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The Slow Burn
by Karin Call
December 7, 2000
Top 20 Signs That You Need a Vacation
You find yourself shouting, "Honey, I'm home" when you get to your cubicle in the morning."
- Dilbert.com
What is burnout? To an IT professional it's just another day. But according to Dictionary.com, it's defined as a person "...who is worn out physically or emotionally, as from long-term stress."
Sound familiar?
Burnout doesn't happen overnight. There are definite indicators. (Notwithstanding the overwhelming desire to bolt from your current lifestyle in favor of life on the farm without electricity or running water.) These indicators are commonplace in the world of IT and warrant your attention.
You may want to try tuning in to you loved ones once in a while, too; they usually see you heading straight for the fire long before you even see the spark.
Signs, signs everywhere a sign
Lets face it: your job description’s objectives are not based in reality. Your boss, who wrote the document, doesn't get the gist of technology. After all, he has yet to find the on/off button for his computer. Therefore, everything remotely related to technology gets routed to you: advertisements, faxes, telephone calls, sales people, and so on. You’re the sys admin and yet you find yourself writing the company Web site and troubleshooting colleague’s home computers. This position is more than you bargained for.
It just isn't fun anymore. Tasks are repetitive and boring and yet they are part of your job. When will these people learn to fix a paper jam without your patient guidance anyway?
So you feel needed. That's nice. Too nice. You're so indispensable that taking a vacation is not an option. And if you do slip away for a few days, don't forget the cell phone from
Hell - a direct link to the guy who is trying to cover for you.
One company perk is that lunch is catered in for all employees. That would be great if you had time for lunch. And when you do, it takes on an entirely different meaning: doing lunch means falling asleep, face first, in your soup again.
How many pieces of chicken and noodles must you peel off your forehead before your co-workers realize you aren't putting on a performance solely for their amusement? You're hungry and exhausted. Being tired, even when you've logged in a solid eight hours of sleep the night before is another sign of burnout.
Human UPS
First, before your circuits explode, learn to say no when you're asked to do more than you can handle.
Do you really think it's appropriate for coworkers to ask you to help them with their home computers anyway? Well, put it this way: how improper would it be for you to hunt down the custodian and ask for directions on fixing your furnace - while you take detailed notes. And then, when he’s done explaining, ask him, with a heavy sigh, if he would mind coming over to fix it. Or, if it’s easier for him, you could haul it in to work so he can work on it in his spare time. All for free of course. Something’s not quite right here.
Here's a useful word: delegate. Just maybe you’re not so indispensable. Be sure someone is skilled at backing you up and helping you out when times are rough.
Are you all alone? Propose a job restructuring. Ask to take on an assistant or a secretary. Do it formally on paper. Then use your presentation skills to drive the point home. Unplug your bosses network connection until he complies. Okay maybe not.
Sometimes it's a matter of getting away from the old repetitive tasks and getting involved in a project that invigorates you. Give away the responsibilities that can be passed on, and if possible, go to a seminar to learn a new task. If nothing else, try varying duties in your daily work routine.
Giving the Ho Hos the heave ho
If you've been neglecting your health, change your eating habits. Bring nutritious snacks to work. Try exercising more frequently in order to gain energy, instead of being addicted to the vending machine sugar high. No time? Even sit-ups and stretches performed in your cubicle can help. Never mind the fact that everyone is standing around laughing at you. They're all stiff and out of shape, but you don’t have to be.
Renew friendships. What ever happened to your buddy who works in Human Resources? Alright, so he got fired a couple years ago. But there must be someone else out there that you can have an occasional lunch with - out of the office.
Laughter, the best medicine
Okay, have a field day with this one. But remember, for some people it may work. Feng Shui.
No, it's not a sneeze and it's not a mysterious disease. In case you aren't already familiar with it, Feng Shui is all about the Chinese art of balance of energy and living in harmony with your environment. Do an Internet search or pick up a book on the subject. Although this concept may be too far fetched for some of your logical, methodical minds, it also may just give you a good laugh.
Speaking of which, try to keep your sense of humor. Few people suffer from burnout when they are having a good time. Of course your boss may think it's unusual that you burst out laughing every time you pass him in the hall. But he'll get used to it.
Final Curtain
Burnout is synonymous with the IT profession. It can be realized and avoided. But when you wake up in the morning with a pain in your stomach, hoping it's appendicitis so you can have surgery and miss work, you know it's time to change. If these modifications don't help and the future still looks dim, it may be time to move on to another position. Another company may 'get it'.
And if the new company is more deserving of you, then they are darn lucky to have you.
Recommended links:
Burnout Quiz
Beating burnout before it beats you
Succeed without burnout...book excerpt
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