Re-ignite your passion for your job
It is a common story. You start out in a new job with stars in your eyes. All is quite hunky-dory in the beginning as you perform exceedingly well. Soon you earn the respect and appreciation of your colleagues and superiors. After a while though, things start to sour. Monotony sets in, and you no longer find your job challenging. You begin to feel exhausted, tired and physically run down, and the job that once seemed like a dream come true starts to resemble a mindless, so
ul-sapping chore that you can’t continue with.
Nevertheless, before you take off and quit your job in a rush make an effort to address your problems and see if you can make your current job work for you. Let’s be honest.
There is absolutely no guarantee that your next job will offer you emotional fulfilment. In fact, there are very few jobs in the world that don’t have an element of monotony attached to them, and consequently, burnout is something that can affect us at one point or another.
The damages of burnout however, are not irreparable. Here is some sound advice on how you can turn the situation around and re-ignite your passion for your current job.
Get to the root of the problem
What is causing your unhappiness? Is it the lack of challenging opportunities, or is it the boorish behaviour of colleagues or superiors? Are you bored of your job? Do you have too many commitments and too little time to fulfil them? Find out the reason behind your unhappiness and see if you can address the issues.
One step at a time
Often when we are under extreme stress, we feel completely out of control. Nothing seems to go right. Mistakes frequently happen and add to the confusion and misery. Remedy the situation by eating your elephant one spoonful at a time, so to speak. Multi-tasking simply does not work in such situations.
Take control of something small and manageable and get it done. For example, if your desk is totally cluttered and can be cleared in a few minutes, do it. Check your mail and clear your inbox. Choose an activity that’s quick and easy so that you can feel a sense of satisfaction and see the fruits of your labour.
Once it is complete and out of the way, you will find yourself in a more positive frame of mind, and better equipped to tackle the next task.
Track your successes
People suffering burn out often experience poor self-esteem. There may be times when one feels incapable of accomplishing anything, which simply is not true. When feeling down and out, one tends to only focus on the negative.
Get yourself a journal and track your successes, however small they may be, for each day. Give credit for every little report, phone call and email that you have successfully attended to. Reminding yourself of your successes is the best way to build your self-esteem and confidence.
You can do something different
Whenever a job seems to get monotonous, see if you can do something different to take your mind off the boredom.
Talk to your boss and find out if there are opportunities for lateral moves and for more interesting assignments. Find out if there is a training course that you can take to improve your skill sets. Consider job rotation and swap jobs with a colleague to try something new and different.
Join a professional organisation or network with positive people who can instill confidence in you.
Delegate
Burnout can affect your concentration and productivity and you may find that you cannot possibly get as much done as you normally do.
Accept the fact for what it is and ask for help. Take on only what you feel capable of handling and delegate as much as possible to friends and co-workers.
Take a break
All of us need time to rest, relax and recharge our body and mind.
Avoid negative people when you are under stress- this could mean your boss, colleagues or even family members who tend to be critical or make you feel incapable.
Make some quiet time for yourself away from your personal and professional commitments. Indulge in a hobby or go on a vacation. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious food and pamper yourself.
You will come back feeling refreshed and more positive about your job.
There are many signs of burnout. Feeling overwhelmed by your job, fatigued, tired, and short tempered are just some symptoms.
This does not necessarily imply that you can no longer regain your former enthusiasm and passion for the job.
More often than not, it is simply a matter of giving enough time and space for yourself.
Try it and see the dramatic improvement in your performance and productivity.
BINDU SRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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