The High Cost of Burnout
The High Cost of Burnout
Carl is exhausted. As a special education teacher he loves mentoring and supporting children with special needs. It requires patience, sensitivity, and perseverance – qualities Carl has, up until recently, had in spades.
But there are some dark clouds circling Carl. “I’m tired and have called in sick more in the past month than I did all year, but there’s nothing really wrong with me, physically.” He goes on to say, ‘…the past few weeks I’ve been losing my temper with my students and the kids I coach on the soccer team. Even my coworkers, who’ve always been supportive of me, annoy me now. I don’t know what to make of it.”
Carl confesses he’s been searching the classifieds for a mindless, 9-5 job. He shrugs it off and says it’ll pass, joking he’s just ‘blue’ or has a melancholy streak. But he knows better. He isn’t blue or melancholy. He’s burned out and he’s paying the price in terms of his personal and professional relationships, his health, and overall wellbeing.
When we’re burned out we tend to make more mistakes, have more workplace accidents, call in sick more frequently, show up late more often, and quit more hastily. But it doesn’t stop there.
Burnout also impacts us off the job. It affects our relationships, finances, and health. We disengage from the people and things we love. We have less energy to spend quality time with our family and friends, or to maintain an exercise regimen. And when we are tired it is easier to find comfort in foods high in sugar and fat, or alcohol.
Carl’s burnout fueled his overall dissatisfaction with life. It was not only negatively impacting his happiness and wellbeing, but those around him were suffering too. Once he discovered he was burned out he decided to do something about it.
He reached out to a few trusted friends and family, shared his feelings, and with their support he’s reducing his commitments and taking time to rest and re-evaluate his life and his priorities.
If you are suffering from burnout what has it cost you in terms of your relationships, your stress level, and your overall wellbeing?
Don’t let burnout cost you one more day of suffering. Take at least one step today to reclaim your time, your health and your happiness. Then two tomorrow, and three the next.
Join me for my webinar: Entrepreneur Burnout: How to Refill your tank when life has you feeling empty!