Business

Avoiding Burnout

Burnout is regarded as a distinct type of stress related to demands on the job, and you can keep it at bay

Published

2 years ago

October 27, 2021

Jeff Davidson

In this ever-changing, covid-plagued era, many people today are experiencing unprecedented pressures and stressors. As the stress builds up over time, these individuals suffer from burnout and feeling as if there is no time for their lives.

Burnout is a term that has made the rounds in business and general literature over the last decade and a half. It’s actually a unique type of stress that involves:

* diminished personal accomplishment,
* emotional exhaustion, and
* de-personalization.

Although researchers are still exploring the nature of burnout, it is widely regarded as a distinct type of stress related to demands on the job.

At Risk

Who is most susceptible to burnout? Those in helping professions, or in positions that have significant amounts of interpersonal contact. This includes people in customer service departments, municipal services, and health care.

While burnout is costly to organizations, unfortunately, those organizations in which employees feel the effects of burnout, often do little to be of service. How do you know if you’re heading for burnout, or are already there?

Have you been evaluating yourself negatively lately? Does it seem to you as if you’re not making any progress or have even lost ground? If you feel as if you are not as competent and successful doing your job as you have been in the past, you’re experiencing the sensation of diminished personal accomplishment.

Depersonalization

Another clue to burnout is depersonalization. This occurs when you rotely do what you’re supposed to, but withdraw emotionally from what you’re doing. In the health care industry, this could be characterized by a nurse who follows correct medical procedures, and is cordial with patients, but no longer cares about them on a personal basis.

In business, depersonalization can be seen as detachment, a blase attitude towards peers, clients, or customers, and perhaps to one’s organization in general. If you begin to see others as objects rather than human beings, beware, you could well be on the burnout path.

The third component of burnout is emotional exhaustion. Here, it feels as if you don’t have the capacity to respond emotionally to others. Your energy level is low. You are irritated or tense. You know that you can’t give of yourself like you have in the past. Following a long weekend, or time away from work, you still loathe the thought of going back to work.

Emotional exhaustion often is the first of the three characteristics to appear when you’re in danger of experiencing burnout. Long hours and heavy demands can drain your emotional resources. People who may have been optimistic about what they could achieve on the job, and had high expectations for themselves, are particularly susceptible to burnout as they begin to experience set-backs and frustrations.

Antidotes

Among the emerging antidotes are 1) the ability to know, observe, and be involved in the outcome of your efforts, and 2) the opportunity to engage in a self-evaluation.

The first remedy allows you to maintain a mental link between what you do and what results occur. Said another way, it’s highly stressful to work at a job all day long, perhaps interacting with many, many people, and not know if what you’ve done has been of value, or been appreciated.

The second remedy, self-evaluation, involves looking at what you do with some measure of objectivity, perhaps using a chart, checklist, or scale developed during less trying times, that includes most of the key components of your job description and responsibilities.

One of the best safeguards for not falling prey to burnout is to accept the input and advice from others. Your spouse, co-workers, and friends often are able to notice changes in your behavior that may be detrimental to your well-being, long before you are aware of them. Please, listen up when somebody says “take it easy.”

If you’ve ever saw Star Trek: the Next Generation, you know that when Counselor Troi told Captain Picard to take it easy, at first, he always resisted. Then, he relented, and followed her advice. Captain Picard, I postulate, never missed a day on the bridge due to burnout.

Tune Up the Old Bod

Particularly if you’ve been putting in long hours and facing high-expectations, schedule a regular preventative medical exam, complete with cardiovascular and cancer screening tests. Many people who appear to be in good shape find out the hard way, either through a heart attack or sudden death, that all was not well internally. You and I don’t have the capability to determine how well everything is going on inside, solely based on the way we feel and perform.

Some top athletes in our time, among them Pete Maravich, Hank Gathers, and Sergei Grinkov were in top physical condition, but perished at an early age because of long-standing coronary problems that went undetected. In some cases, well-conditioned athletes who act with unknown coronary problems, actually live years past the time when a non-athlete in the same condition would have lived.

By the time you reach your forties, and certainly mid-forties and fifties, heart disease becomes the leading cause of death. Heart disease is brought on by a variety of factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, smoking too much, experiencing too much stress, getting too little rest and so on. Curiously, as more women rise to higher and higher ranks within organizations, the risk of heart disease rises as well.

Surrounded By Workaholics?

Despite the well-known, high prevalence of stress and burnout in the contemporary working world, and the resulting dangers, some organizations still maintain a culture in which employees have it tougher than it needs to be. Too many managers have the misguided notion that only wimps are stressed. These are the same managers who tend to give out stress in abundance. If only they knew that stress is real, and exacts a cost on both individuals and the organization.

Someday, organizations will be held responsible, both socially and legally, for the mental health and well-being of their employees. Until that day, you’ll probably need to accept it as a given that if you want to flourish in an otherwise potentially stressful environment, there are not many places you can look for help. You’re going to have to help yourself.

Suppose you work with a boss who unduly heaps piles of stuff on your desk with little or short notice? What are some of the strategies you can employ to keep your job, maintain your relation with your boss, and yet not be overwhelmed?

When Your Boss Wants You to Be a Workaholic

With great tact and professionalism offer these words, “I’m really over-committed right now, and if I take that on, I can’t do it justice.” Other appropriate responses:

* “I appreciate your confidence in me. I wouldn’t want to take this on knowing my other tasks and responsibilities right now would prohibit me from doing a great job.”

* “I’d be happy to handle this assignment for you but realistically I can’t do it without foregoing some other things I’m working on. Of tasks a and b which would you like me to do? Which can I put aside?”

* “I can do that for you. Will it be okay if I get back to you in the middle of next week? I currently have blank, blank, and blank in the queue.”

* “The number of tasks and complexity of assignments I’m handling is mounting. Perhaps we could look at a two or four week scenario of what’s most important to you, and when the assignments need to be completed, versus what I can realistically handle over that time period.”

Flexibility Matters

All the while, stay as flexible as possible. Frequently, your responsibilities and assignments will change. Your ability to adapt to your boss’s needs will go a long way in helping you flourish at your position, and diminish the feelings of being overwhelmed.

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The left has long worked to overthrow America and all that it stands for. They have been working at it since early in the 1900’s and it took up more speed in the late 60’s and early 70’s with the rise of the radical left. PolitiCrossing founder Chris Widener explains the three-pronged attack and how it is almost complete, as well as the only things we can do to save ourselves and this country we love.

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SAVE YOURSELF: Is This The Surefire Way to Protect Your Money in the Inevitable Financial Meltdown?

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has emerged as a revolutionary technology.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 9, 2023

Chris Widener

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CAN DECENTRALIZED FINANCE BE THE WAY TO SAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM MELTDOWNS AND TYRANNY?

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is built on the blockchain, which offers a wide range of financial services without the need for intermediaries such as banks or other financial institutions. DeFi has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional finance, offering a more open, transparent, and decentralized financial system. In this article, we will explore why DeFi can protect you from a coming financial meltdown and from tyrannical governments.

DeFi is built on the blockchain, which means that it is inherently decentralized. This means that there is no central authority controlling the system, and all transactions are verified and validated by a distributed network of nodes. This makes the system more resilient and less vulnerable to attack or manipulation. Unlike traditional financial systems, where central authorities have the power to manipulate the system, DeFi is designed to be transparent and immutable.

One of the main advantages of DeFi is that it offers greater financial freedom and control to users. DeFi allows users to access a wide range of financial services without the need for intermediaries. This means that users can transact directly with each other, without having to go through banks or other financial institutions. This gives users greater control over their finances and reduces the risks associated with centralized financial systems.

Another advantage of DeFi is that it is highly transparent. All transactions on the blockchain are public and can be verified by anyone. This means that there is no room for fraud or manipulation, as all transactions are visible to all participants in the network. This level of transparency is not possible in traditional financial systems, where transactions are often opaque and difficult to track.

DeFi also offers greater security to users. Transactions on the blockchain are secured using cryptography, making them virtually impossible to hack or manipulate. This means that users can trust the system, knowing that their funds are secure. Traditional financial systems, on the other hand, are often vulnerable to cyberattacks and fraud, which can result in significant financial losses.

Don’t miss Rich Dad Poor Dad’s Robert Kiyosaki in this absolutely free webinar: The Coming Financial Tsunami. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Click here NOW to register!

Furthermore, DeFi is designed to be more inclusive and accessible to everyone. Unlike traditional financial systems, which often have high barriers to entry, DeFi is open to anyone with an internet connection. This means that people who are unbanked or underbanked can access financial services that were previously unavailable to them. This inclusivity is important because it helps to reduce financial inequality and promotes greater financial inclusion.

Finally, DeFi is more resilient than traditional financial systems. DeFi is built on a decentralized network of nodes, which means that there is no single point of failure. This makes the system more resilient to attacks and more resistant to financial meltdowns. In traditional financial systems, a single point of failure can have catastrophic consequences, as we saw in the 2008 financial crisis.

DeFi is a new and exciting financial system that offers a wide range of benefits over traditional finance. It is transparent, secure, accessible, and resilient, making it an attractive option for people who are looking to protect themselves from a coming financial meltdown. While DeFi is still in its early stages, it has the potential to transform the world of finance, offering a more open, transparent, and decentralized financial system for everyone.

SEVEN BENEFITS OF DECENTRALIZED FINANCE

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has emerged as a revolutionary technology that enables individuals to conduct financial transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks or financial institutions. DeFi uses blockchain technology, which provides a transparent and secure way of conducting financial transactions. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of decentralized finance, along with a brief overview of crypto and blockchain.

Overview of Crypto and Blockchain

Crypto refers to digital currencies that use cryptography to secure financial transactions and control the creation of new units. Bitcoin, which was created in 2009, is the most well-known cryptocurrency. It is based on blockchain technology, which is a decentralized ledger that records transactions in a transparent and secure manner. Blockchain technology provides a secure and tamper-proof way of recording transactions, making it ideal for use in financial transactions.

Benefits of Decentralized Finance

Lower Transaction Costs

Decentralized finance provides a cost-effective way of conducting financial transactions. Traditional financial systems are often plagued by high transaction costs, which are passed on to customers. DeFi eliminates the need for intermediaries, which means that transaction costs are significantly lower. This makes it easier for individuals to access financial services and reduces the barriers to entry for new players in the market.

Greater Accessibility

DeFi provides greater accessibility to financial services, particularly for individuals who are unbanked or underbanked. In many parts of the world, people do not have access to traditional banking services due to various factors such as lack of documentation, poor credit history, or living in remote areas. DeFi provides a way for these individuals to access financial services using only a smartphone and an internet connection. This has the potential to increase financial inclusion and reduce poverty.

Increased Transparency

One of the main benefits of blockchain technology is its transparency. Transactions recorded on the blockchain are publicly visible, making it easier to trace the flow of funds. This provides a level of transparency that is not possible with traditional financial systems. Decentralized finance leverages this transparency to provide greater accountability and reduce the risk of fraud. This makes DeFi a more secure and trustworthy way of conducting financial transactions.

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More Control Over Personal Data

Traditional financial systems often require individuals to provide personal data such as name, address, and social security number. This data is stored by banks and financial institutions, making it vulnerable to hacks and breaches. DeFi provides individuals with more control over their personal data by using self-sovereign identity solutions. These solutions enable individuals to control their own data and share it only with the parties they trust.

Greater Flexibility

Decentralized finance provides greater flexibility in terms of financial products and services. Traditional financial systems are often rigid, with limited options for customers. DeFi provides a range of financial products and services, including loans, savings accounts, insurance, and investment products. This gives individuals greater flexibility to choose the financial products and services that meet their specific needs.

Faster Settlement Times

Blockchain technology enables faster settlement times for financial transactions. Traditional financial systems often require several intermediaries to process transactions, which can take several days. With DeFi, transactions are processed directly on the blockchain, which means that settlement times can be as fast as a few seconds. This provides greater convenience for customers and reduces the risk of errors and delays.

Reduced Counterparty Risk

Traditional financial systems often involve counterparty risk, which is the risk that one party will fail to fulfill its obligations in a financial transaction. DeFi eliminates counterparty risk by using smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts that automatically execute when certain conditions are met. This provides greater security and reduces the risk of fraud and default.

Conclusion

Decentralized finance is a revolutionary technology that has the potential to transform the financial industry. By eliminating intermediaries, increasing accessibility, increasing transparency, providing more control over personal data, offering greater flexibility, enabling faster settlement times, and reducing counterparty risk, DeFi provides numerous benefits that traditional financial systems cannot match. As DeFi continues to evolve, it has the potential to create a more equitable and inclusive financial system that benefits individuals and communities around the world.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Investing in decentralized finance (DeFi) and cryptocurrencies involves risk and may result in significant financial losses. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and seek the advice of a financial professional before investing in DeFi or cryptocurrencies. The author and publisher of this article are not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of investing in DeFi or cryptocurrencies.