“If you burn the candle at both ends, you are not as smart as you think.”
If you listen closely enough, you can hear the call of the of the PyroHumanEmployee species. It goes something like this. . . “So much to do, so little time.”
The PyroHumanEmployee (PHE) is a burned out worker in the workplace. You know what they sound like. . . but would you recognize one if you saw him or her? They are quite visible. Their hair needs cutting, there are bags under the eyes, and the body is fleshy looking from lack of exercise.
The PHE can be found at the desk, grazing on a meal of french fries, a giant hamburger and a milkshake.
The only exercise that the PHE gets is jumping to conclusions. He or she jumps to the tune of. . . “I have to work this hard, I have no other choice.” This familiar refrain continues until one day, the PHE burns out completely, leaving only ashes where a magnificent structure once stood.
The moral to this sad story is that burnout is preventable. It is a matter of choice. The choice is to balance work with re-creation time, vacate-tion time and some simple time outs. Don’t we long for those days when we were told to go to our rooms and take a nap? We didn’t know that we were tired, but our mother did. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had that same luxury today?
Imagine, enjoying a short snooze, waking up to cookies and milk, and then going out to conquer the world. Imagine how pleasant that workplace would be.
Burnout is preventable. It takes common sense, and understanding that dousing the flame on the candle occasionally will make it last longer and burn brighter.
Please Note: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not the intent of Mary Rau-Foster to render legal advice. If legal advice is required, you should seek the services of a competent lawyer.