There’s constant pressure to perform and achieve. In our quest to excel we can often lose sight of what is important and go ‘off the rails. In our efforts to prove ourselves, we work longer hours, we take on more work load and we don’t say “No” often enough. The thing is, I have seen people give their all for a job just to be given the boot at some later stage without even a “thank you” from the company.
Wise advice I received years ago was, “There’s only one Mandy, the company you work for will carry on…” I saw the truth in this statement and understood that there is a lot of exploitation in today’s work environment. Don’t be a fool. Corporations want to squeeze every bit of life out of you that they can and they will do it if you allow them to.
Signs out burnout:
Lower tolerance of daily frustrations
Disturbed sleep
Low motivation
Feeling drained and exhausted
Lack of enjoyment in general
Inability to focus
Forgetful
Know your value and don’t allow consistent exploitation to become part of your life. No career is worth that. It’s okay to do the odd bit of overtime and work odd hours now and then but if you get very little appreciation/recognition (especially financially) and it is expected that you will work like a slave, it’s time to re-assess. Quality of life is paramount and it should come before a high income.
Research has shown time and time again that money is all good and well – it gives you freedom but if you are miserable, stressed and unhealthy, it’s not going to do you much good. Place value of a quality of life. Strive for work-life balance and take regular breaks from work. Don’t skip your lunch hour unless you absolutely have to. No one ever, at the end of their life wishes they’d worked more…
Mandy X
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
