Jean

Labor Day always seems like a beginning–often the start of the school year, but even for those of us way past that time, it feels like a new start. Summer is almost over and something different lies ahead of us. But, if you’re like me, it’s easy to get stuck in old habits, and that sense of newness evaporates as our routines take over.

Snakes go through an amazing transformation when they shed their skins. You may have come across an old snake-skin when you’re out hiking–a ghostly image of its former owner. Since burnout is often the cause of our resistance to change, take a moment today to think about one thing you could shed–one thing you no longer need. It might be resentment, or being overly responsible, or letting small things ruin the big picture. Maybe it’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had the courage to initiate, like taking a drawing class or signing up for singing lessons.

There are no simple solutions to a complex problem such as burnout, but if you take one small action today, one small step, you’ll be amazed by the power that has to help you shed your old skin and enjoy the present.

If you’re experiencing burnout, you may be like many people and blame your condition on external factors. Perhaps you have a demanding boss, or young children at home, or are caring for a sick parent. You feel as if you never have any time for yourself as you rush from one thing to the next, always late, frazzled and unfocused. And while external factors often play a large role in creating burnout, it’s only part of the picture.

Who we are, our responses, how we handle stress, are just as important as the external causes of burnout. So here’s one quick exercise you can do right now to find out how you’re contributing to your own burnout:

1. Write down one thing that’s bothering you.
2. Add to that, how you could be part of the problem. Are you, for example, overly responsible? Are you carrying grudges that make you irritable? Write down one characteristic that you have that could make that problem worse.
3. Lastly, what one step could you take today to change your reaction? Could you, for example, take a few deep breaths before you answer someone who’s annoyed with you? Could you let go of feeling responsible for everything and let yourself be in this moment? Is there something you could learn to laugh at?

There are no quick solutions to the complicated problem of burnout, but see if some small steps start to get you headed in the right direction. And please share what’s worked for you.

Last week I had the pleasure of talking about Stopping Burnout and Re-Energizing Your Job Search to Land a Great Job at the Schmoozer’s Networking Group in West Hartford. Someone in the audience brought up the fact that poor strategy when looking for work contributes to burnout. And I agree. What happens when you don’t have a plan or when your plan doesn’t reflect smart ways to look for work? You get discouraged, and over time, this can lead to burnout as you’re using up energy faster than it’s restored.

This is one reason why Job Search Work Teams are so effective as they help job seekers run a diverse and effective search campaign. My latest course, “Turn Off Your Computer and Get a Job!” is another way to ensure you’re searching smart. Take a look at the first three lessons on the online component of my class:  https://www.avanoo.com/first3/527. What else can you do? Get a search buddy, add one fun thing to every day (I showed off the baby mittens I made myself and gave them away), help your friends, read a good book, join LinkedIn groups, exercise, and systematically go after the jobs you really want.

I’ve been speaking to high-level officers at nonprofit organizations to find out more about how burnout is affecting their business. It’s bad, as it is in the corporate sector. We’re all being asked to do more with less support. We’re given projects that can’t be completed without heroic efforts. So what do you do?

My first tip is just notice it–notice what you’re being asked to do. Then pay attention to the symptoms–are you irritable, always rushing, multi-tasking and not producing quality work? How are your colleagues handing similar pressure? Try to use your sense of humor, or find ways to can take better care of yourself, whether that’s exercise, keeping a journal or cultivating gratitude.

Let me know your burnout challenges and I’ll be glad to offer suggestions. The best book  out there in my opinion, is “Banishing Burnout” by Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter. Get it from your library and take a step toward saying no to burnout.

I watched a Ted Talk yesterday on meditation and it reminded me how important it is to be present–to enjoy the moment. One of the serious threats of burnout is the inability to be present as our minds are a constant loop of hurt, resentment, feeling over-worked and under-appreciated.

What’s one step you could take today to break this cycle? Notice–just notice how your busy mind likes drama–likes the emotional high of feeling wronged. Don’t try to fix it, don’t talk about it, just notice, as if you’re watching a movie about someone else. Take a few deep breaths, and as you exhale, see if you can loosen your hold on these feelings. Maybe you can visualize them floating away.

Over time, you may be able to replace them, but for today, noticing is enough. See how this changes your day.

It’s easy to blame our jobs, our bosses, our families for feeling stressed out and burned out. But today I’d like you to think about something a bit diffrent and that is, what do you do that leads to your own burnout? Let me give you an example. Having lost my job a few times (a really good experience for a career coach by the way), I realized that I had a loyalty problem. And that was I tended to be overly loyal, what I’ve come to think of as “dumb loyal.” Out of balance loyal. This then leads to disappointment when the company you work for says, “Thanks you did great work but your position has been eliminated.” So I’ve learned to be “smart loyal”–still doing my best at work, but not expecting the company to take care of my career. That’s my  job.

See if you can find one way in which your attitude or behavior is making things more difficult for yourself. Then try to adjust it so that you’re not contributing to your own burnout. These small steps can have huge results.