You may be suffering from job burnout if you think every day is a bad day. Job burnout usually stems from prolonged job-related stress, but it could just as easily happen to someone who loves their job and stays late ouOBt of choice. Job burnout can also stem from frustration with pay awards and promotions - working hard but receiving little recognition. Redundancies make people nervous about their own jobs which could cause them to overperform. Also, people often have to take up the slack for others who have been made redundant. Job burnout will affect the quantity and quality of your work, so if left unchecked, your job could be at risk.
Symptoms of Burnout
The symptoms of burnout include feelings of hopelessness, frustration, despair, irritability and apathy, which culminate in mental, physical and psychological exhaustion.
Burnout is also characterised by headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and stomach aches. Everyone is different so the symptoms will reflect the individual’s physical and psychological weak spots.
Studies show that burnout could put you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And it could lead to heart and vascular disease, stroke or cancer.
Causes of Burnout
The most likely cause of burnout for a Personal Assistant is either taking on too many tasks, or having too many tasks imposed on you. Working for someone who violates your self respect by belittling you, or feeling trapped in your job for economic reasons, are other stress factors. Some people will experience all of these factors simultaneously. One factor often leads to another.
Job burnout can trigger relationship and family problems, as it leads to disengagement, detachment and depression.
Tackling the problem
Tackling burnout involves reducing the stress factors that lead to burnout. Therefore, the immediate remedy is to avoid the stress triggers. Consider the following options. - Take time off - Change jobs - Transfer to another department - Speak to your boss and negotiate changes to your job description
The remedy you choose will depend on the nature of the stressors. For example, if the problem was caused by taking on too many tasks, agree a revised job description with your boss and stick to it. If the problem was caused by workplace bullying you could ask for a transfer.
Start an exercise regime, eat healthily and get plenty of sleep. This will improve your state of mind. In addition to this, consider doing assertiveness training and a course in stress management.
www.personal-assistant-tips.com provides tips, checklists and other resources to PAs, VAs, secretaries and other interested parties. There are a number of concise articles covering a wide variety of topics of interest to PAs. M. King
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Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:45:54
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