[axxs-sysadmin] What is Burnout? [was: Re: Cat at lyst refugees]

[hugh trevelyan]

hi Dave, Cam,

On 14/09/06, Cameron Gregg wrote:
> Dave Fregon wrote:

<snip>
>
> > Time has been nasty to me atm,
>
> I think that happens to everyone. Any ideas on how to deal with this
> would be good. Too much commitment brings burnout, which can affect more
> than just the person getting burnt out.

Lotsa ideas in the current hardcopy of Scientific American "Mind".

Also:

What is Burnout?
This may seem such an obvious question, since the term "burnout" has
become part of everyday language, but it is still the topic of a great
deal of research.

The best definition of burnout is "a prolonged response to chronic
physical, emotional and interpersonal stressors at work." It is
defined by three dimensions:

   1. Exhaustion
   2. Cynicism
   3. Inefficacy

It is more than just an individual experience of stress: it has to be
seen in the larger organizational context of people's relationship
with their work.

It is often the case that individuals miss all the signs in themselves.

So what are the main symptoms of burnout?

   1. Worrying, particularly at night
   2. Trouble sleeping
   3. Feeling unappreciated or "used" at work
   4. Feeling less effective or competent than you used to
   5. Easily angry or irritated
   6. Dread of going to work
   7. A feeling of being overwhelmed
   8. Recurrent stress-related physical symptoms like headaches, or back pain
   9. Watching the clock and counting down toward the end of the work day
  10. Rigidly applying riles without considering more creative solutions
  11. Automatically expressing negative attitudes
  12. Finding excuses to be absent from work
  13. Alcohol or substance abuse
More (if you can ignore the reference to "corporate wellness seminars")
at http://richardgpettymd.blogs.com/my_weblog/burnout/index.html

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND
September 21, 2005
Want Clear Thinking? Relax
A short mental vacation can ease the stresses of the daily grind and
prompt fresh ideas
By Charmaine Liebertz
	
Day in, day out, people believe they can win their headlong race
against time by maintaining an excessively hectic pace. As soon as
they wake each morning, the same questions plague their minds: "What
do I have to accomplish today? How do I get it all done as quickly as
possible?" The term "relaxation" is practically a dirty word....
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa017&articleID=000C25A6-5BAE-132F-949983414B7F0000

cheers,
hugh
>
> Cam
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