Burned Out? Stop Reaching For the Unreachable.

I’ve read a load of web articles over the past few years about how to recover from an on-the-job burnout. Nearly all of them are written by folks who bounced back from a burnout of their own.

This one, penned by Next Avenue’s Carol Ross, stands out because Ross pinpoints the raw, human maladies that cause overstressed people to break down. She offers a four-part plan for burnout recovery that begins with an understanding that some goals are too unrealistic to keep reaching for:

“In my head, I equated a failed business with death (literally). I became aware of this assumption when I told a friend about my dad, whose dream of running a Chinese restaurant ended in bankruptcy, and six years later died of cancer. This assumption fueled my fear, which drove me to work harder and faster.”

Dan Harris, who rebounded from burnout at ABC News, says one key to stress management is realizing it’s impossible to effectively multitask.

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There’s a rather astute observation within Ross’ thinking here. We equate quitting to failure. We then assume failure means an end rather than a new beginning. Even when it’s apparent our endeavors are doomed, we fruitlessly persevere because we think not doing so is to condemn ourselves. That’s a dire weight to carry and, as Ross writes, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Take a look at her full article (linked below) and let us know in the comments whether you agree with her. What are your strategies for stress management? Have you ever burned out? We’d love to hear your take.