Career Burnout

I've been through burn-out. I was a mental health counselor and just used myself up, in spite of lots of stress management techniques. I ended up making myself chronically ill because I didn't get out of the business when I needed to. To stay sane as a human services person, you really need to have a healthy relationship at home. And you need to learn how to not bring home your job. I had a fairly long commute by car, so I listened to books on tape to clean out my head from all the stress of the day. Music can help, too. Something that is every helpful is phyical activity. Take a walk, play tennis, take a swim, something physical. And, needless to say, a healthy diet. Food really does affect the mood and brain function. I don't know how young mothers survive working in human service jobs. All day long people are wanting something from you. Then you come home to kids who want something from you. I watched co-workers burn out that way. You really need a spouce who understands your need for time and space that doesn't make demands on you, and who helps out with the kids. It is hard work to work with other people's problems all day long and then come home to your own. Good luck to you! Keep your perspective. And take really good care of yourself.

I have learned to leave work at work and have a home life. At first I couldnt do tha but it started to get me down. Separating the two made a difference. Also realizing that I cant change the entire world by myself helped me to realize that I am only one person. I take long hot baths and sit outside with my dogs if I have had a particularly hard day at work.