How not to become a slave to the corporation. 26 life hacking from burnout at work

This article I wrote at the request of managers to Microsoft, who invited me to conduct a discussion club. Subject burnout at work seemed to them the most attractive, which is not surprising. When a person burns, it often solves the problem of dismissal from the company, but is it possible to resign from a company like Microsoft, which in many ways the number one in the labor market?

Remember: the best horse worked on the farm. Nevertheless, the chairman of it and did not ...

Before describing what burnout and how to avoid it, I want to share my experience burnout.

• '21: the lack of passion.
• '23: there is no development.
• 28 years: a lack of energy.
• 30 years: familiarity with the tools and manage their burnout.

At 21, I went to work for wages (although the first their incomes started to get to 14 years, have experience at that time I already had). My first job was in large corporation, It was a prestigious position, but I did not enjoy the work. Moreover, I have not seen in this corporation any interesting work for me, and the only solution was the departure.

Then my career was swift, I quickly rose through the ranks in an interesting company, but as soon as my growth has slowed down, I felt the signs of burnout. In 28 years, I was faced with the fact that I did not have enough energy to work, because the intensity was extremely high, and the restoration was not time. It was very hard, I burned, and only to 30 years found a cure for burnout and began to apply them in their lives. Now I am 32, I have a favorite work, which is well organized, and I know how to restore your energy.

Their experience, knowledge, and I want to share with you.

Burnout - opposed to involvement

Freydenberger Herbert (Herbert Freudenberger) in 1974 described the phenomenon of burnout, in his work "Burn staff." Initially, it is most often observed in professions such as social workers, nurses, teachers, lawyers, engineers, policemen, salesmen - the profession with the highest emotional load. But now exposed to any employee burnout.

Later, in 1986, Maslak Kristina (Kristina Maslach) called burnout opposing party involvement. Thus, we will consider burnout and involvement as two extreme poles. All that will promote involvement, will reduce burnout, and vice versa.

According to the medical classification of burnout due to fatigue and it is often manifested in the form of various diseases caused by psychosomatic. By the way, the last time you were sick at work, and what was the reason?

It is important to be able to distinguish normal stress from burnout. What is the difference? Feeling the stress, you are too involved in the work, and during the burn, you are indifferent to it. Stress is accompanied by a storm of emotions, but burn, on the contrary, it is characterized by apathy. Stress is accompanied by physical exhaustion and burnout - emotional.

How to become a happy owner of a favorite work

1. Start with an assessment of their burnout

Designed Christina Maslak questionnaire to determine the degree of burnout. I suggest that you answer a few simple questions by putting a digit from 0 to 6.

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Now we evaluate the test results.

Up to 17 points - with you all right. With each it happens at work.

From 18 to 29 - you started burnout, need a program for its suppression.

30 points and above - you are in the deepest stages of burnout, we need urgent action.

2. Understand the reason for your burnout

To eliminate burnout is extremely important to know the reasons for its occurrence.

Working on the theme, I studied different sources of information on burnout - from Wikipedia articles and to read books on Amazon and advice on Quora. Unfortunately, nowhere is there a holistic description of the causes of burnout and its treatment. At best, the author considers only one aspect of burnout - loss of energy or self-issue.

I identify three main causes of burnout and below give instructions to enable both the cause and work on its elimination. In addition, and I give some tips on how to work with the consequences.

So, for three reasons:

Aversion to work

It's very simple: if there is no basic love (interest, passion - call it what you will), if in the morning you do not want to run to work, it means that sooner or later will come burnout.

Poor organization of work

There is a popular saying, "People come to work in the company and go from the head." When the work is organized badly, the chief of the low emotional intelligence and very little managerial experience, when business processes are disorganized, there is no common goals among departments, there is no strategy, there is a lot of politics - it leads to burnout of employees.

lack of energy

Any work requires energy. Some more some less. Work in large corporations, usually requires a lot of energy, because the flow of information is huge, a lot of cross-queries, a wide range of employee engagement, hard deadlines and so on.

Each of us has a certain capacity energyWe fill up first, and then eaten. All of this capacity is different: someone missing for a longer time, someone less. In addition, we are with different intensity the capacity to replenish and with varying intensity wasting energy.

If the capacity of our energy is low, the job requires a lot of effort and, therefore, we quickly eaten it, and then slowly fill, then we start to work on the limit and wear. This is a direct path to burnout.

3. Be aware of the consequences of burnout

That awareness of the consequences of lack of treatment forms a desire to be treated. Very often the first symptoms of the disease are so small that we are willing to live with them. But just realizing how the disease will evolve and how it will become more complex treatment, we find the strength to (time, resources, money) to cure the disease at an early stage.

Burnout leads to the death of a professional:

1. Aggression.
2. Dependence.
3. Persistent disease.
4. stop career.
5. Deep depression.

First, the person starts to behave aggressively (note that aggression can be both active and passive - in the form of indirect attack) in respect of peers, it becomes a critic of everything that happens. In an attempt to restore the old power starts to drink a lot of coffee at work, drinking after work, more smoke (including so often to rest during the working day).

Against the background of career burnout usually stops as well as a leader is not interested in the promotion of an employee who barely copes with his current job. burnout is usually the result of a deep depression.

This phenomenon is known as procrastination, It is also closely associated with burnout.

This avoidance of the task that comes as a result of burning. There are different causes of procrastination and burnout is not its main source. But against the background of burning more and more often seen procrastination, deadlines burn projects are not implemented. As a result - a reprimand from management depremirovanie and even dismissal.

4. Remember the formula, which allows you to avoid burnout

Now let's talk about how to avoid burnout, and if it has already started - how to stop it. Reflecting on the theme of burnout, I came to the following formula, which is to solve this problem:

dream job + engagement + energy

Just three simple ingredients avoid burnout forever: a dream job, involvement in the work, constant replenishment of energy a little more than what is spent.

Let's start with the dream job.

5. Start moving towards the dream job

Dream job - it is a combination of all three prime factors: the love of work, the ability to do a good job, a sufficient level of wages.

If the ability to do the job and salary usually is more or less clear, few people paid attention to the love of his work.

6. Determine your type of burnout

There are eight types of burnout resulting from this model and it is related to internal reasons. The absence of one, two or all three factors in a person's work leads to a different type of burnout.

But even if all three factors (the love of work, the ability to do it, and decent wages) burnout is still possible and is a specific character.

Please do not take offense at those names types of burnout, I have chosen to illustrate. They are required to give more dramatic situation.

Prisoner of dreams - a man who loves his job, but it is weak to cope with it and do not earn much. This all new experts, who had just started to work. Burnout is going on here, primarily because of low wages, but sometimes because of the negative feedback that a person gets on a background of low professionalism.

burned star - a person who has recently everything was fine with the work. She was loved, just for him, and with a high level of payment, but triggered by external factors or depleted energy, and burn it. This is a great example of what happens to burn even with those who have a passion for their work.

Lost / Unemployed - a man whose career has not taken place. No favorite work, low skills and low wages. The highest risk group (cleaners, porters).

slogger - she loves her job and even copes with it, but quite a bit earn. Workaholic is born out of a prisoner dreams. Problems mainly lie outside of work, usually at home. The reason - the low level of energy, which leads to burnout at work.

poor fellow - very similar to the lost, but he had a good job with his work.

golden handcuffs - a difficult situation, when a person is held as a professional and has excellent salaryBut no longer loves her job, and maybe did not like initially. Burnout happens for a reason to dislike the work.

I grabbed the tail of luck - a rare situation when a person does not like the job, does not know how to do it, but good money. This is either the result of a family business or political decisions.

From dirt to Kings - and this is a very rare situation when a person likes to work is not very well cope with it, but it makes perfect. As a rule, the result of successful career decisions. In pursuit of further training people themselves overload of information, actions, tasks and burns as a result of a lack of energy.

7. Please rate how much you love your job

Understanding the current level of love to work helping to choose future strategy: to change careers completely, or change something in their current work.

Now go a little test, evaluating the response to each question on a five-point scale, where 1 - you do not We agree with the statement, 3 - somewhere between agreement and disagreement, and 5 - you totally agree with the statement.

1. I am happy to go to work every day.
2. My job allows me to fully realize themselves and their talents.
3. I see the sense in what I am doing on my work.
4. My type of activity fits my life values ​​and priorities.
5. I want to improve in what they do.

Now we view the results.

above 20 - you're lucky enough to work, you love her.

15–19 - you have a good job. Not perfect, of course, but most of all, to the rapid burning it will not. Think about what you can change in the work to get closer to 20 points.

10–14 - you do not particularly enjoy their work and are likely to encounter often with burnout. There is time to think about changing jobs.

less than 10 - you do not love your job, and then you are at risk of burnout and, most likely, has already begun. It is time to actively start looking for a new job.

8. Describe your dream job

How do you get a dream job? There are a variety of training and career coaches to help in the search for dream job. Began offering a simple exercise that will help to learn to understand what you like to work and what does not.

Take a pen and a piece of paper or create a document on your computer. Make a table with three columns: "I do not like my job," "I love it in their work", "I miss this in my work."

First of all skidding, do not like to work and what would not like to have in the future.

The second - all the fun in the work that is now (functions, tasks, colleagues, work schedule, office, and its possibilities, and so on).

The third - which is not enough for you to use. Here, too, we are not limited to only the functional responsibilities.

9. Consider how to organize your work

As I said before, in addition to internal factors (love to work), there is also external, which also influence the involvement. The world-famous Gallup has developed a questionnaire called the Q12. In him 12 questions that evaluate how the workplace allows employee involvement. All 12 questions are based on four areas:

• able to grow on the job;
• teamwork;
• management support;
• satisfaction of basic needs for the job.

Here are 12 questions. Answer simply "yes" or "no" and consider the amount of positive responses.

1. Do you know what exactly the results expected of you at work?
2. Do you have all the materials and equipment needed for high-quality work?
3. Do you have the opportunity every day in the workplace to do what you do best?
4. Have you received a reward or praise for good work in the last week?
5. Cares whether your boss or anyone of your colleagues about your personal development?
6. Is there a co-worker who encourages your professional development?
7. Do colleagues believe and guide your professional opinion?
8. Do you think that the mission / purpose of your company helps you to realize the importance of your work?
9. Do your co-workers are committed to high standards of quality work?
10. Do you have a friend at work?
11. Did you discuss with anyone at work your progress in the past six months?
12. Did you have the opportunity to learn new things and grow professionally in the last year?

And now look at the results:

10 positive responses - with your work everything is fine, it has a high level of involvement.

7–9 - your work in general, not bad draws, but already there is a risk of burnout.

4–6 - your job involves little you. You're lucky if while you love her and you have enough energy.

3 and less - even against the background of the love of work and sufficient energy storage at high risk of burnout.

By the way, according to the same Gallup study, companies with a high level of involvement employees are more successful, thus creating useful work involving not only employees, but also the company.

In addition to the above factors, there are several things that affect involvement.

10. Tell yourself honestly: you work only for wages?

Wages play a big role in the involvement and burnout. I watched a lot of people who, having the unloved job, and not a very good organization of the workplace, at high wages able to travel a lot, to engage in a hobby outside of work.

11. Look at his head: maybe the reason you burn in it?

The manager can also how to promote employee burnout and help him escape. Basically, the difference is not about who is better: a manager or leader, and how the head interests of the employee as a person. As far as paying attention to his emotions, status, problems and interests.

Think about whether your boss is able to ensure the involvement of all 12 issues described above? Maybe within the company, you can go to the next boss?

12. Focus on the affected area and not to worry zone

In his book "7 Highly Effective People Skills"Stephen Covey (Stephen Covey) in detail tells about what is being proactive, as well as our work divides into two parts: the circle of cares and circle of influence. The key idea is that of focusing their attention should be on the circle of influence, rather than the concerns of a circle, gradually expanding the first.

Circle of influence - is that a person can change, improve, and so on, and the range of concerns - these are external factors that affect the job, but to change them until it turns. Remember the stories about taxi drivers, who are the best experts in the field of politics and economics?

13. Develop your leadership, even if you are not a leader

Great influence on burnout also has work in a matrix structure, when in addition to the direct functional head there is another leader who puts the problem. Usually it is the product manager, brand, business.

There is another side to work in a matrix structure: often have to organize the work of employees who are not direct subordinates. The same fate awaits the project and product managers. The problem is called the entrepreneurial gap. This is when the problem employee is broader than the scope of direct influence. As a result, he is forced to answer for something that can not be affected by the order or administrative.

The only solution to the problems of work in a matrix structure and entrepreneurial gap lies in the field of leadership.

Leadership - is the ability to influence people without administrative levers.

Therein lies the difference between a manager and a leader.

14. Slow down

An important factor of burnout - speed. There are companies, which say: "Year after two / three / five." This company, in which the processes are much faster than the industry average. This is a great place to quickly build a successful career, for the rapid growth of wages, as well as for rapid burnout.

If you feel that you are running it in such a company, think about how you can slow down? Unsubscribe from non-essential projects and tasks? More delegate employees? Automate and optimize the performance?

15. Assess your energy balance

Now let's talk about energy - the third factor influencing the burnout, together with a love of work and inclusive workplace.

A great tool for working with the energy I gave Academy coaching MAXIMUM, where I was studying. I want to share with you.

In our energy balance is influenced by:

• Eco-friendly energy sources - those that are safe for our body.
• Toxic energy - are born from a lack of eco-friendly, but they have consequences in the future. These energy sources are usually referred to as "credit." Man receives energy here and now, but I have to give it to restore in the future.
• abductors energy or energy leakage. They reduce the level of energy, but it is not being spent on work or life.

Evaluate your situation with energy with the help of three questionnaires.

Eco-friendly energy sources

1. I have studied the question of power. I know what I'm eating, and it brings me a favor.
2. I exercise at least three times a week and I go on foot.
3. I enough sleep. At least eight hours a day.
4. I'm good to people, to myself, and I have a close relationship with a loved one.
5. I know how to relax and spend time idly.

We count the number of positive responses:

5 - well! The have a lot of clean energy. It is not surprising that you are happy and full of energy.

4 - OK! If desired, you can make even better, because the force does not happen much these days.

3 - it's time to change something. There is much more involved you are not environment-friendly energy sources. Why start?

1–2 - urgently needed changes. It seems that in this situation you need surgery. Select the resources that you will be given the most energy, and start to change for the better.

In fact, sources of much more, but these are the main, according to all kinds of research. A wider look at the list below and make up your individual.

Toxic energy sources

1. I am often in a hurry, nervous, I irritated at the event and / or other people.
2. I often feel anxiety. I have often driven fear.
3. I often feel the pressure of deadlines tasks.
4. I often eat unwholesome food, and I know about it.
5. I often drink alcohol, take drugs and smoke. I am willing to give an honest answer to this question.

We count the number of positive responses:

1–2 - well! Apparently, you have a minimum of toxic energy. Keep it up!

3 - OK! In this case, there is room to grow. A bit of toxins present in your life. What will you do with it?

4 - it's time to change something. Most likely, you do not fully have the strength for all your plans. Now, the reason is clear. Proceed to the purification of toxins.

5 - urgently needed changes. Require immediate detoxification. Do you have a tremendous opportunity to improve their own energy friendly way. Talk to your coach plan changes.

At first glance, many of these factors do not look like a source of energy, and her kidnapper, but it is not. Adrenaline rush that accompanies, anxiety, deadlinesIt is an excellent source of energy but depletes the body and requires a subsequent recovery.

The kidnappers energy

1. I weigh more than I would like. I do not happy (unhappy) your weight.
2. I'm often surrounded by people who share negative thoughts and news, complain, and criticize the other and / or me.
3. I often feel remorse and do not do anything to rectify the situation.
4. I was constantly surrounded by a mess (at home, work schedule), and it prevents me to be effective and to enjoy life.
5. There are people with whom I did not resolve the conflict, although he could. It would have benefited me.

Now count the number of positive responses:

1 - well! It seems that in your life a minimum of energy loss. Keep it up!

2–3 - OK! If there is a desire to bring the situation to perfection, then you have the opportunities to do so. Ideas in front of you.

4 - it's time to change something. Now I understand why not always have the strength to act. You have a lot of losses. Get rid of them and live a more vigorous life.

5 - urgently needed changes. It seems that the level of the outflow of power is through the roof, but there is a good side. By getting rid of losses, you can achieve much more. It's time to plan and implement major changes for the better.

Think about your list kidnappers. I recommend to make a list of at least 10-15 points, and then ask yourself the question: "How can I get rid of these thieves?".

16. Create your list of sources of energy

sources of energy, which quickly restores its stock:

• meditation;
• yoga;
• religion;
• sympathy;
• love relationship;
• livestock, which can stroke (sorry, fish fans);
• volunteering (but not a profession requiring a lot of compassion);
• laugh;
• joy;
• fun.

Now, let's make your to-do list to help you recover. The list is very individual. It can enter anything: sports, travel, playing on the computer or other device, read articles and attending training sessions, spending time with family, a sauna with friends, reading books, shopping, washing machine, visit the hairdresser and so on.

17. Find ways to save energy outside of work

In addition, we spend a lot of energy at home to perform routine activities, the right to life. But some of them are subject to automation and optimization. Here is a small list of what can be done to save 5 to 30% of daily energy supply. I will omit the most obvious things that are already there in every home, like a washing machine or a conventional vacuum cleaner.

Robot vacuum cleaner. Only it is gaining in popularity, but already well-established themselves. It operates automatically every day, due to turboschotki and dust suction ensures cleanliness in the house. Completely replaces the conventional vacuum cleaner, and it saves two to three hours per week.

Dishwasher. There are both built-in and free-standing (ie, you can buy food after purchase). In addition to saving water, solves the problem of skin contact with the hand toxic detergents. Savings - seven hours a week.

Multivarka. It helps to cook, not being at the plate, as it excludes the likelihood that the food will burn or run away because of the boiling water. The savings is strongly dependent on the amount of home cooking and a menu of sophistication, I think that at least five hours a week.

Electric driers for laundry (Or stiralka with dryer function). It allows not to put clothes in a basin, to carry on the balcony to hang out on the dryer, and then again with the dryer to collect in a basin and carry on ironing. Savings - two hours a week.

Grinder. He cited as an example. There are still the bread machine (which, moreover, perfectly boiled jam), with built-in electric grinders and other equipment, which is a little easier cooking process. Savings - one hour per week.

Cleaning lady for hire. Typically, only one every two weeks, costs $ 60 per month and save four hours per week. While not very common. I recommend when making a decision about hiring compare your income per hour with an hour of work cleaner ($ 4) and to conclude whether or not to invest the time in work tasks and get a reward, or do the work himself.

Takeaway. It is not always necessary to prepare meals at home - you can often order a delivery pizza, sushi, and in general any food at home. It is not worth as much as a trip to the restaurant, and avoids cooking food once or twice a week. Savings - one hour.

Microwave. now extremely popular, but its few uses for it cookingIn 90% of cases - for heating. Nevertheless, it is perfectly possible to cook your own cereal in the morning (if not multivarka) and save one hour a week.

We believe the whole economy: 3 + 7 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 18 hours a week. And this is two working days, for example.

18. Reduce the number of decisions

Another interesting way to save energy - reduction of life's problems and solutions to a minimum. Interesting case with Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Barack Obama, who said that are the same clothes, to avoid having to make a decision each morning, what's going on work.

19. Start to go home at 19:00 or earlier

Speaking of energy, it is important to note is gaining popularity for at Work-life balance. In fact, behind the beautiful name and copious amounts of literature, there is a simple truth: the time spent at work and time spent outside of it, has to be balanced.

This can be a lot to say, but my experience indicates only one thing: if you leave the office after 19:00, then no you do not have a balance. I do not write 18:00 as the article on professional burnout are likely to be interested in people-focused career, for which leave at 20:00 - that's good. If you do not have enough time to work - come early. At 8:00, at 7:00, and perhaps at 6:00. The main thing - go early.

In the morning before work at home you will not recover. Does not develop. So why spend the morning and then go home late?

20. Practice wellbeing

Is increasingly gaining popularity the concept wellbeing and happiness in life. Wellbeing consists of five elements and helps to avoid burnout:

• Keep in touch. Strive to build relationships with the people that matter to you.
• Be active. Walk (if you are working in low-rise buildings, often it has the opportunity to resolve issues with a colleague during a walk around the building), run, ride a bike. Move.
• Watch. What is happening around the changing seasons. Enjoy every moment.
• Keep learning. No matter what: cooking new dishes, playing the guitar, English, drive a car or even extreme driving, speed reading, touch typing.
• Give. Do something good for friends, relatives, thank and smile to others.

21. Focus on his happiness

Many companies are beginning to focus on happiness. Happiness of employees, customers, players. For example, we all know the company ZapposWhat is even a book written.

Happiness also allows you to avoid burnout. Follow the principles of a happy life and work, and you do not burn terribly. Here, the most well-known is the model PERMA.

• Positive emotions (already wrote about it as one of the main sources of energy renewal).
• Engagement - this is the love of work and involvement in the workplace.
• Relationships (mentioned this in paragraphs about energy sources and wellbeing).
• The meaning of life - it is wider than the love of the work. This understanding of their place in life.
• Achievements - all of which give us a sense of usefulness and significance.

22. Hire a coach

Another popular destination is the career coaching. There are more and more people who specialize in consulting in the field of career. These people tend to know what influences the construction of a successful career, and how to deal with burnout.

23. Take sabbatikal

It is still rare in our country, but now popular in the West, the phenomenon - sabbatikal. Conscious departure from work for a period of from 30 to 180 days, although in rare cases it may be for the whole year. This is analogous to the dismissal of the company with the only difference being that after a while people back to work and looks, whether it was possible to completely cure burnout. Sabbatikal not very often ends up returning to exactly the same place, and transfer to another position or direction within the company.

Why sabbatikal better layoff? Very hard to relax and recover, knowing that after this will need to actively seek work. The uncertainty of the future creates a sense of fear. Agree, it is difficult to recover, experiencing fear.

24. Read the relevant articles

What's more interesting is the topic of burnout? At such a popular platform today Quora people give the following advice:

• Despite the load and intensity of work, do not throw your hobbies.
• As often as possible to take breaks at work. The opportunities to hold meetings outside the office, while walking, team meetings organized outside the company.
• Even sabbatikal duration of 30 days may well help.
• Passion for work - the main vaccine against burnout.
• The ability to react very quickly to the first signs of burnout - the best prevention.

25. Read a book about burnout

On Amazon there are quite a number of books on the topic of burnout, but unfortunately, I did not find an integrated and holistic approach. In the best case - 50% of the material in this article, but a more detailed description can be found in a total of four books:

• Burnout: How to Prevent Job Burnout, Sajed Al Mutairi;
• Curing Burnout, Susan S. tanner;
• Reclaiming the Fire, Steven Berglas;
• Burnout at Work, Michael P Leiter, Arnold B Bakker, Christina Maslach.

The main theses that I have learned for myself from the books:

• Burnout associated with the load.
• Burnout is accompanied by stress.
• The reasons must be sought in himself.
• Prevention is better than cure.

26. Develop your own system to prevent fires

At the beginning of this article, I shared my experience burnout. Now I want to share my experience of its avoidance and prevention. My system of fire control:

1. Mission, vision, values, goals.
   
2. The objectives, the development of relations and support, contributions, Head, coach.
   
3. Sports, travel, games, articles, and training, family, sauna, friends, books, shopping, washing machine, Barbershop.

I have defined for myself what is my mission in life, to the future that I'm going, it's important for me on the way and what goals I want to achieve. Because of this I have a love for my work.

At work, I set goals that are associated with the company's goals, keep in touch with colleagues, to constantly assess its contribution to the overall result, confidentially communicate with their leaders. In addition, I have a coach that helps me build my development. It all gives me a high level of involvement in the workplace.

I restore energy through exercises sportsI love to travel with my family, play computer games, go to the sauna. Almost every day, chat with friends, read books.

Here, in fact, I told you about what is burnout, what causes it. He spoke about the formula of burnout, the importance of love for the work, quality of workplace organization and energy recovery. I share their experiences, as well as the world's best sources.

10 most important ideas of struggle with burnout

• Determine whether you have signs of burnout.
• Find out what the cause of your burnout.
• Describe the job of your dreams.
• Analyze the quality of the organization of your work.
• Assess your energy balance.
• Make a list of energy sources for themselves.
• Optimize home.
• Go home until 19:00.
• Think about your happiness, watch your steps towards a happy life.
• If already on the verge of burnout - Take sabbatikal.

Surely all of us have a friend, acquaintance or colleague, who sits across from him. He has obvious signs of burn-out, and he will surely be grateful, if you will throw him a link to this article.