Is “Creating Meaning” a Solution for Job Burnout →

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A lot of talk about the #GreatResignation and reporting on the people who have, or want to, resign from their jobs and try something else. The reasons for this seem to include boredom at work, anxiety, fatigue, depression, frustration, difficulty concentrating, lack of creativity, and loss of trust.

These same reasons are also symptoms of job burnout. Maybe all this hype about the great resignation is just using a new label for an old problem brought out by the very stressful last year, plus the Pandemic?

I was talking with an old friend about his successful career, and he told me that he felt his longevity in the industry was seen as a negative, not as a positive, by some in the industry, and he had begun to think it was true. I had to ask myself why this could be. He and others should view his vast experience as “added wisdom” gained by trial and error.
His viewpoint spoke loudly to his “Burnout,” but is that really what years of work have to lead to? The dictionary definition of burnout is “the end of the powered stage in a rocket’s flight when the propellant has been used up.” With people, a lot of energy pursuing various goals is used up, and when people are burned out, they feel somewhat used up and complacent. You can hear the burnout in someone saying, “We tried that once before, and it didn’t work, so it won’t work now.”
My friend worked in the food service industry, and like many industries, it is dynamic: customer preferences change. That should present challenges and opportunities to all of us, “forcing us to rethink what we “always knew.” My advice to my friend was this, "you need to become a student of your industry.” Think of new approaches or new ways to use old products and concepts. This will provide you with renewed energy. As a veteran, you shouldn’t worry about making a mistake. I told him that you, of all people, should know that a failure or setback becomes an opportunity.
When worrying about burnout, we should stop thinking about the past and look to the future. As a business analyst and author, Peter Drucker has said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Recently on the 14th of this month, 2021, Yahoo News article titled "The Great Resignation," Erica Pandey notes that many workers (upwards of 40%) are considering quitting their jobs.

The article suggests that workers have had time to reconsider their work-life balance and career paths during the pandemic, and as the world reopens, they may make the changes they've been dreaming about. The World Economic Forum adds that a hybrid in-person and remote work model could help maintain balance, but employers need to do more to support their employees.

The article also cites a new Microsoft survey that found 41% of workers globally are considering resigning. As a career coach with years of experience, I agree that changing careers can be costly, and it's essential to find where your skills and experience fit before quitting your current job. It's also necessary to use tools like the "Informational Interview" and LinkedIn to find job opportunities while still working.

Before starting your search, I recommend reading a good book on job search strategies, like the one I wrote and published in September 2020, Work Matter, which is still relevant and can help you navigate the recent economic changes.