Burning at Both Ends

Aaron says he feels burnt out. He just cannot keep going like this anymore.

It’s important to first understand how common this is and that you are not alone with these feelings. That said, it doesn’t negate the situation. I am not a doctor so to identify symptoms of burnout and some solutions, I recommend this article from Mayo Clinic. For mental and physical wellness, please consult a physician.

How did you get to this point? How do you keep it from happening again?

1. Identify the aspects of the role you enjoy. If the job were all bad, you wouldn’t have accepted it in the first place. If it were all about the money, there are other jobs that also pay a salary. If you enjoy the people you work with, they’ll still be your friends if you leave. Think about the role itself and what you enjoy about it.

2. Can you improve your situation? Maybe you’re in a position to delegate or talk to your manager/project manager about your workload. It could be this is a temporary peak time that will be ending soon or they might be able to move some things around for you.

3. Focus on what you can control. You control your mental and physical well-being. You control what you may say yes or no to. You control when and if you ask for help. Once you feel like you are in control of what’s happening, you’ll be able to think more clearly about the situation.

4. Don’t make a rash decision. Many decisions are made from emotional responses. Check out this article from The Mentor Mission on how to take the emotion out of the equation. You don’t want to end up right back in this situation again. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

5. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if you have to turn on a flashlight and put the light there yourself, know that things can and will get better. We can figure out how to get there together. I personally find calm by looking at a body of water. There is always something to look forward to even if it’s blocked by the darkness of the current moment.

I have been burnt out myself and I won’t make light of the feeling. Your job is not everything you are as a human and things can improve. It may take time. It may take work. You will get there.

If someone you know tells you they’re burnt out, ask them how you can help. They likely just need someone to listen.