Work Burnout: How Do I Know if I'm Getting Toasty?

A few weeks ago a reader asked me to address the issue of work burnout and how it affects the decision to retire. In September 2011 I did take a look at the issue with the post,  How do you know when to retire. Many of the reasons listed were related to job dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

Since this subject is a very important one I decided it was time to take a fresh look. To retire just because you have had a rough stretch at work or you have a strong urge to chuck it all is usually not wise. Launching a satisfying retirement takes planning and is a process that should begin well before you accept your last paycheck.

At the same time, staying employed after your mental and physical well being begin to suffer is not wise either. I found several excellent web sites that might help you take a fresh look at your situation to determine if your problem requires action.

What are some of the signs that help you know it is time? The site, HelpGuide.org has a short list that may help you decide if you are on the road to burnout at work:

Every day is a bad day.

Caring about your work or seems like a total waste of energy.

You’re exhausted all the time.

The majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either  dull or overwhelming.

You feel like nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated

At stress.about.com I found a burnout quiz. Answer the twenty questions and the results are summarized to help you determine if you are at risk for at work burnout. Scientific? No. Something I'd use to decide whether to retire or not? No. Helpful to look at your situation? Yes. Just by answering the questions you have the chance to think through your condition.

The Mayo Clinic web site has an excellent review of the subject. For example, there is the suggestion to ask yourself these questions:

Have you become cynical or critical at work?

Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started once you arrive?

Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?

Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?

Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?

Do you feel disillusioned about your job?

Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?

Have your sleep habits or appetite changed?

Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, backaches or other physical complaints?  

The site continues with overviews on what causes job burnout, who is most at risk, the consequences of ignoring the problem, and importantly, how to handle it.

From personal experience I can say that I did suffer from many of the symptoms of job burnout for two years before I retired. My radio consulting business was in serious decline for two major reasons: I had stopped trying to learn anything new in my field and was content to just offer the same solutions to client problems that had worked for the previous 15 years. I simply wasn't motivated to put in the effort to "grow" my knowledge, and that meant a slow death for the company.

Secondly, I was sick of the travel, being away from home all the time, and knowing my marriage and family life were suffering. I saw no reasonable way to continue doing my job while protecting my relationships. So, my wife and I decided it would be best to close the business and take a very early retirement.

It is important to note that this decision was not made hastily. For the better part of a year I struggled with the financial aspects of retiring at least 5-7 years before I thought I should. Betty and I discussed all the pros and cons of my retirement and what affect it had on her work, too. My personal identity was tightly wrapped with the business. I had no hobbies or passions waiting for me.

But, the decision was one of the most important I have ever made. I was on the road to ruin and needed to get off before i crashed my life and my marriage. Work burnout is real and powerful. Just be sure you have thought everything through. A satisfying retirement does not follow automatically.