LAST week we brought the first part of this piece in which a reader, Novelette S, asked our Career Advisor for help addressing her feelings of frustration at her workplace, which, she said, was her dream job up until recently. Now, instead of zeal, she feels overwhelmed, constant fatigue, and she never completes her workload.

Our advisor suggested that she may either be overworked, burnt-out, or both, and listed some common signs of job burnout.

Her response continues here:

Assuming that you are in fact experiencing burnout, you can and should take immediate action to stem the tide as far as possible. Consider the following:

I. Accept that you are experiencing job burnout and be determined to find a solution

II. Adopt a healthy lifestyle — Pay attention to your diet, exercise, rest and sleep. Visit your doctor for a thorough medical evaluation.

III. Detoxify your mind — Be determined to replace every negative thought with a positive one. A positive attitude will foster your success and healing.

IV. Improve your communication skills — Polish your skills; pay particular attention to your ability to listen and convey your ideas. Your non-verbal communication habits should also be monitored.

V. Build an inner circle of friends — Choose people who are supportive and positive. These should be people who will be honest and frank in their feedback to you.

VI. Take work breaks — Take breaks from tasks. Use your vacation leave for rest and relaxation. This will allow you to be refreshed when you return to work.

VII. Define your outcomes — Be sure you have a clear understanding of the expected outcomes of your job tasks. Begin with the end in mind. Where possible, organise to complete one task well before embarking on others. Attempting to multi-task often leads to inefficiency.

VIII. Learn to prioritise — Be realistic about what you are able to accomplish in any given day. Determine which tasks are urgent.

IX. Have fun — Dedicate time to have fun. Plan simple activities that would include some of your co-workers. Learn to ‘let your hair down’. Laughter is the best medicine.

X. Detach — Separate work time from personal time. Make a commitment that you will not take work or work issues home. If you must take work home, set and adhere to cut-off times.

Job burnout is not necessarily an indication that you are in the wrong job, the wrong company, or that you are incompetent. It often is an indication that you need to clinically assess your circumstances and take positive action. Should the suggestions listed above fail to yield favourable results, it might be time to seek another job.

Sincerely,

Career Advisor

Carolyn Marie Smith is Interim Vice-President, Student Services, at Northern Caribbean University. Submit your questions to her at careeradvisor@ncu.edu.jm