Have We Normalized Burnout Culture?

Long ago, working one 9-to-5 job was enough to make a living. Someone like a dishwasher could rent a cheap apartment and still have enough to have a social life. In modern times, being part of the working class narrows down to two options: work multiple jobs to have your own place, or work one or two jobs and split the bills with a roommate or relative. And no matter what option you take, you’ll most likely find yourself running out of patience and energy before you realize it. Have we normalized burnout culture?

It seems that no matter where you turn, holding down one job doesn’t cut it for the majority of people, not including people with side hustles or passion projects that they’re getting off the ground. When I refer to a “job”, I’m referring to an occupation where you’re at the mercy of a supervisor. It seems lately that in the working class, people who hold only one job are becoming the exception to the norm. It’s so commonplace to have co-workers who divide their waking moments between two or three jobs, while stretching the minimal amount of sleep allotted to them. The side effect of this is increased irritability, which makes people more likely to be disagreeable in the workplace, which can negatively affect productivity and create a hostile work environment.

Sadly, we’re living in a society where everything is becoming increasingly expensive or rare. Housing costs have skyrocketed, gasoline prices are at an all-time high (unless you’re lucky enough to afford an electric vehicle), and even simple things such as eggs or baby formula have recently been low in stock and supply. It’s amazing that laundromats are still relatively affordable, and even then, so many of us lack the time to pull in a laundry day without sacrificing rest.

It seems that the ones who have managed to avoid the burnout culture that we’ve become subject to are the ones with streams of reliable passive income. The land owners, the stock holders, the CEO’s on top, and the ones who have unique services that they can charge big money for. The rest of us have found ourselves in a world where it’s the norm to be overworked and mostly underpaid. It’s not good for our mental and physical well-being, and it’s not good for the people in our lives who we affect.

Things such as meditation, healthy eating, and education seem to help short-term, but the unbalanced nature of burnout culture is one where eventually, something has to give. Consistent burnout leaves people hospitalized with numerous health problems before they even realize it. Physically, burnout can lead to constant headaches, hypertension, joint problems, and muscle deterioration, among other medical conditions.

The best way to look at burnout is to look at your body as a car engine. If your car engine is constantly overheating, it will be prone to break down faster, leaving you stranded and in need of a new engine. That’s why engines need coolants and lubricants to maintain it, as well as tune ups to make sure it’s in working order. Your body is the same as a car engine in its own way; if your body is constantly pushed to its limits without a break, you’re more prone to break down, just like the engine. Your body needs rest, proper nutrition, and regular medical checkups, the same way an engine needs oil changes, coolants, and tune-ups.

As for the current work culture creating burnout, it seems that workplace trends aren’t doing much to stave off employees being pushed to their physical and mental limits. While some supervisors may encourage employees to use their vacation time, it seems to be more common for employers to ask their employees to work overtime and crunch massive amounts of work into finite amounts of time.

While it is up to us as individuals to take personal steps to avoid embracing burnout culture, it is also up to the bosses in charge to take steps to avoid pushing employees towards potential burnout. Proper time management, handling priority matters in a timely fashion, and not shoveling massive workloads on employees are some minor steps that can make a major difference in preventing workplace burnout.

Regardless of the source of burnout, taking proactive steps in your life can counter any potential stress that you may encounter. No matter what life may hand you, take your happiness and peace into your own hands.