Job Burnout
By: Michael S. Broder Ph.D.
What is job burnout? Well, consider this. You once approached your work in a dedicated and enthusiastic way. You felt that you were making an important contribution, but like most challenges found that your field has built in frustrations. These could be conflicts with the people you serve, co-workers or the system itself.
Slowly you began to feel a sense for stagnation, this leads to apathy. At some point you don’t even feel like trying anymore. But it’s not your nature to stop trying. So you experience this conflict as chronic cynicism, depression, feelings of hopelessness, or low self esteem specifically related to your job or profession. This is job burnout.
If you’re in this dilemma, first stop putting yourself down. Do whatever you can to change the situation. But if you’re truly powerless to change things at work, consider a career or job change that will bring that sense of enthusiasm back. It's usually the most dedicated people who burnout. (Think of it this way. the term “burn out” uses the metaphor of fire. Thus to burn out, you had to have been on fire.)
The longer you wait in addressing the situation, the more likely it is that this apathy and the other affects of burnout will spread to other areas of your life.
Est. 1987