Burn out

[rbh]

So who has experienced work burn out / stress?
And how did you get yourself back into the swing of things again?

 

[12vMan]

Re: Burn out

Been there/ done that. To start with I took a few 3 & 4 day weekends to just get away and clear my head and give me a fresh perspective. Then I started exercising more and daily to help the stress. If you can, implement new, innovative operations to change things up a little and get away from the norm. Anything that gives you a change is good when you're in this rut.
Getting together with friends and talk about it helps too because you really find out you're not alone at all.
Hang in there

 

[rbh]

Re: Burn out

I am finding it is not always best to have your business based out of your home/shop because at the end of the day it becomes really really difficult to just walk away and not stare at all the things that need fixing or paper work that still needs to be done.

 

[Smuggler's Blues]

Re: Burn out

My $.02 if you want it. I do several jobs, and of those one is PD and another is Dispatching as well as investigating animal abuse, all are very stressful and suffer a very high rate of burn out. Personally what I do is try to find something that has nothing to do with any of them. I like to work on my Mustang when I can find time or just go out and fish. I am hoping to add boating to the equation soon. So as far as advice goes I would say that what ever you are doing that is burning you out, find something that you can do that has nothing to do with it. A good vacation couldnt hurt either. Sometimes it is nice to just get away from everything. No cell phone, no email, nothing. (just iboats of course).

Either way just remember that no matter what, the sun will come up tomorrow morning and you will have another chance to enjoy another beautiful day on this rock we call Earth.

 

[JB]

Re: Burn out

This is the main reason I counsel people to make a living doing something they love to do, even if it pays a lot less than the meat grinder.

I got sick of looking for a new job every 2-3 years during the 70s and early 80s because no high tech company wants a high paid Training Director when they are reducing staff.

I love to teach, so I went to work as an instructor in Tech Colleges at about what I had paid in income taxes the previous year.

Yes, I was eventually running the schools, but I had fun and didn't worry about a roller coaster economy.

Life is too short to have a career that kills you early.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Burn out

JB,The last line is absolutely true and anyone who believes that maybe their situation,should seriously consider a change.I stayed at several jobs way past time to move on.I can still recall the remarkable"weight off my chest/shoulders feeling that started as soon as I left each of these jobs,driving home for the last time.The first one, I had no new job lined up,but I didnt care!I and my soon to be wife immediatly took a week vacation at the N.C coast and I think it was the happiest time of my life!Buddy had a crappy RV right on the beach at Salter Path, but we enjoyed it more than the most expensive hotel or rental on the island. If its just burn out but you do enjoy the job,A good vacation can do wonders and you may come back recharged and ready to get back to the old grind.

 

[rbh]

Re: Burn out

^^^^^
Whats a vacation??? (6 hours on the boat last year, 8 on the dirt bike, and no camping trips)

I am married to my company, with the money we have invested in equipment and tools I have to make it pay "OR ELSE"

I have been doing this work for 27 years, and I do enjoy it when things go good, but lately I can not get my thoughts on track.

I think I need to get away, just hard to.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Burn out

Are you your own boss? Thats a tough one.The vacation might not help as much if your gonna worry about it all while your on it.Are you sure its not partly the winter blues I hear is common in the cold north?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Burn out

Well you need to break or change your routine ........

Wake up earlier and read a book, exercise, make breakfast for the family..... things done before work are easier to do then trying to rush a day to do things after work.

What kind of business if you don't mind me asking?

 

[rbh]

Re: Burn out

^^^^ BVT)

I have been doing telecom/cable tv.
When we began we were just doing private cable plant design/eng, placing, splice and test.
Then we started to work for the telco and cable companies do to lack of work.
copper, coax, fiber
(I really liked the private work!! )

 

[Guest]

Re: Burn out

That is an easy one to answer. GET OUT ON YOUR BOAT FOR A LONG WHILE WITH NO PHONES!

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Burn out

I can feel your pain. Stress can hit in many forms and at any time. I to are involved in a stress full job and get blind sided all the time. One thing that helps me is to learn not to get excited and take things in stride. The sun always rises the next day and you will cross that bridge when you get to it. I find when stress hit me the hardest is when I get overwhelmed and try to do to much to fast.

Step back think about what you have to do make a game plan and do it.

If it was easy every one would be doing it.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Burn out

Rbh this is spooky,I just started a job {10 months}Installing everything from below the raised floor up! in a large data center.Im a contractor and had absolutly no exp.I currently enjoy the work but it can be fast paced and hot sometimes w the heat from the servers/etc.Then there are jobs that HAVE to be completed At X time,overnight or over the weekend because of user volume?.Organized chaos does not describe It.The crew gets cranky at 4 am after 12 or 20 hrs.The guys who have been there for years are constantly stressed in the day to day,technical errors in work orders,that have to be corrected promptly,and turn around on new help.Working around active equipment is tough to do quickly but very carefully!!Oh crap do I need my own thread?A boat ride anywhere in BC should be refreshing! looking at the map in my atlas.at least a couple of days/nights.By the way we all deal w the stress w alot of yelling,sarcasm,insults,humiliation,teasing,and occasional practical jokes,while trying to act professonal in front of other contractors and employees of the big company.lots of drama.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Burn out

^^^^^
Whats a vacation??? (6 hours on the boat last year, 8 on the dirt bike, and no camping trips)

I am married to my company, with the money we have invested in equipment and tools I have to make it pay "OR ELSE"

I have been doing this work for 27 years, and I do enjoy it when things go good, but lately I can not get my thoughts on track.

I think I need to get away, just hard to.

Take a break! If you can't find the time, the intensive care ward will find it for you. I have yet to find a graveyard headstone with the inscription, "I wish I had spent more time at work"

 

[hrdwrkingacguy]

Re: Burn out

I have yet to find a graveyard headstone with the inscription, "I wish I had spent more time at work"

There is a song by Billy Ray Cirus of all people called "busy man" and in it is that line that I have tried to live my life by...I am a horrible work-a-holic...

 

[ttugrad]

Re: Burn out

I feel your pain, I tend to do the work that not many want to do because of the stress. I investigated child abuse for about 5 years (average burn out time 18 months) and now I teach special education for children who are emotionally disturbed. I find helping and protecting others fufilling and love to work with kids. The jobs have been stressful to say the least but now I have a built in break (summer) that allows me to refocus on myself and why I do this work in the first place. Without this time I don't think that I could continue. I can't imagine doing any stressful work without built in time off

Take some time off to focus your thoughts and plan your future. If after that you still feel the same about your job, move on if you can. It has already been said, but life IS too short to hate what you do for 8+ hours a day.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Burn out

Take a wannabe under your wing and show him/her the ropes. Feels real good to see the lights go on in their eyes.

 

[bandit86]

Re: Burn out

Hire an intern, once they can answer the phone and stuff for you it will be easier on you. Work a day in tje field with the guys, it is a great change in scenery, sometimes I work on construction sites and it's like a working vacation. Take time off, if you are the boss it might be harder. Or, sell the company, if you can make enough to pay your mortgagie off and car off you can get another job to sustain yourself

 

[rbh]

Re: Burn out

The only problem I face is a lack of trained personell, as well as a stable non dope smokin youth.

WE GOT NO ONE THAT WANTS TO WORK, and those that do, you do not want them!!!!

(I hate livin in the sticks for this reason)

 

[df909]

Re: Burn out

I like to build things. I suck at it, but I still like to. We have a pretty nice raised vegetable garden in the yard, covered storage area on the side of the house, nice chicken coop & run,... I turn on my music and just have fun with power tools. My wife & kids are usually pretty good about leaving me alone.

I also love riding my mountain bike. It's good exercise, something you can do as a group or alone, and you can check out nice scenery. I've scoped out hiking, camping, & fishing spots while on my bike.