isis

Ahh, the joys of my first full-time job. I work pretty much 7 days a week, I get a day off if I'm lucky. I work as a server.

I just got out of school in June, and had planned on leaving town due to circumstances that had happened to me over the few months before that. However, things were looking up so I decided to stay and work for a year. However, I'm finding growing discontent in my life. I don't have any friends left from high school because I work nights, and they go to school days. I hang out with my friends from work, essentially.

Tonight, I had a night off. It was enjoyable.. Except for the fact I did nothing. I ran errands then ended up falling asleep at 7pm due to sheer boredom. I'm wondering if my job is playing a major part in the fact that I have no friends and essentially nothing to do. I've tried to take up a few hobbies to occupy my time but I still am feeling a bit empty.

One of my superiors has warned me against burning myself out, but I really don't know what to do. I'm trying to save money to move away or at least travel for a little while, but I have expenses that have to be covered first. There are also several factors (people, ex-boyfriend) that are keeping me here and not really helping my cause.

Any suggestions as to what I should do to alleviate this problem before it becomes more major? Do I really just need to move on with my life and start another job in a new environment? I love my job but I can't help but feel like I'm missing out on something by working this year away.

nospam

You're working seven days a week? How many hours each day? You said full time so if you are working a 40 hour week that equivates to about 5.75 hours per day...or are you working 8 - 10 hours a day? I suspect from your post that it's the later. If it's possible try to get at least one day off a week. It'll make a huge difference.

maleficent

Job Burnout - From Monster.Com
Things may be going great -- you love your job and are excited about your career -- when job burnout sneaks up on you with a creeping sense of dread. Or burnout may hit like a ton of bricks. No matter how it happens, job burnout can wreak havoc on your career and your health.

Are You Experiencing Job Burnout?

To answer that question, it helps to know what job burnout is. On the simplest level, it's when you feel mentally and physically drained for more than a few days with no hopes of improvement. You feel overwhelmed and wonder why you're doing what you're doing. Nothing makes any sense.

Answer these questions to gauge your level of burnout:

Do you have difficulty getting up in the morning?
Are you always tired?
Do you forget things?
Do you have unexplained aches and pains?
Are you irritable at work and at home?
Do you feel angry at work and at home?
Do you lose your temper easily?
Have you lashed out at coworkers, patients or your family?
Are you overwhelmed most of the time?
Do you feel like you have less control over things at work and at home?
Are you stressed most of the time?
Have you begun to wonder why you're doing what you're doing career wise?
When at work, do you look at your watch constantly to see how long you've been there and how much longer you have left?
Are you going through the motions just to get through your shift?
Have you been experiencing more headaches, stomachaches, rashes, chest pains and illnesses?
Have you lost interest in things that used to excite you?
Are you bored?
Do you feel like you're in a rut?
If you answered yes to three or more questions, and you've felt that way for an extended time, you are probably headed for job burnout -- if you're not already there.


Most people can answer yes to those questions at some point, it's the frequency of those yes's that you have to watch -- is it an ongoing thing... Do you feel like you are headed in that direction

You need to find some "you" time, where you can do what you want to do, somethig that gives you pleasure, and helps you relax, go to the movies, go to the zoo, go shopping, just be in a place where no one wants anything from you. Get a manicure, do something that doesn't involve you waiting on someone else.

__________________

Suave

You should be able to tell when you're getting burned out. I personally don't care enough about work to ever let that happen to myself, but I know a lot of people it's happened (or happening) to. If you feel like stabbing your boss, your work computer, or the customer, and the feeling is recurring, chances are you're burning out.

Rodney

Take time off. One and a half days a week at the very least. Your job fills up so much of your life that you've let all the other parts drop away. So that when you do have a little time off, you don't have anything to do: nobody to call, nobody's home to go over to, no project or book in progress, nothing.

Slow down or you will burn out and not make your goals. You'll crash in some way. Work fewer hours, get more time off and build a life off the job, and you'll get to where you want to go in good shape, and successfully, and in good time. Life's a long jog, not a sprint. Be a jogger.

denim

Rearrange your hours so that you get some days off. If you're in food service, try getting Monday and Tuesday off. Your manager should understand why.