and hard soul searching and self analysis for months. I was desperate and depressed. Then one day an idea came about.  I went back to college and pursued a nursing degree. I was grateful that my husband and my son were always there as my support system. Though college life was not devoid of stress and pressures, the change of atmosphere and the feeling of hope and sense of accomplishment were all worth the journey. If not for my burnout, I would probably still doing the same job as a hotel maid until now. I would have been missing out on the great opportunity!