I left my job as a Community Content Manager about two weeks ago. There were a number of factors and options in play, but it felt like the best move for me. I’d say for the last year, I’ve been having a harder time than usual at work. I still perform and produce work at a high level, but physically, these tasks are draining even though I enjoy what I’m doing.
Although I’m not officially diagnosed, all of the signs are there that I’m both high functioning and burnt out; two things can be true at once. From what I’ve ready it can take at least three months to recover from burnout. But if you don’t actually take the time to recover (and let’s face it, most of us can’t afford to), it can take much longer and you even “learn to live with it.”
Some of the emotional symptoms of burnout that I experience/have experienced are:
- Sense of failure and self-doubt
- Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated
- Loss of motivation
- Increasing cynical/negative outlook
In the last two weeks, I’ve had tons of organizations reach out to me with high interest in my skills, resume, and variety of work experiences and yet, I find it hard to feel accomplished or proud of myself. Luckily, I have an amazing partner and other awesome folks in my network who gas me up every day. As time goes on, I begin to feel less defeated and more confident in myself. I am starting to believe them and their kinds words again.
I don’t know what the root cause of my burnout is. I mean, it goes without saying that the last two years have been absolutely wild for everybody in different ways, but there’s been a lot of changes that I’ve experienced. In February of last year, I started weekly therapy. I’ve changed jobs. I’ve left the city and returned. I’ve been laid off. I’ve grown closer to and apart from different people in my life. It’s a lot to process.
Even though I put this blog in the “At Work” section, I don’t think that I got burnt out because of a job. In fact, when I started to experience it, I was at a job that was quite pleasant and allowed me an excellent work-life balance.
Now, as I begin the journey towards my next role, I’m doing my best to be mindful of what my body needs. This means being selective about what calls I take, and when I take them. Last week and the week before were quite crazy, but I gave myself Friday off and pushed everything to this week. As best as I can, I’m only doing one call a day this week, and so on. It’s important to take time to rest because interviewing is an act of both mental and emotional exertion. If you have really strong feelings towards some of the companies, you want to be at your best when you’re in conversation with them.
Even though I’ve wrapped up at my job, I do intend to ask for as late of a start date as I can whenever I accept an offer. Although it won’t be 12 weeks, it’s still time I can take to breathe, reflect, and prepare for what’s next.
Khadijah Plummer Consulting 