Beating Burnout

Burnout is so named because there was at once a flame.

You got out of bed because there was work to do and you could not sleep because their was work to be done.

I pity you if you've never felt that before.

I'm someone who finds fulfillment in labor. I like to work on projects from start to finish. I like to be challenged intellectually. I like to learn and I like to create. All those things require labor. In fact, I've found there's few things in life that do not require labor.

And so, as someone who finds fulfillment in labor, from time to time I do burnout.

Burnout is so named because your brain can only operate at that pace for so long. Contrary to what we sometimes hope, we are human and we have limits.

We need rest and and we need life to be filled with things outside of that great flame. Like all things we enjoy, that flame cannot be enjoyed if it is the only thing going on in our lives.

So how to beat it

Burn out clouds all that you love about your work. It fogs all that you respect about your team. It makes you forget the pride in labor and why labor yielded pride. It makes candles smell like burnt toast and look like fire hazards.

You shouldn’t ask a drowning man to go swimming, nor should you ask yourself to evaluate your career choices while you’re burnt out.

You have to acknowledge that you are not in the headspace to evaluate your life rationally. The goal is to return to the headspace where you can.

For the time being, minimize the hours worked and maximize that which can still bring you meaning. Seek awe and search for amazement. In other words, touch grass.

If there is nothing outside of that great flame that brought you meaning, no friends, no family, no hobbies, then a serious re-evaluation is necessary. There are ways to feel that flame outside of the great labor that you've taken on, you have to go find them.

Once you find a way to return the smallest ounce of meaning to your life, continue to do so until the storm passes.

You’ll know the storm has passed when you remember why you once loved that labor. Then ask yourself if you can love it once more.