For me, burnout didn't hit all at once—it crept in gradually, almost unnoticed. Looking back, the signs were there, but they were easy to miss.
If the signs were obvious, we’d all be better at preventing it.
It was not that I was working too hard, or that I was working long hours or that I never took time to rest; it was because I lost all sense of control in my work.
I was hit with a double whammy, an accumulation of stressful situations in my work along with having numerous leave applications declined. When leave was granted, I would study. I have never been one to rest.
Hard work is not something I have ever shied away from.
When I was younger, I would keep busy and by the age of 11 was mowing lawns and delivering newspapers for money. Weekends were filled with work around the home in the garden.
Hard work provided a sense of solitude, offering a break from my constantly overthinking mind. The feeling of accomplishment, coupled with the praise from others that followed, became a reward in itself.
Fast forward to a police career 24 years later - I was doing the same thing, working hard to progress through the ranks.
Known causes of burnout at work include a heavy workload with long hours, struggling with a work-life balance, a mismatch of values, unfair treatment, and insufficient autonomy, all leaving the person with a feeling of having little or no control.
The first realisation that something was wrong was when I began self-medicating, firstly to get a better night's sleep, and latterly throughout the day. Anything to stop the onslaught of negative self-talk.
It wasn't until a suicidal ideation that I truly knew I needed help urgently. A diagnosis of accumulated stress disorder led to both psychological support, and the journey of self-discovery.
The initial diagnosis was emotionally overwhelming, but also brought a sense of relief—knowing that others had faced and overcome a similar challenge.
Regardless of how determined, strong, or powerful we think we might be, there is always a risk of burnout if we do not maintain control over what we do.
Fast forward further to today.
Although I've never worked harder as a business owner now, the inability to say no is my choice. That's how I'm now able to maintain a sense of control.
Each of us is different therefore we must find our own way of managing our workloads.
If you wish to prevent burnout, it's crucial to maintain control of your life in a way that fosters balance—on your terms.
How do you maintain balance and a sense of control in your life?
Let's talk!
Experiencing Burnout