Self-Helpless: True Tales of a Working Girl: Work Burnout

4/11/2006

Work Burnout

I was recently doing some research on the effects of work burnout and was directed to a link on ivillage.com They had a test you could take to see if you suffered the signs of work burnout. So I took their test. I answered the questions as though I wasn’t leaving my job in 3 days.

Based on the results, this was what they had to say about my answers:

Your score indicates that you have many signs of burnout.

People that score in this range sometimes have trouble coping with the demands of daily life. They often feel overwhelmed. They sometimes lack energy and are unable to manage stress. They have trouble sleeping and have many physical complaints (hmmm, like acid reflux? ).

People who score in this range are not usually able to set realistic and attainable goals for themselves. They can be pessimistic about their work and future. They are often unable to relax and enjoy their non-working time. They have a very difficult time separating work life and home life.

People who score in this range cannot typically control and recognise their feelings or act on them appropriately. They sometimes have difficulty learning from their mistakes. They often lack compassion and respect for other people. They can feel isolated and alone.

People who score in this range can be excellent workers. However, because of their desire to get ahead they often take on too much work and responsibility. They often become so overwhelmed that they lose their focus and are not able to do their best work. They can become confused about what is expected of them and become distressed when they feel they are not living up to assumed expectations. They can become bitter, angry and resentful.

However, there is hope for people on the verge of burnout so don’t give up! You can regain control and begin to enjoy your work again. People who score in this range can decrease their level of burnout by setting realistic work goals (as if it was ever up to me!), making time for themselves, exercising, being open to the idea of changing jobs (HELLO?), reading books about handling stress (one of the reasons I have this blog), keeping a diary, pursuing an interest outside work (my new business), spending time with their families and friends, overcoming negative thoughts (it’s called Wellbutrin ), getting involved in some community activity, and, most importantly, by learning to say no (or: I QUIT).

You can definitely get back on track! Good luck.

It’s funny, I’m hearing a lot of the same comments from people when they hear that I’m leaving my job. Usually, it’s “Thank GOD you’re finally out of there!!!” Looking back on the really bad times, it’s crazy to think of what I went through there. Remembering what it was like telling people almost felt as though they didn’t always believe that what I was saying actually happened. It wasn’t even supposed to go on for this long; everyone I spoke to was convinced I’d be out of there sooner. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case… but that’s not important now.

I’M OUT IN 3 DAYS!!!

# posted by The Pied Piper @ 8:24 PM

Comments:

IP worked retail for 4 years while going to college. Midway through year 4, (6 mo's or so from graduation), IP started publicly counting down the days to "parole." Everytime a manager would ask IP to do something he didn't care to, IP would... but with a defiant black-panther style fist in the air and a cry of "188 more days!"

3 more has a much nicer ring to it. 2 more... now that's poetry.

# posted by