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The past couple weeks have been very hectic for me, it seems everything has been coming at once and I just can't handle some of the stress. I've been working from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. just to come home and be in my home office trying to do a few other things and attempt to catch up on my increasing workload before I head to bed. This coupled with some recent family problems has really made me very stressed out and today I go out of bed and just feel like complete crap.
I thought about calling in sick but right now, I just can't risk falling behind on a few projects that are coming due. I've been getting 20-30 emails a day on my Blackberry from different team members under me complaining about how THEY are feeling the stress and I'm doing everything to tell them we'll eventually start lightening our workload but how little I actually believe it, things just constantly keep popping up and new projects are being handed down from my boss. All the team leaders have a weekly meeting today and I know 2 of them are feeling as burnt out as I am. Granted most of the men who are in the same position as I am are 10-20 years older (I'm 29) and I'm supposed to be the one who can handle everything because "I'm young".
How do you folks handle with the feeling of being burnt-out from work? I know I need a vacation but at the moment I just can't just take off for a week, I need to complete some of the projects coming up before I even can think of a break from work!
The past few morning I get up at 5:30 and head straight to the Tylenol before I can even think about starting my day. I've also been smoking over a pack a day which is really something I've been trying to cut down upon. It seems the stress is building to the point where I just need to SCREAM, ugh but what does one do?
I'm so sorry for all you're going through. It might help if you try to compartmentalize the different sources of your stress...how much is from the job and how much is from family issues?
Every job, even a job that we love, is bound to have stressful times. I always compare my job (which I really like) to a marriage...good/up times and not-so-good/down times.
If you find that the majority of your stress is from your job, then you have three options: quit, find a way to lighten your workload or trudge through this not-so-good/down time until it gets better.
At times I've had to choose the second option. Finding ways to lighten my workload and the workloads of my employees without increasing personnel wasnt easy but I've always been able to find ways to cut less-than-crucial corners. Doing so often offended my sense of perfection but, you now what...no one (except me) ever noticed the difference.
Well, for the past year I've been doing a 65 hour work week. So yes, I am burnt out. There was a purpose to this. What kept ME going, was that I knew there was an end in sight.
I worked my full time job at Smith Barney, taught part time app. 20 hrs/week, and tutored children another 6-8 hrs/week. I finished my masters about two years ago and just finished a special ed/reading cert on top of that. Because I wanted to get my foot in the door for teaching--but needed to pay my bills at the same time--I did this--and I just landed a full time teaching job, so it did pay off. That was my light at the end of the tunnel, and what kept me going--the hope that that would happen.
I have had the absolute WORST schedule you can imagine(your 8:00am-5:00/6:00PM job at about 40 hrs/week sounds like a cakewalk to me--but i'm not diminishing your burnout in any way)
Here was my schedule-- (technically still working it, with the exception of teaching-- schools out right now, and my new teaching job doesn't start until Aug. 16):
Fri--6:00PM-4:30AM, Smith Barney
Sat-6:00PM-4:30AM " "
Sun-6:00PM-4:30AM
MON-6:00PM-4:30AM
Tue--SA Ind. School District Behavioral Adjustment Class--8:30AM-4:00PM, plus tutoring, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Wed--Same
Thur-Same
The worst part of this schedule was that my friends and family all have their weekends off like most people--so I missed family gatherings, and couldn't go out with friends--unless I took a day off. I can deal with a hectic schedule I suppose, If I am working the same hours as most people(not the graveyard shift) and can at least socialize--but this schedule did not allow for anything! Also, I was working with kids with behavioral problems on my days off from my full time job--what a way to spend your 'off' day!
I managed to get up and workout everyday, to keep my sanity, and I do have two dogs, so I also walk them, EVERY DAY, for an hr. Now, I did take some days off--and it certainly helps that my fiance is back in Los Angeles (I would have had no time for him--I am moving back to L.A. next year to teach at my school's sister school) but still, man I was a crabby b*tch at times.
I'm just really looking forward to at least having my weekends off again. Just remember, this usually doesn't last forever, and if its furthering your career, all your hardwork will pay off eventually, and you won't have to work as hard.
I suggest you get some exercise like a jog when you get off.You might need to talk to a close friend . Stress is different than tireness and has to be controlled by boxing things off is what I found.The exercise will help you take your mind off the job and also make you sleep deeper getting more rest.You said alot when you said I am the young one;that means your paying your dues as they say.The family matters don;t help ;so solving them is the goal.
The past couple weeks have been very hectic for me, it seems everything has been coming at once and I just can't handle some of the stress. I've been working from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. just to come home and be in my home office trying to do a few other things and attempt to catch up on my increasing workload before I head to bed. This coupled with some recent family problems has really made me very stressed out and today I go out of bed and just feel like complete crap.
I thought about calling in sick but right now, I just can't risk falling behind on a few projects that are coming due. I've been getting 20-30 emails a day on my Blackberry from different team members under me complaining about how THEY are feeling the stress and I'm doing everything to tell them we'll eventually start lightening our workload but how little I actually believe it, things just constantly keep popping up and new projects are being handed down from my boss. All the team leaders have a weekly meeting today and I know 2 of them are feeling as burnt out as I am. Granted most of the men who are in the same position as I am are 10-20 years older (I'm 29) and I'm supposed to be the one who can handle everything because "I'm young".
How do you folks handle with the feeling of being burnt-out from work? I know I need a vacation but at the moment I just can't just take off for a week, I need to complete some of the projects coming up before I even can think of a break from work!
The past few morning I get up at 5:30 and head straight to the Tylenol before I can even think about starting my day. I've also been smoking over a pack a day which is really something I've been trying to cut down upon. It seems the stress is building to the point where I just need to SCREAM, ugh but what does one do?
I guess I'm off to another long day at work.
I'm really sorry. I am sure you feel as if you have no time for yourself. I'm 29 too, and even though I am unemployed (was laid-off last March), I am still a full-time mother for the 16 hours my children are awake. I know how burnt-out you can get. This one has to go here, that one there, fix the dinner, clean the house, do the laundry, go to interviews, drop this one off at daycare, camp in the morning, sports in the evening.. it gets hard. You feel like you have no time for yourself. I don't have someone who shares this workload with me, either. Have you considered partnering with your colleagues and assigning specific tasks (and those tasks only) to them? That way they don't have to go back and forth between what needs to be done and what has to be done in order to get the assignments tackled.
If you can, focus on a few projects that you can see the end of the tunnel on, and concentrate your efforts. I've also done the unPC thing and asked my boss to prioritize the projects, which would he like done first since I had 8 or 10 on the plate.
I thought about calling in sick but right now, I just can't risk falling behind on a few projects that are coming due. I've been getting 20-30 emails a day on my Blackberry from different team members under me complaining about how THEY are feeling the stress and I'm doing everything to tell them we'll eventually start lightening our workload but how little I actually believe it, things just constantly keep popping up and new projects are being handed down from my boss.
Are these people actually stressed out or are they whining? I've worked with people who complain that they're stressed out all the time because they are not able to spend half their shift on Facebook.
Are these people actually stressed out or are they whining? I've worked with people who complain that they're stressed out all the time because they are not able to spend half their shift on Facebook.
They probably are stressed out. People deal with stress differently. Some people are unable to handle some of the stresses of a forty hour workweek, some thrive on as many hours of work you throw at them. The OP would do well to consider exercise, and look at the 'light at the end of the tunnel' so to speak. It also helps to, when you have a day off, to really take a day off. Not clean house, not run errands--really, truly relax.
Just remind yourself of why you have the job. Having motivation beyond money is the only way to keep up with high stress jobs.
I work from 7:30 - 4:30 (always working through lunch) and then study for grad school from 6-9 every night....my goal is to have the money to retire by the time I am 40....the knowledge that the stress will start to pay off in a few years is what keeps me going.
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