Article August 19, 2019 Issue

Workplace burnout: What’s the antidote?

Jennifer Johnson

How many times have you heard of someone being made overly tired or frustrated by their work? Or maybe you’ve felt this yourself. “Workplace burnout” is becoming a common phrase.

Since I love multitasking, I usually thrive on lots of activity at work, but there came a point when the sheer volume of my responsibilities and the hours I was devoting to them left me feeling strained. I rarely saw my husband when he was awake and I was missing many of my children’s extracurricular activities. Even when I was with my family, I would often be talking to, texting, or emailing colleagues. I had never experienced before such a consuming sense of being worn out from work.

I thought of an article I’d read by Shelley Prevost, cofounder and CEO of a business. One of the points in the article, titled “5 Ways to Distinguish Your Calling From Your Ego,” seemed especially relevant: “Ego manifests as burnout. Calling manifests as fulfillment” (Inc.com, December 12, 2013). I love the idea that opens up from this: Focusing on our ego, or self, hides our sense of calling, purpose, and fulfillment.

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