COLUMN: Helpful tips for surviving burnout
The feeling crept up on me almost suddenly. I stared at the computer screen slightly dazed as perfectly crafted sentences exploded into a haze of meaningless black and white. My head felt heavy, and my eyes squinted against the screen’s suddenly powerful glow. Weeks of 12-hour days were finally claiming my ability to perform under pressure. It was nearing 10 p.m., and my body was struggling with the stress of hammering out the day’s fourth news story. Journalism – the profession I love – was losing its sheen, or perhaps I was. Either way, work at the small Michigan newspaper I had joined only three months ago wasn’t fun anymore. I stopped typing, and leaned back in my chair to face reality: I was burned out.
The realization brought to mind a deluge of questions: How could I have let this happen to me? When did I start to feel this way? Most importantly, could I have avoided this awful state of despondency? There were no immediate answers, and the tornado of unsettling emotions that had swept me up in its wake allowed no opportunity for reflection. I knew I had to remove myself from the situation. So, later that night, I handed in my resignation. Enough was enough.
It has been a little while now since that upsetting evening, when my perfect world collapsed. I’ve had time to ponder the course of events that led me to throw in the towel. And I’ve emerged from the experience a tad wiser in the ways of corporate America. Now, I feel obligated to share my newfound wisdom.
That said, graduating seniors, pay close heed.
1. When inspecting want ads, read between the lines.
If you’re a journalism major, for example, you might read something like this in an ad announcing reporting vacancies: “You will have the opportunity to write daily news stories and news features, daily enterprise stories and projects.” Note the use of the word “daily.” Chances are you’ll be writing a lot at this paper. If you’re the type of person who desires a slow initiation to the profession, this is probably not the sort of place to get your feet wet.
2. Beware of ads announcing multiple vacancies.
Numerous open positions, particularly in smaller organizations that aren’t in the middle of a growth phase, could indicate high turnover. All might not be hunky-dory at these establishments. Be certain to research a prospective employer before you snatch up an offer. Correspond at length with employees, both in your department as well as in other areas of the company. I learned only after I accepted my former employer’s offer, that everyone from the janitors on up had gripes about the way things were run. A couple of days into my new position, one of my would-be colleagues quit out of frustration. A while later, another reporter resigned, and a third asked the newspaper’s executive editor to begin shopping for a replacement to fill his slot. Bottom line, ask current employees if they’re happy with their jobs. It will save you a lot of post-employment heartache.
3. Hard work does not mean slave labor.
Many employers, particularly in this sluggish economy, place a hefty premium on hard work. Slothfulness is a deadly sin in these times when productivity is the only way to ensure continued profitability. Yet, striving for excellence must not be equated with working endless days without the benefit of overtime pay. Now, many will tell you this sort of thing is illegal, and does not happen unless, of course, you’re a salaried employee. But the truth is, it does happen. It happened to me. “You know, every day I thank God I have a job,” my assistant managing editor would tell us at reporters’ meetings, before proceeding to haul us over the coals for not giving the company our all. This brand of management, grounded as it is in the issuance of hollow threats, is counterproductive, and will only deal a deathblow to employee morale. If you find yourself in such a situation, take the problem to higher management.
4. Don’t be afraid to voice grievances.
If you have a problem, talk about it. Talk to your coworkers, talk to higher management, talk to family. Keeping your anxieties locked up inside you will eat away at your self-esteem. If your performance at work is suffering, don’t simply blame yourself. If venting to coworkers is discouraged at your workplace, speak out anyway. My former employers seemed to harbor the fear that employees bonding over complaints were a step away from unionizing. This, I thought, was rather presumptuous. We were merely attempting to cope with the glum state of affairs. Communication is of the essence in any workplace. Lack of it will only lead to organizational breakdown. And that’s in no one’s best interest.
My brief reporting stint in Michigan turned sour because I failed to see the signs. I should have known, going in, that things were going to be rough. It was a recipe for disaster, but I was too caught up in the thrill of moving on to what we students like to call the “real world.”
In summary, I have only this to say: Don’t leap into the first job that comes your way. Take the time to get to know your employer. Short stints do not make a good resume. It is beneficial to take your own time to make a decision on an offer. If a company won’t extend you that time, the job probably isn’t worth it.
As a final point, temper your expectations. As seniors, we’re all a little too excited to take on the world.
Leon D’Souza is a senior majoring in print journalism. Comments can be sent to leon@cc.usu.edu.