Latest / The Checkpoint Podcast: Questions / Episode 29 | What are the signs that you're burnt out, not just tired?
Transcript
- Podcast episode 29: Hey, it's Dexter, creator of Reboot Play One and host at the Checkpoint. And today's question is What are some signs that you're burnt out, not just tired? What are some signs you're burnt out, not just tired? Hmm. I'll be perfectly honest with you and say that I don't think I have ever really felt burnt out. There are times when I've felt that I've reached the end of my tether with work, with people, with jobs, projects. But I don't think I've really felt burnt out. I think the closest I came was a time when I wanted to become an employee. And I did. Now up until that point I had been running my own business for about sixteen years and the government at the time had been making some reckless decisions with taxpayer money. Now, I was never a big politician guy. I don't like politics. I don't understand it. So I choose to ignore it in a way. I'd I'd run my business for so long that regardless of what party was in and calling the shots, I I I don't think it really had affected me that much. Anyway, at that time the government had made some extreme Some extreme expenditures on things that I just thought were rubbish. they were there were bids for things and it was basically a lot of wasted money. And on top of that, I had decided internally to to really up my game in terms of my business because cost of living was going up. I was wanting to earn more money because kids were going to school and I needed to buy this and I needed to buy that. You know, not luxury items or anything like that, but I just wanted to make sure that I had money there for for the important things. So for you know, for that year, year and a bit, I I really, really worked hard. I worked as hard as I thought I could and earned the most money that I thought I could. I I really, really tried. And and I did that. I earned some good money. And what happened was all of the money that I earned. Basically went back to the government in form of taxes. And and then the government had made decisions about spending money on stupid things and and that really affected me. And I said, That's it. I'm sick of this. I I I'm done running my own business, I'm done working as hard as I can, only for me to give the money to the government and only for the government to spend it on just really stupid stuff. And so I became an employee. I put my resume out there. I I I applied for jobs, I spoke to people, I was really adamant to to stop and to become an employee. And and I did for two years. not two years, sorry, for nine months. And wasn't the best decision, but it allowed me to see how the other half lived. And it allowed me to go back to the place that I am now with more gratitude for what it is I'm able to do and for the people that I can do it for. And it's been really good ever since. So the signs for me that showed up prior to me making that decision were were anger, were frustration, there was stress. There was resentment. There was like everything. Everything you could think of in a negative space, I felt. I was angry at everyone. mainly the government. I was angry at the system. you know, how can I reduce tax? albeit accountants were very doing a very good job anyway, but you know, I gotta pay, I gotta pay. I I was just angry at so many things. And I'm normally not. an angry person. So that was a definitely a telltale sign of me just not being myself for a very long time. And What I what I thought was surprising was the state that I was in whilst I was applying for jobs, whilst I was looking at changing my situation, I had I was operating from a place of desperation, of anger, of again resentment. And strangely, there was energy there. There was energy for me to still continue doing the work that I need to because I was still running my own business. But at the same time, I was applying for jobs, I was going for interviews. I I just had this second and third wind that was powered by anger and frustration and stress and just everything. And at the same time I was also powered by excitement and potential and and and and doing something that I kind of thought was fun. I I love going to interviews by the way. I think it's really cool. so it was this strange mix of excitement and anger and frustration. But it really did give me the boost that I needed. It was surprising. And and I just kind of I I just realized that just then answering this question that I'm I'm able to get to that point of Operating from a place that really gave me the drive, the discipline and and the energy to see that through. So sure, recognize those signs of burnout. Do what you can to either stop it from happening, to recognize it. Having said that though, if you ever needed a source of motivation, burnout, stress, anger, at least for me. seemed to be quite powerful and it allowed me to, you know, if I was to use a a spiritual word, manifest, manifest this job. I I honestly didn't have a vision of what job I could get, but I I I was relentless. I just applied and I spoke to people and I applied and I wrung people and I had it was it was with reckless abandon. It was really from a place of desperation, even though I was not in a desperate situation, if that makes sense. I was still running my business. I was still making money. Yes, sure, I was paying tax, but it wasn't like I was poor. You know? and and so that that's a bit of a a light bulb moment for me, knowing that I can operate from that place, knowing that I can get to that. Now I'm not gonna say that I'm gonna try and put myself in that situation again, but Having said that, if you are getting to a place of burnout, just know that you might surprise yourself. You might see a different side of you that has a bit of a a fire in your belly. And you're able to do things that you probably thought you couldn't do. And you might be surprised. So just look out for those signs. Gut feels, you know, the the the the tether of yours becoming shorter, you know, that person that would normally give you a bit of stick instead of, you know, letting it wash off your shoulders, you you retaliate. There's a bunch of that. Those are signs. And sometimes those signs they compound. And usually, usually, usually when those those signs start to compound, you know that you could potentially be getting to that point of burnout. or frustration or anger or basically tipping point. You know, if you if you experience these things and water off a duff b ducks back, they don't affect you, you're probably doing okay. Having said that, a place of burnout, place of energy, a place of untapped, you know, power. Hmm. Not saying do it, but never know. Anyway, if you like questions like these and you'd like to discuss them further with a cool group of people, We do this every Wednesday through Zoom. If you'd like to be a part of it, just leave a comment with the word catch-up and I will send you the link. My name is Dex from Ruby Player One and the checkpoint, and I will see you on the next video. Bye.