ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Totally Burned Out

Hey watt, Im an hour and a half south of you in Victoria. Feel free to email me from my profile. Lets go fishing. Its great living near the Gulf Of Mexico!! I "guarantee" you a limit of speckled trout.
Anyway, stay honest about your feelings. You are probably right, there is something wrong. I dont know what that is and I wont pretend to know. I believe you have seen what to do, and were unable/unwilling to do something about it. I struggle under same cross as you.

" A man is given a certain amount of time to live. The time he spends fishing doesnt count."





[This message has been edited by Sean WB (edited 09-24-2002).]

Hey, Doc.
I know you've within the last year changed to an all-office=salary=long hours=etc. job.
I'll be 50 in a few days, and at 48 decided that the Proj Mgr job I had was a large part of my lack of personal motivation. I got a different job, back in the field.
I now look forward once again to (most) days at work.
It's tough for someone who's been "out" all his life to be strapped to the desk, FAX, computer, and phone. (Was SlamTex a happier guy?).
The family and the mortgage was all that kept me going for a long time.
Best wishes, hang in, and God be with you...S

Hey Doc
Looks like everything has been said---we have all been there, done that, got over it and kept on going. But we need you to respond as soon as you can. GeeWhiz....we miss you witty closings to your post. I wish I was smart enough to think of those things.
Anyway, we are all keeping you in our prayers.

jlmaint, pauluk, bobc, mamills, trainwire, George "wounded leg" Corron, thinkgood, gramps, wirewiz, rmiell, pearlfish, sparky66vw, sparky, currently, arseegee, tsolanto, master66, spkjpr, seanwb, electure, warren1.....
God Speed to all. Open heart surgery may be a daily thing for the Watt Doctor, but I don't normally do it on myself. I've been moved by every comment, and frankly, though I've put my fingers on the keys to respond several times, I couldn't find the words to say. What can I say to a group of people, that I don't know, yet I know very well through the experiences of life? How could I respond to this group of guys that I've never seen, yet see every day in the faces of the men who work in our industry? How could I speak to men who's voices I've never heard, yet I hear every heart? ....I hear... I would love to comment on every post, but at the present, time will not permit. This side of heaven, it will not be known what each of you has done for me by your kind words. The Watt Doctor may have to take a standing 8 count, but let me assure all that he is not out. For now, with all that is in me, thanks.

Down but not out,
Doc

[This message has been edited by The Watt Doctor (edited 09-24-2002).]

atta boy Doc....

your bro's got wide shoulders here , an it ain't thier first rodeo....

some here do the FF or EMS gig (put's on mask & cape) and are aware of burnout....of late we have CISD ( Critical Incident Stress Debriefing), a worthy asset i wish the trade/contracting sector had access to....



[This message has been edited by sparky (edited 09-24-2002).]

http://www.politicsandprotest.org/

This helps me sometimes put my probleems into perspective

Doc,

My thoughts are with you too.

Bill

Sean: Thanks for sharing the link with us.

Mike (mamills)

Hey Doc,

What say you plan a hunt or a camping trip or something? If you 'go west, young man' you can come see our rainbow trout, brook trout or browns, too.

I agree that you probably need to check in with your M.D. Don't miss the chance to catch this early, it definitely sounds like clinical depression and the treatments have improved substantially, as mentioned.

I haven't faced job burnout in the same respect although I've just hit my 10-year anniversary by launching a new career within the same employer. I did so after a few years of frustration followed closely by a total collapse in my motivation. I would've gone to pushing a broom in a heartbeat.

I did a couple of things:
1) sought help from a respected friend and a leader in my field of interest (which you've done here). I asked for advice on what I might do to ward of the 'I don't care' attitude. I added that I had been frustrated by the tasks and the lack of progress or recognition and that it seemed so dull to do the same thing in the same environment where nothing seems to change nor make a difference. He suggested I go back to school which I did.
2) I got into a formal mentoring program and one of the most valuable things that came from it was a goal to prove the value of the mentoring to my current group and then build further value on top of that with the thought that it would primarily add value to ME and I could then have more options available if I decided to change careers.
3) I made a commitment to my physical health knowing that my mental health also depends on my physical health. This, for me, does not necessarily include a consistent exercise program. This is more basic. It means adequate sleep since the majority of the American population is sleep deprived. Sleep, by the way, is a major factor in mental health and sleep apnea can create a very real mental health concern, as mentioned above. It also means staying hydrated because in similar fashion, most Americans are dehydrated. Eating right, or at least better, and getting my basic vitamins and minerals with a standard or stress formula one-a-day type supplement (and certainly NOT a whole bunch of supplements taken together just because they promise great effects).

I've walked through a couple of lonesome valleys (death of a child, divorce, etc) and job 'loss'.. even if it's just the loss of motivation in your job... are heavy hitters on the stress scale. They can very easily lead to depression but you've already gained some ground ahead of it by being willing to address the problem head-on.

Hang in there and stay in touch with this gang, it certainly can make a difference in your willingness and ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other so you can get around that bend.

Watt Doc,

I feel for you, guy!!! Been there a bunch of times myself and still wonder when the next one will come.

The only things keeping me from just saying "screw it all" and sleeping all day and night are my Wife's support, the support of my friends and the passion for the fields of Electricity.

I'm going on 38 [will turn 38 on December 21st] and through those past 37 years, so much Chaos has occured it's a wonder that I am still around to be typing this message to you!

For me, things were really dificult between the ages of 20 and 25. Since then, Chaos only visits me once every few years, instead of every other Month!

What makes it all worth while is reflecting back every 3 or so years, and thinking about how much different everything is now compared to then. I'm looking at all the things that have changed over that period, both good and bad. Think about what you were able to do, or what you knew, or even what you have become to know better now, as opposed to say 3 years ago. You were thinking about bad things then too, thinking about giving up on it all, but you have kept going!

Think about the things you know now, as opposed to 3 years ago, now put yourself at that point in time 3 years ago and think about what you knew then as opposed to another 3 years prior.
That should pick you up spiritually big time!!! It always does for me!

I Wish you all the luck and happiness possible!

Scott S.E.T.