Burnout

Have you been working so hard that you seem to hate your job? Have you been at the same job for so long that your job does not posse any more challenges to you? Have you felt apathetic at your job to the extent that the joy and excitement you used to get hitherto, seem to have flown out of the window and you are left unfulfilled and dried up? Have you encountered so much trouble and stress concentrating to execute simple tasks or writing simple reports that it all seem like pulling a bad tooth? Is your job so boring that you just do not want to be bothered? Do you lack motivation of late? Are you always complaining and nagging about anything and everything; concerning anybody and everybody? Are you short-tempered, feeling tired and having headache all the time? Do these observations seem familiar to you? My friend, you are exhibiting signs and symptoms of burnout! It is time to stop, think and take action.

Though burnout may seem to be a common problem among doctors, social workers, nurses, counselors, therapists, priests and teachers, etc. this really is a common sickness or disease plaguing every working person in our society who does not take care of self. Those working in helping relationship fields cannot afford not to take care of themselves. They are, what Henri Nouwen called, ‘wounded Healers.’ They must be prepared to heal their own wounds first if they are in any way to contribute to the welfare of others. People in these categories, according to Richard D Parsons, in his book, The Skills of Helping, “often experience emotional stress and even depression as a direct result of their involvement, or perhaps more accurately stated, over-involvement with their client, and client’s problems.” It is a point worth noting that helping people can be very tasking and indeed “extremely hazardous to your physical and mental health.”

According to a study carried out in 1980, Burnout can be described “as an experience marked by the progressive loss of idealism, energy, and purpose. It is an ongoing process of depletion of energy, increased fatigue, and a general debilitation of one’s functioning.” Burnout may be caused by a number of factors and working conditions, which will elevate our stress level. At times we may feel overworked and unappreciated, isolated or we may lack focus and objective in our work. We may lack the support that we need to the point that we feel we are all alone. We may have forgotten self-care, like our annual physical health examination, or eating balanced diet, we may not be sleeping well, or we may not be exercising, or take some time out to pray, to think and to reflect. We may not take a day off or go on vacation or we may not simply do the things that give us joy. We may be too busy worrying about life until life passes us by. We may even spend our time trying to please everyone and displeasing ourselves in the process. We may be taking ourselves too seriously or taking more than our fair share of the normal workload because we do not want anyone to blame us. It could also be that we are overpersonalizing everything and take every negative comment personally. These and many other reasons may be the cause of our burnout.

So what is the remedy? It is simple. If you feel that you are not a generous person, all you need do is start being generous. In the same way, if you examine yourself based on the questions raised at the beginning of this posting, then read down to what some of the causes may be, then begin by picking one thing at a time and do something about it. First of all learn to take some time out to think, to pray, to reflect and to examine your life. Remember, unexamined life is not worth living. Meditation and prayer can work miracles in your life. Learn to take a walk and admire the flowers around you and begin to enjoy the melodious tunes of the birds. Do not forget to read a good book every now and then. Go for a movie and relax your brain. Do not forget, a good laughter is a powerful remedy for the soul.

Please take a good care of yourself. It is important for you to eat properly, rest, and exercise. Be sure to stay healthy. Keep in mind that an unhealthy worker is of no use to the company. Learn to manage you time well and do not be overburdened by trivial things. They only drain your energy and spirit. Avoid hateful and annoying people; they are vexation to the soul. Always seek counsel from your peers. No one has any monopoly of knowledge.

Plan vacation into your schedule and, please make sure you leave you job behind when you pack your bag. Many people pack their job into their vacation bag and feel worse after vacation. Enjoy the company of good friends. A good bottle of beer or wine will only gladden your heart. Find perspective in your life and burnout will never come any way near you. Take care and be happy!