Once you've burned out on something can you ever be un-burned out?

If so, how?

I'm feeling rather burned out with my job, but it's a great job and I don't want to leave it.

Any un-used vacation??

If you have vacation time coming up spread it out.

Another option is to take time off, but that could mean without pay.

Work part-time?

Your health comes first

I am taking almost 2 weeks off in a couple of weeks, but I took 5 weeks off last summer after a pretty significant surgery and still dreaded going back, so I don't know if 2 weeks will really help.

I'd love to go part time or prn (as needed), but cannot afford it thanks to hubby's recent midlife crisis/melt down.

It sucks that I'm not particularly artistic/talented. There's no best selling book rattling around in my head waiting to be written, nor is there craft that I have that I would love doing and make enough to live on.

My job use to be pretty fun, but due to recent staff changes, it now has become awful. I still have the same 2 hour daily commute that I've been running for the past 6 years and I'm pretty over that as well.

I have been working to improve my health and I have seen some improvement, but I still have a long way to go.

Thanks for the encouragement though Luv.

Look at your job differently. Making a different approach to the job is a way out of burn out. But it's work. For instance making customers a priority (if you're in a retail setting) can be reinventing and tiring. But it could bring about change.

[Edited 5/31/12 20:51pm]

kewlschool said:

If you ever "dread" going to work it's time to make a change. Even if it's doing the same job someplace else. Getting rid of some of that commute time would probably help, too.

It's hard to judge if being gone for five weeks because of surgery would help, though. Try having a REALLY good time on your upcoming vacation and see if that helps.

In general, and I've said this many times at the org, I can't say how important it is to start looking into doing something else/getting a different job sooner, rather than later, when you feel like this. You'd be amazed how good it will make you feel to know that other people would want you to work for them. And it's generally not any harder to get a job while employed (if not a little easier) if everything at your work is good right now (meaning, nobody at your current job would talk a hot mess to a prospective new employer). Just remember, if you get to that point you have to have a sit down with your current employer and let them know what you're doing.

[Edited 5/31/12 21:21pm]

i've burned out on mochis

Yes, I think you can get un-burned out, but it is really difficult. And especially in a situation like a job where you go every day, it is unlikely that you will have the chance to recover enough for the situation in your head to get better. You need way more distance than that.

My last vacation really just made me feel good about being away from work. It didn't help with the burnout at all.

Cerebus said:

If you ever "dread" going to work it's time to make a change. Even if it's doing the same job someplace else. Getting rid of some of that commute time would probably help, too.

It's hard to judge if being gone for five weeks because of surgery would help, though. Try having a REALLY good time on your upcoming vacation and see if that helps.

In general, and I've said this many times at the org, I can't say how important it is to start looking into doing something else/getting a different job sooner, rather than later, when you feel like this. You'd be amazed how good it will make you feel to know that other people would want you to work for them. And it's generally not any harder to get a job while employed (if not a little easier) if everything at your work is good right now (meaning, nobody at your current job would talk a hot mess to a prospective new employer). Just remember, if you get to that point you have to have a sit down with your current employer and let them know what you're doing.

[Edited 5/31/12 21:21pm]

The moment you realize that you wake up in the morning and dread going to work...it's time for a change.

PurpleJedi said:

The moment you realize that you wake up in the morning and dread going to work...it's time for a change.

Oh lawd I have gone through that to the point that the job itself was just a 'pay cheque'. I would start hating having to get up early and having to catch the bus.

luv4u said:

PurpleJedi said:

The moment you realize that you wake up in the morning and dread going to work...it's time for a change.

Oh lawd I have gone through that to the point that the job itself was just a 'pay cheque'. I would start hating having to get up early and having to catch the bus.

I think that there is a distinction though...

...IMO, you can have a job that's "just a paycheck" because it's boring, uninspiring, or simply a means towards something better...THEN you can have a job that you HATE and causes you undue stress just THINKING about getting out the door in the morning.

Before my company was sold to the people where I am now, my former dysfunctional boss was a tyrant and at one point everyone in the damned office QUIT except for me.

Being the diligent, loyal, schmuck that I am...I played jack-of-all-trades for a few weeks. It was so stressful that I would wake up every morning and VOMIT. I can't tell you how much hair I lost during that period. What made matters worse is that the boss was still an ASS even while I was holding the fort down solo.

THAT is when I put together a resume and went on Monster.com to search for a new job.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long for the company to be sold, and now even though the job is bland and uninspiring...I don't HATE it here. I actually like the people that I work with and I am appreciated.

Does that make sense?

Cerebus said:

If you ever "dread" going to work it's time to make a change. Even if it's doing the same job someplace else. Getting rid of some of that commute time would probably help, too.

It's hard to judge if being gone for five weeks because of surgery would help, though. Try having a REALLY good time on your upcoming vacation and see if that helps.

In general, and I've said this many times at the org, I can't say how important it is to start looking into doing something else/getting a different job sooner, rather than later, when you feel like this. You'd be amazed how good it will make you feel to know that other people would want you to work for them. And it's generally not any harder to get a job while employed (if not a little easier) if everything at your work is good right now (meaning, nobody at your current job would talk a hot mess to a prospective new employer). Just remember, if you get to that point you have to have a sit down with your current employer and let them know what you're doing.

At the same time, though - you have to be realistic and guard against "the grass is greener" syndrome.

I've experienced pretty significant burnout in my own career. And yet, I've stayed in (basically) the same job for the last 15 years. Why? Well, in part, because I've known other people who burned out here and went somewhere they thought would be better - only to admit later that they had only succeeded in going from the frying pan into the fire.

As corporate creative environments go, the one I'm in is still pretty good (dysfunctional as it may be at times). There are signs that it might be getting better for the writing crew, too. They're giving us more concepting opportunities again, as well as chances to do more interesting writing.

My point is that you have to be honest without yourself about the chances of a wholesale change producing the results you want. For me, what helped the most was to take a step back, let the job be what it is, remember that it is just that - a j-o-b, and work on finding "creative fulfillment" in another way.

I simply can't ignore the fact that most people would look at what I do and say, "Wow - what a cool job! And you make how much?!" As big a headache as I have at 3:00 every afternoon, my job (and life) is pretty decent. I'm just not sure finding another job (and I've looked) would make it better.

PurpleJedi said:

luv4u said:

Oh lawd I have gone through that to the point that the job itself was just a 'pay cheque'. I would start hating having to get up early and having to catch the bus.

I think that there is a distinction though...

...IMO, you can have a job that's "just a paycheck" because it's boring, uninspiring, or simply a means towards something better...THEN you can have a job that you HATE and causes you undue stress just THINKING about getting out the door in the morning.

Before my company was sold to the people where I am now, my former dysfunctional boss was a tyrant and at one point everyone in the damned office QUIT except for me.

Being the diligent, loyal, schmuck that I am...I played jack-of-all-trades for a few weeks. It was so stressful that I would wake up every morning and VOMIT. I can't tell you how much hair I lost during that period. What made matters worse is that the boss was still an ASS even while I was holding the fort down solo.

THAT is when I put together a resume and went on Monster.com to search for a new job.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long for the company to be sold, and now even though the job is bland and uninspiring...I don't HATE it here. I actually like the people that I work with and I am appreciated.

Does that make sense?

Having survived several bloody purges and less extreme regime changes, myself, it makes total sense.

Genesia said:

PurpleJedi said:

I think that there is a distinction though...

...IMO, you can have a job that's "just a paycheck" because it's boring, uninspiring, or simply a means towards something better...THEN you can have a job that you HATE and causes you undue stress just THINKING about getting out the door in the morning.

Before my company was sold to the people where I am now, my former dysfunctional boss was a tyrant and at one point everyone in the damned office QUIT except for me.

Being the diligent, loyal, schmuck that I am...I played jack-of-all-trades for a few weeks. It was so stressful that I would wake up every morning and VOMIT. I can't tell you how much hair I lost during that period. What made matters worse is that the boss was still an ASS even while I was holding the fort down solo.

THAT is when I put together a resume and went on Monster.com to search for a new job.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long for the company to be sold, and now even though the job is bland and uninspiring...I don't HATE it here. I actually like the people that I work with and I am appreciated.

Does that make sense?

Having survived several bloody purges and less extreme regime changes, myself, it makes total sense.

...and I totally get what you said in your previous post about the "grass is always greener" syndrome.

My buddy was miserable b/c he felt "uninspired" at work. He let his work slack, and started looking for a new job. They found out he was looking and fired him on the spot.

Now he's at a different company and is being PUSHED to do the things that he should've been doing anyway b/c the old company was lax with rules and the new one cracks the whip. He claims to be happy, but clearly misses the freedom to do as he pleased from before.

But that's my question.

Once you dread going to a job, can you do anything to undread going or do you have to get another job?

I can't get rid of the commute. There's only one place in my town that does mammos. They are not hiring and since they recently fired my husband, it's unlikely I'd be considered.

I can't move closer to the job I'm in now. I'm seriously upside down on my house.

I work at a premier hospital. It really is a great place to work, but I've been here, doing the same thing for years now and with recent personnel changes, it's not as great as it use to be.

A little over 2 years ago, a doctor that I really loved left. Since then we've had 3...4 doctors that are just ass-y. It's been a case of knowing that things would change. Preparing for things to change. Working through the changes, then finding that at the end of all the changes, shit sucks.

I agree and disagree with Genesia. You do have to be careful, but there also reaches a point when getting a new job that you may not love is still something different that the old job that you didn't love.

That's why it's great that you have the opportunity to be employed while looking at what's out there. Just spend thirty minutes a night or a couple hours on the weekend poking around. Look into anything else you could do with your training. Look into something you could do with your current training and a little more on top of that. Maybe take some classes just for the hell of it. That might lead you towards something else without you even realizing it. Do some online networking with groups and organizations involved with your profession. Those could lead you to something new or different as well.

But yeah, it is good to keep an eye on the reality that you're currently employed "at a premier hospital". It could be worse.

[Edited 6/1/12 18:39pm]

A career change in some related field??

Going back to school or online courses??

Opening up your own mammo clinic???

A possibility of you and your hubby relocating???

Make a list of pros and cons.

Cerebus said:

can u ask 4 a transfer??? if u can do that ~ it beats leaving

ThisOne said:

NBJ Happy B-Day to ya girl!!!

Question mammo tech I assume is a mammography technologist...

Does your education limit you only this field or can you branch out to other departments. Forgive me if that sounds crass but I'm ignorant in the education requirements of your field.

nammie said:

NBJ Happy B-Day to ya girl!!!

Question mammo tech I assume is a mammography technologist...

Does your education limit you only this field or can you branch out to other departments. Forgive me if that sounds crass but I'm ignorant in the education requirements of your field.

Thank you nammie!

I can change what we call modalities, but for some it would mean more school (no thank you).

Things are going a little better. Still feeling pretty fried, but hanging in there.

Nothinbutjoy said:

Cerebus said:

I agree and disagree with Genesia. You do have to be careful, but there also reaches a point when getting a new job that you may not love is still something different that the old job that you didn't love.

That's why it's great that you have the opportunity to be employed while looking at what's out there. Just spend thirty minutes a night or a couple hours on the weekend poking around. Look into anything else you could do with your training. Look into something you could do with your current training and a little more on top of that. Maybe take some classes just for the hell of it. That might lead you towards something else without you even realizing it. Do some online networking with groups and organizations involved with your profession. Those could lead you to something new or different as well.

But yeah, it is good to keep an eye on the reality that you're currently employed "at a premier hospital". It could be worse.

[Edited 6/1/12 18:39pm]

That's why I haven't made a move. I could definitely be in a worse place. Normally, I'm a very "glass half full" type of person, but it's been harder & harder to stay focused on my blessings. I went to school for this career. I'm good at it, if I do say so myself and I get paid well. I've just been hard charging for several years and there's no break in sight. 2 weeks off is not going to recharge 50 weeks of going full out. I look up different cities all the time, see if they are hiring mammo techs and what houses are for sale. I call it my sad little hobby.

I think that's a big part of the problem.

Do you have to take your vacation time in one-week chunks? Or can you take it in smaller bites?

One strategy I used to employ when I didn't have much vacation time was to use it to stretch holiday weekends. For example, the day before Memorial Day, we started "summer hours" (every Friday afternoon off). So I took vacation that morning and on Tuesday, May 29. That way, I got five days off for the price of 1-1/2 vacation days. Depending on what paid holidays they give you, you could arrange several quite lengthy weekends. It's not like getting several weeks off, but I think there's a psychological benefit to only having to work two or three days in a given week. (If nothing else, the commute doesn't wear you down so much that week.) If you have 10 days of vacation time, this would mean you could take a long weekend pretty much every other month.

Is there any opportunity to take unpaid leave? You wouldn't believe the difference having three weeks of vacation (instead of a measly two) can make. It might be worth looking into.

Genesia said:

Nothinbutjoy said:

Cerebus said: That's why I haven't made a move. I could definitely be in a worse place. Normally, I'm a very "glass half full" type of person, but it's been harder & harder to stay focused on my blessings. I went to school for this career. I'm good at it, if I do say so myself and I get paid well. I've just been hard charging for several years and there's no break in sight. 2 weeks off is not going to recharge 50 weeks of going full out. I look up different cities all the time, see if they are hiring mammo techs and what houses are for sale. I call it my sad little hobby.

I think that's a big part of the problem.

Do you have to take your vacation time in one-week chunks? Or can you take it in smaller bites?

One strategy I used to employ when I didn't have much vacation time was to use it to stretch holiday weekends. For example, the day before Memorial Day, we started "summer hours" (every Friday afternoon off). So I took vacation that morning and on Tuesday, May 29. That way, I got five days off for the price of 1-1/2 vacation days. Depending on what paid holidays they give you, you could arrange several quite lengthy weekends. It's not like getting several weeks off, but I think there's a psychological benefit to only having to work two or three days in a given week. (If nothing else, the commute doesn't wear you down so much that week.) If you have 10 days of vacation time, this would mean you could take a long weekend pretty much every other month.

Is there any opportunity to take unpaid leave? You wouldn't believe the difference having three weeks of vacation (instead of a measly two) can make. It might be worth looking into.

I have done that, but not regularly. We're about to go from Sick time/Vacation time/Personal Preference day to a PTO (Paid time off) system and we're getting a bit more time that way, so I'm hoping that will help.

We don't have the option to take unpaid leave.

I'm not familiar with your situation, however, I'm always opinionated, so here I go;

-I've left a job and once was made redundant in a very nasty way.

I miss the structure of working. Because you'r forced to get things done, you keep developing yourself. That's good. And because you have to work with your collegues, you stay in touch with people. I have days that I don't speak to anyone and notice I don't like to be around people anymore. I think being forced to interact with people keeps you sharp and in touch with variety.

Just hearing your own thougths limits development. Having to get up, have an external structure, flex your social skills, keeping up with latest working methods; these are all things that keep you developing eventhough it doesn't seem so. Maybe when you have a bad moment, you can remembert that some people would looove to have your job??? (It's lousy, I know, but sometimes it can help)

Are you sure the nagging feeling comes from the comute and job? What's going on at home with hubby? Is there a way you can influence that situation so it doesn't drain all your energy?

And why can't you move? What makes you attached to your house or village?

Especially if your husband does not have a job right now, maybe you both can apply to jobs anywhere in the world and start an adventure together? Midlife is a general a good moment for that.

And, I've posted this so often, however I will do it again, because I think it's the best one in it's league:

http://www.amazon.com/Coa...0809225379

Genesia said:

For example, the day before Memorial Day, we started "summer hours" (every Friday afternoon off). So I took vacation that morning and on Tuesday, May 29. That way, I got five days off for the price of 1-1/2 vacation days. Depending on what paid holidays they give you, you could arrange several quite lengthy weekends. It's not like getting several weeks off, but I think there's a psychological benefit to only having to work two or three days in a given week. (If nothing else, the commute doesn't wear you down so much that week.) If you have 10 days of vacation time, this would mean you could take a long weekend pretty much every other month.

I may just start doing this! I need to plan a weekend right now

NDRU said:

Genesia said:

My boss once said, "I don't know how you can use all that time." I said, "Watch and learn."

That long weekend advice is golden! Unfortunately, having been responsible for tracking vacation hours/sick time and/or scheduling at multiple companies I can tell you that it's often frowned upon and sometimes just not allowed. Particularly at places where vacation time needs to be scheduled ahead (from six months to a year at one place I worked) and multiple employees can't be gone at the same time (due to coverage issues). Honestly, it's my preferred way to use vacation time and personal days. But it can be huge headache for scheduling and personnel issues.

Cerebus said: