On Burnout - Part 3

First of all, if you haven’t read part1 and part2 in this series, this will not make much sense to you. It still may not make sense, even if you read them, but it without reading them, it’s a given.

In conclusion

Before we finish things up, please remember that I don’t have any credentials whatsoever in psychology or related fields. I also haven’t looked for studies or papers that back up the claim I’m going to make. In fact, I’m not going to make any broad claims at all. My subject of study consists of me and me alone. That means it may apply to you, or it may not. We are all individuals, we are all different.

So, here’s my take…

A high workload is not what makes me stressed. What makes me stressed, and what will finally lead to me burning out if I let it go on for long enough, is a high workload in combination with:

• not seeing any progress, despite all the effort
• not seeing an end to the increased workload
• not being able to schedule my private life
• having chores or tasks waiting to be done, and a backlog that keeps building up
• having to neglect my friends and family for a prolonged period of time, just so i can keep up with work

Like I said, this may or may not apply to you. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people find some recognition in this. Working hard, at least for a limited time, is not the problem. The problem is when it turns into an endless grind that forces you to give up on other important things.

This blog, and all the nonsense I usually write here is mostly for my own entertainment and enjoyment. This series on burnout, however, is a bit different. I really hope you got something out of it, and that you take care of yourself and look after your health. We are imperfect creatures, and we will make mistakes along our winding journey. Most of those mistakes can be fixed. Having a mild burnout will probably be fixable, too.

Alas, it seems many of us are prone to repeat that exact mistake, making it harder and harder to fix each time. For those who remember Elwood, my colleague from part2, he did just that. After a looong time away from the office, he finally returned, only to immediately fall into the same pattern again, and finally going deep into depression. He then left that workplace and had to find someplace new to work. I hope he is doing well.

I don’t want this to happen to you. I don’t want that to happen to anyone. So please, look after yourself, your friends and your colleagues.