Are You Fried?

We all hate our jobs sometimes, but don’t let your ordinary work woes turn into a career burnout. Spot the warning signs with these questions from Paula Davis-laack, a former lawyer who now specialises in stress and resilience 1– Are you chronically (that is, more often than not) physically and emotionally exhausted?

2– Do you feel a persistent sense of cynicism – that everybody and everything annoys you or rubs you the wrong way?

3– Have you started to lose empathy for your co-workers or clients?

4– Do you often feel a sense of ineffectiveness, that you can’t process or handle work the way you used to?

5– Are you feeling physically ill more frequently? Do you come down with a cold or the flu after big deadlines?

6– Is every curve ball a crisis? Do you overreact to minor last-minute changes to plans or assignments?

If you answered “yes” to three or more of these questions, you may be more than just a bit down on your job, says Davis-laack. But that’s OK. “Help can come in a variety of ways,” she says. Depending on your comfort level, you could talk to your boss, find a work and stress coach, or reach out to a licensed therapist. Signing up for a companyprovided training course or even a single-day workshop can teach you how to cope with – and beat – career burnout. Whatever you do, don’t just stew over four pints at lunchtime.