avatarSufyan Maan, M.Eng

Summary

The article discusses the personal experience of the author with burnout due to overworking and the importance of prioritizing health and taking breaks.

Abstract

The author shares a personal account of working relentlessly for months to achieve a promotion and bonus, which led to severe burnout, affecting both personal and professional life. The narrative emphasizes the detrimental effects of continuous work without rest, including exhaustion, irritability, and a decline in productivity and creativity. After experiencing physical symptoms, the author realized the necessity of prioritizing health above all else, advocating for the importance of mental and physical well-being to perform effectively in any profession. The article concludes with a call to action for self-care, likening it to the safety instruction on airplanes to put on one's oxygen mask before helping others.

Opinions

  • The author believes that taking a break is crucial for recharging and maintaining productivity, suggesting that even a short respite can be beneficial.
  • Family and personal relationships should be prioritized after one's health, as they suffer when an individual is overworked and burnt out.
  • The pursuit of career goals, such as a bonus or promotion, should not come at the expense of one's health, as the author reflects on the futility of achieving such goals when one's well-being is compromised.
  • Saying no to excessive work demands is seen as essential to avoid falling into a trap of overcommitment and burnout.
  • The author asserts that self-care is not a selfish act but a responsibility, and it is necessary to be present and supportive for loved ones.
  • The article suggests that readers should consider becoming Medium members to support writers and gain access to more stories, indicating the author's desire for community support and engagement with their work.

How Can Burnout Destroy You and How To Deal With It

Put on your oxygen mask first.

Photo by Cup of Couple from Pexels

Before the pandemic at my corporate job, I worked nonstop every day, even on Sundays, for at least 4 to 6 months to grab that promotion and bonus.

So by continuously working for 6 months, I felt completely exhausted and wondered what the hell I was doing with my life.

Today after 4 years, sometimes I still think. Did I do the right thing? If I had taken a break for 1–2 weeks, would that be great for me or my personal relationships?

My answer is 100%, you should take a break, for yourself, friends, and family. Family should be your priority after your health.

My goal was to get that bonus; therefore, I could enjoy it. I do not know why even I wanted to get that bonus. I just burnt out at work. My brain was not even thinking straight. My productivity rate fell drastically.

I was really irritable at home with friends. I was even getting tired all the time. This thing starts to happen after 4–5 months.

I realized that I was not even getting new ideas. I felt like my creativity was lost. I can assure you 100% I was not at my best.

I know I was working at least 10+ hours every day, but my productivity was declining. Taking a break is really important to recharge yourself.

My health was going into hell. I developed a strange symptom, a sudden pain under my right rib cage, by working tirelessly. After the CT Scan physician suggested it’s very rare, you should take a rest at least 3–4 months to get back to routine life.

Learning

I learned from this painful journey that I have to prioritize my health even before my loved ones. Why? Because that’s the only way, I can help someone if I am feeling happy and healthy.

I believe physical and mental health is not a selfish thing. It’s your responsibility first to take care of your health! It does not matter in which profession.

Just learn to say no, no to falling into a trap. It’s not worth it.

Taking care of yourself is being there for your kids, like how on a plane, they tell you to put on your oxygen mask first. — Gwyneth Paltrow

Thank you for reading, and take care of yourself!

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