burned out?

16 Comments

1. Focused898785July 18,2022 at 3:28PM UTC

   Yikes. Perhaps this role’s scope is too big for one person/the role is badly designed? I’ve been in this situation and it’s extremely difficult. No advice but I understand.

2. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterJuly 18,2022 at 4:22PM UTC

   There are a couple of possibilities here:

   1) It really is too big of a job for one person - in which case, you'll want to talk to your direct supervisor about the scope of work.

   2) You don't have the skill set to be successful in the role. You'll want to go to your direct supervisor for this as well - with specifics as to what you are lacking and how you would like to obtain the needed skills.

   3) Your organizational skills are limiting your work output. - talk to your boss about courses in time management, maximizing your productivity, etc.

3. Barb HansenJuly 18,2022 at 5:18PM UTC

   I feel ya. I've been in your situation where no matter where I turned there is more work, more projects spinning out of control, and there wasn't even time to wrestle the problems on one project let alone all of the projects I had to manage.

   What I didn't do in that situation and I wish I had, was view my role in the project management team as a project issue to resolve (not a personal issue that was only on me to resolve)

   What I should have done is report to my stake holders that that the overall project management team leadership processes were not just in the red zone, everything was on fire.

   I should have viewed my work the same way I would have viewed another failing part of the project.

   Report the failure, report that the overall delivery of a project was in jeopardy, get buy-in from the stakeholders that this issue needs to be rectified, stop work, gather a team to resolve the issue and make a new plan.

   You may have already tried to do this, but if you haven't take a step back and see if you can resolve this using Project management tactics. Good luck!

4. AnonymousJuly 18,2022 at 9:46PM UTC

   It could be that the way your company is structured is setting you for failure, especially if you are a contractor.

   Often times with contractors, the owner might oversell promises that they do not have the specific resources to deliver on. And they do it often sometimes because they know they can get away with it, especially if the client has not caught on.

   A good contract owner would understand how to use the talents of his/her existing staff and match with the clients needs. Sort of like a match maker, but for projects.

   Although $150k is a nice check, do some covert investigation. Find out more about the longevity of your peers, gossip about those who left. Try to get the tea on whether folks are currently frustrated and are having a similar experience as you and or if others left for the same reason. If so, and if it seems to be a recurring theme, that should be your clear indication to get started on researching and applying for a more stable backup plan. Try to find a more stable longevity company that has been around long enough to survive a few recessions.

   If your job is technical, try applying for govt agencies at USAjobs.gov. Ensure your resume and cover letter is formatted exactly as instructed. Ensure you use all the critical key words from the job announcement in your cover letter and resume to show linkage to your skillset and abilities. Good Luck. You are blessed to have intuition, use it wisely.

   Also, I almost forgot to factor in another possiblity: If you have other more experienced individuals at your company who seem to be sailing through their experience with no issues, start building your network and set aside time to pick their brains as often as you need to in order to help with the learning curve. Its okay to ask the same question over and over again until it sticks. Make sure you know who all of your SMEs are so you know who to go to as needed.

   Either way, you seem sharp and tough. So best of luck in all of your endeavors, sky is the limit, don't forget that!

5. Holly JacobsJuly 19,2022 at 11:21AM UTC

   Look into Agile. It helps especially Agile with a Kanban pull system. Even if you don't completely adopt the methodology it will provide a different way of handling your workload and defining your wins.

6. Crystal HowellJuly 19,2022 at 2:30PM UTC

   Delegate your tasks to your team with deadlines,leaving room for mishaps.

   Are you picking up someone else's problems?

7. Patricia Osborne RandolphJuly 20,2022 at 1:01PM UTC

   Burn out is a real mental health symptom! Join the Burn Bright not Out community fore connection, engagement, inspiration, and support! Take the pledge!

   PLEDGE to burn bright – Burn Bright not Out (burn-bright-not-out.com)

8. Heather BinghamJuly 20,2022 at 1:15PM UTC

   This is just a suggestion, as you didn't cover this in your post, but it is based on your description of frustration that you aren't able to do more. I wonder if you took a good break between your last job and this one to rest your brain. It is quite common in your line of work to have to sort out other people's messes when you're new in a role, as well as having to tackle new challenges, and these might be really big fires you're fighting. However, it may also be that you didn't give yourself enough down time before you started to ensure you started fresh.

   I actively encourage both new hires and those leaving us to take a break of at least a week between jobs, and ideally a longer break where possible. It is vital that we give our brains some rest before they face the challenges of a new job. If you weren't able to do this, then, although counter-intuitive, it may be really great idea to take some time off now and then to attack your job anew after a short break. I do understand that it is typical in the US for the holiday allowance to be shorter than where I work (UK and South Africa), but you can still prioritise some R&R. It may seem an odd time, but actually now you know the challenges, you will be able to really fire on all cylinders after your brain has rested.

   As I say, it is just a suggestion, but going straight from one job to another is something people often do and it can result in the experience you describe.

9. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:34PM UTC

   Quite honestly I am in the same boat. I am fixing the previous managers mess and it’s been 4 month constant staffing issues.

10. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:36PM UTC

    If I read this correctly, it’s month 3 and you are currently taking over projects that were started before you. It might get better once those are wrapped up and you can start from scratch with your own processes. I would give yourself some grace and give it another 3-6 months. It might get much better! I think it’s early to tell and there are some variables that can change. That being said, that kind of burnout is real. I’ve been there ?. Is there any way to create some boundaries, delegate some things, slow the pace down? See what you can do to preserve your mental health.

    I was in a similar situation, but ultimately did leave. Came from my own business into a small company. Everyone was very nice too. But I quickly saw that every project was a mess, every process was a mess, everything was a fire. It was exhausting. I was texting my friends exactly this message at month 3. At month 6 I spoke to my supervisor and we restructured my role. A testament to how they wanted to make it work. A year later, I left. I was burned out because of the way they worked with no power to change it, but it was also a terrible, terrible fit all around for me and I wasn’t happy. Most miserable year of my life, but…one in which I learned a lot.

11. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:39PM UTC

    Perhaps you are trying to eat this elephant without asking for help from your manager and engaging your team to step up and help you out. It is a strength to step up and admit you need help rather than flounder until you completely fail and possibly lose your job. Set a meeting with your boss to discuss how you are feeling and set a strategy for getting back on track. Perhaps he could reallocate another person or get a temporary contractor to assist in the tracking so you can concentrate on all the projects. It is not doing you any good working 60 hours a week either so try to pare it back while asking for more help.

12. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:48PM UTC

    This sounds very similar to what I went through with a previous job. Which is why I was only there for a month. I could see all of the major fires, WAY too much technology to do my job plus I wasn’t even trained on the tools that I needed to do my job after a month. I could see that this role would burn me out and definitely put my mental health at risk.

    Don’t get me wrong, everyone was nice, pay was great however I was not prepared for all of the dysfunctional practices. That is not how I work and I feel it was misrepresented in my interview. Some people work well under constant chaos. I can’t. My mental health and well-being is worth much more than any job.

    Since you have been there for 3 months, I would have a quarterly meeting/review with your manager or direct report. Document and discuss the dysfunction you dealing with however come with suggestions and recommendations on how to improve your current processes. And see how fast your suggestions and recommendations can be implemented so you can work smarter, not harder. If things don’t improve, your manager or team are unwilling to work with you and try your suggestions, give it another quarter (if you can) then maybe start looking for a better role that aligns better with your career goals in addition to work/life balance :)

13. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 1:59PM UTC

    Anon 9:48 has said this well. I’m poster Anon 9:36. Yes, some companies are inherently dysfunctional and we must leave those. The challenge is ascertaining this in the first few months when things are new to us and generally may feel harder with a learning curve (some steeper than others). I think 9:48 gives you a good roadmap on what to do. I give you an example of having done it. In my case, leaving was best. But tbd on what’s best for you. Either way, speak up, take action, ask for help, come with suggestions. And measure the responses & actions along the way. That will give you good insight as to the overall culture of the org. In the meantime, turn on “open to work” on LI (the covert one, not the live tag). Good luck!

14. AnonymousJuly 20,2022 at 4:40PM UTC

    I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. Sadly, like so many others who have posted, I was in a very similar boat. Except that my manager and the internal clients were not nice -- in fact their behavior lacked integrity and was questionable and mean at best. When I approached my manager (a millennial, no less) to ask her to have my back, she told me that the others wouldn't change and that I needed to. Sadly, despite no matter how many hours I put in, I realized nothing would indeed change, and I departed there as fast as possible.

    I've been interviewing frequently but have not yet landed. I also submitted my unemployment comp application in May, I've yet to be paid and have already asked my local government official for assistance in processing my claim.

    What a mess. I question myself to see what I missed during my interviews there. I'm terribly disappointed.

    Wishing you best of luck!

15. Bradford McCormickJuly 21,2022 at 8:36PM UTC

    You are capable of doing better? You mean because you are doing too much? They need to do better. Maybe you are a goose that lays golden eggs and they want them by the dozen per day from one egg layer?

    A place I worked for had sihpped a product that had egg all over upper management's face. It was all hands on deck or at least fake it to save my ass. They hired a young lady who turned out to be super bug-fixer. Unbelievable! She left after a very few weeks and nobody could figure out why. I thought it was obvious but wisely kept my mouth shut: They were trying to get too much out of her and she was good enough at the work that she could go elsewhere and be treated better. She just disappeared like a fantasy in thin air. Bye!

16. Kate Bishop, Career Confidence & Wellbeing Specialist, Coach & TrainerJuly 22,2022 at 9:54AM UTC

    I will echo a lot of what has already been said here but I think there are a few points to consider:

    • What do you mean by failure and who is setting these expectations? To fail is to learn and is a positive step towards development - perhaps you are being set too high expectations so feel you are drowning in work or perhaps you are setting yourself too high expectations based on a previous role?
    • Nice is great - help and respect is even better - what help do you need and from who? How can you get them to support you more and are they likely to do so?
    • Your next step - I LOVE this conundrum being a career coach - what do you want your life to be and look like and have? Start there as you can then consider what career fits with your life. You & your life & your health come first - your career facilitates this not the other way around.

    Final note - you are capable of doing different and more enjoyable work with a team who help, support and guide you in an organisation that works for you.