I recently read Breaking Out of Burnout by Rex Baker in hopes that I can add to my arsenal to combat the dismal burnout feeling that had been plaguing me for months. I ran across this book on Amazon Kindle and mentally shrugged thinking it couldn’t hurt to read it. At best it would provide some relief from the exhaustion and lack of hope I felt in my current situation. The worst case would be a wasted few hours on the same old rhetoric I had heard all of my adult life. Color me surprised when I actually enjoyed the book and felt energized and hopeful that I might not be trapped in a stagnant and unfulfilling position in my career and personal life.
The book begins by the author describing the shift from his career in broadcasting to becoming a director of a rescue mission. He had reached a point where missed many special occasions with his young family because of the long grueling hours demanded by the broadcasting career. He had been lead to volunteer at a mission in his spare time and eventually realized this fueled his passion to help others. Eventually he decided to leave his broadcasting position to step out and follow his dream. Eventually, he realized that even his passion for the mission began to fade, being doused by the day to day monotony, and paperwork necessary to run the facility. He reached a burnout point even doing something that he originally loved doing. He began to put a plan together to actively get himself out of the pit he found himself in.
The tips and information that the writer put together for this book make sense and can be put in to action easily. A few of the tips I that I took away from this book are common sense, but sometimes it has to be shoved in your face to make the lightbulb go off. I had to take a good look at myself and change some of my thought processes. The first thing that is important is, no matter where you are or what job you are doing, you have the possibility of reaching burn out. The common denominator in the equation is YOU. Change your thinking and mindset to help pull yourself out of the hole you are in. It’s not the only answer but an important starting point. He points out that a burnt out person not only hurts themselves but those they are tasked with helping. For instance, a burned- out doctor does his patients a disservice by not providing quality care to them. This example is even evident in parent’s relationships with their children.
The second tip I found helpful stems from his realization that a by-product of burnout is emotional insecurity. It feeds the doubt and insecurity that some of us carry deep inside us. Those feelings that we are not good enough, smart enough, our ideas won’t work, or we just can’t do it end up dominating and destroying any confidence that we originally had. He advises to start telling yourself that no matter what you can and will do what it is you set out to do. This step is a hard one to master especially if the individual already had such negative self-talk to begin with. However, it is a powerful step in propelling yourself forward in your life. You must not only think confidently but also act confidently or it will not work.
The last thing that hit home for me that I wanted to share with you is to always make time to do something that you are passionate about. I have to remind myself that even though I am exhausted by the work hours spent and all the chores at home, I still need to make time to do something I enjoy to recharge my batteries for life. I know these tips I shared are common knowledge but I needed a reminder and a wakeup call. There are several other important tips and information that helped but hopefully that will entice you to sit down and read his book. I hope that you get as much out of it as I did and get back to your best life.
Emily Stone Author 