Do You Have Job Burnout?

If you are in a successful career, chances are you are enjoying what you do. You look forward to getting up everyday and getting ready to go to the job. Be happy, you are part of a privileged group. However, this is not the case with everybody. More often than not, people force themselves to go about their work everyday. Some realize it outright while others have no idea that they have touched career burnout. Career burnout can be resulted from a lot of things of which you might or might not be aware. Generally, there is a misconception that careers that involve a lot of physical labor result in burnout. This is not true. People who are in sedentary jobs or in proper white-collar jobs also feel burnt out.

Careers in all fields are prone to mental stress and anxiety leading to burnout. Whether you are a teacher, a banker, a manager or a clerk, you can experience job burnout at some or the other stage in your professional life. It can be both physical and psychological. Generally, job burnout can be defined as a state of inescapable fatigue, stress and frustration that sets in as because of your extra devotion to work, or way of life, or a professional experience that is not rewarding enough, or simply a lack of work-life balance. This is not a sudden experience but a gradual process. Sometimes, one is not even aware that this has set in. Job burnout clearly results in a lack of enthusiasm for work, a sense of failure and a general sense of disappointment towards life. Sometimes, this can become very dangerous. Thus, as soon as the symptoms are identified, one must look at arriving at a proper and timely solution.

Sometimes people shy away from owning up to job burnout. It is seen as a clear proof of having failed at the job that one was required to do. People feel that they have to like the work that they are doing, that they have to be tough and keep trying, that things will improve and that sooner or later their efforts will be recognized and rewarded. Thus, they end up dismissing that they have any job burnout. There are many clear symptoms such as not feeling enthusiastic about going to work, not caring for work, feeling anxious and reluctant, a sense of helplessness and a lack of control, perpetual weariness, boredom, guilt and a feeling as if there is no way out.

One should not ignore job burnout as it can lead to severe problems. There would be a certain decline in productivity, insensitivity and even lead to physical ailments. Some people go to the extremes of drug or alcohol abuse and even experience suicidal tendencies if job burnout is not treated in time. While everybody faces stress at the workplace, it is the way you handle it and the amount of control that you have on your fate that determines how burnt out you are at your job. Generally, managers are able to fare out better with job burnout because they feel they can control their fate. If you feel that you are losing control, others are dictating you in the job, you are prone to high degrees of job burnout. The lack of reward and recognition in the workplace, incompetent compensation, and unending tasks are the reasons that can lead to job burnout.

It is important to tend to the problem rather than ignore it. Firstly, stop ignoring the symptoms and stop denying that you might be suffering from job burnout. Once you are self-aware of the situation, it would be easier to deal with it. Then, you start looking at the problem in the face are able to do a step-by-step analysis of the whole situation and are thus able to deal with it better. Tackling one symptom at a time helps. Then, you have to believe that you and you only are in control of where your career goes. Even if there are hostile conditions at the workplace, you can still determine your professional destiny. This just might be a wake-up call. May be your career really needs an overhaul. You could consider changing profile or switching jobs. However, firstly you would have to determine what gives you real happiness.

You could look at avenues to grow outside your job, you could look at connecting with people whom you like or you could take classes to enhance your skills. The key is to introduce newness in your life. Also, look critically at your workplace and your daily work routine. If you feel there is no way out then you should probably take the first way out of your office. You have to do what you like and enjoy your job to avoid job burnout. Also, there has to be a balance in life and career. Never let a job take over your life.