Nothing stops a conversation like the words, "I really love my job." It's not rude or controversial, and it doesn't violate any social norms. It is just a conversational rarity. Like "I despise baby bunny rabbits." Or, "I wish I had fewer handbags." It's just not seen as ‘normal'.
The sad fact is that while people may take jobs that they think they will get some satisfaction from, more often than not going to work becomes less about personal enjoyment and achievement, and increasingly about paying the bills. Some may have absolutely loved their well-paid job in the beginning, but now feel trapped by the lifestyle commitments it has afforded, and would rather give it all up to go sell coconuts from a beach hut in Bali, if only there were free schooling and satellite TV included. Others know from the start that their new job is not one that is going to set their soul on fire, but what is the alternative?
A survey by Conference Board research group in the US found that in 2009, 45 per cent of people were ‘satisfied' in their work (down from 1 per cent in 1987), implying that more than half the population was not. Considering that more than a third of our waking lives are spent at work, being unsatisfied - or worse, being downright miserable - in your job is a serious issue.
Like other forms of anxiety, job-related anxiety can negatively impact your health, family life and emotional and mental wellbeing. Worst of all, it can sneak down the corridor, under your desk, put its hand up through your computer screen and slap you square around the face without you even seeing it coming. You thought you were just bored, or stressed, like everybody else, but in fact you were on the path to the most dangerous of worklife destinations - career fatigue. And when it hits, in all its apathetic, disinterested glory, there's very little chance of turning back. Before hastily scribbling a resignation on the back of the closest bit of paper and storming out of the office with barely a ballpoint pen in your pocket, assess the situation. According to career experts, there are three different situations that can lead to career fatigue. Simply being aware of these situations, and how you can overcome them, can help protect you against developing full-blown fatigue.
We spoke to Dr Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist and director of The LightHouse Arabia (www.lighthousearabia.com) and Sahar Haffar Moussly, life coach at Life In Harmony (www.lifeinharmony.me) for their opinion on why these situations happen and how to treat them, so you can keep yourself in the satisfied half of the population pie chart for a while longer.
Burnout
What is it? The concept of career burnout has been around for some time - think stockbrokers who are forced into early retirement because of strokes, heart attacks, or blood pressure issues. A study from the Aragon Institute of Health Sciences in Spain labelled this situation as ‘frenetic' and said a person suffering from burnout would be ambitious, with a high task load, perhaps have multiple jobs or be working on a temporary contract and would typically work more than 40 hours per week. A person working more than 40 hours a week is six times more likely to suffer from burnout than someone who works 35 hours a week.
Dr Saliha says, "People burn out very fast here in the UAE. We're away from our support systems. Everything is expensive, so there is pressure to earn money. An architect may love making buildings, but give him eight projects, a pregnant wife, huge rent and education bills, and he can easily forget that he loves it."
Sahar blames the high incidence of burnout on companies. She says, "Companies want one person to do three jobs, which puts a lot of pressure on people. But what the companies don't realise is that if they push someone, eventually they will break down, or leave. And then they have lost them completely. Also, they are pressurising employees with the threat of losing their jobs… they are playing a sick game with you to get you to do more. Ultimately the pressure can effect your health, your relationships and your career."
Treat it
For burnout, the best antidote is to take some time out, says Dr Saliha. "For people with high-stress, high-responsibility positions, such as doctors, nurses, nannies - if they aren't finding fulfilment from their position any more, it's probably because they have been expelling energy without refuelling. It may be time for a short break, so you can remember why you are doing it and how it is helping you grow as a person." Sahar agrees. "Even if you just take a break for three days and stay at home to think about where these feelings are coming from, it can help."
Rust out
What is it? If burnout is a car that is going so fast, for so long, that the engine overheats and explodes, rust out would be, as the term suggests, a car which is used so rarely that rust sets in and eats away at the metal frame until it is eventually just junk. Researchers on the Spanish study said that this person is under-challenged, probably in a monotonous job that is lacking in personal and career development opportunities, and is more likely to be male than female.
According to Dr Saliha, people employed in jobs that are mentally beneath them, being micromanaged and stifled in their opportunity to be creative, to be productive and to grow, struggle with feeling unfulfilled. Sahar says, "A job is something you have to do for the money, a career is something you love to do. It's hard to go to work every day purely for money."
Treat it
Whereas burnout happens as a result of someone being so highly motivated that they don't remember to breathe, rust out has its basis in a lack in motivation. "Motivation has three ingredients," says Dr Saliha, "autonomy, mastery and purpose. If you are missing one of these in your work life, you need to try and find it in your personal life somehow."
Someone suffering from rust out may feel their job is not fulfilling their life's purpose, and there is unlikely to be any sense of striving for mastery. Dr Saliha says, "When someone is bored with the routine of their job, external rewards, such as bonuses, may help keep them motivated. If these are not offered, try setting personal goals for yourself. Also, try to stay connected to your passions and life purpose outside of your work, whether it be working with people in need, being creative, or spending time with family and friends."
According to Sahar, the key to overcoming rust out is to have a plan for the future, and to work towards it. She says, "Ask yourself what you want to do with your life and what you have to do - for example, what skills you have to learn, or qualifications you have to get - in order to achieve it. Have a plan for change. Invest in yourself. You can say to yourself, ‘I have to clean dishes today so that I can eat, but this is a temporary stop while I get the skills in something I really want to do.' Don't delay or procrastinate - lots of people talk about what they want from their lives, but don't do anything to achieve it."
Fade out
What is it? Sticking to the car analogy, fade out would be a car that was so steady and reliable for years, that its owners took it for granted and eventually neglected its maintenance. Over time, the separate parts of the engine would be lost to normal wear and tear until eventually the car just doesn't go anymore. The Aragon Institute study suggests that this person is likely to have been in the same job for many years (being in the same job for more than 16 years means you have five times more chance of fading out than someone who has been in their job for fewer than four), and are often educated, experienced professionals, who feel they are not being adequately appreciated in their position - they may feel they have invested more into the career than they are getting in return. In light of Dr Saliha's definition of motivation, someone suffering from fade out may have started their career with a strong sense of purpose and a desire for mastery, but may no longer feel these as strongly.
Treat it
Dr Saliha says, "If you feel that you've lost touch with your personal purpose, or with the reason you wanted the job in the first place, eventually you'll lose interest completely. Try to stay connected to the reason you wanted to follow this career in the first place - this will help you stay focused and motivated. If you just see it as a means to numbers on a piece of paper, eventually the cost of you working will outweigh the benefit of being paid and you'll come to a point where you simply can't continue."
Sahar says, "Ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? Why have I spent my life doing this? What would I rather be doing instead?' Many people end up following the wrong career path, because they followed the advice of their family, or because they didn't know what they wanted to do when they were a teenager. If you are in the right career, even if you do it for years you will still enjoy it. If you find yourself disinterested after years of working in one profession, perhaps you were in the wrong career in the first place." A
Are you suffering from career fatigue?
By nature, career fatigue - whether burnout, rust out, or fade out - is not always obvious. However, in the same way that they say the opposite of love is indifference, in the workplace, the opposite of motivation is numbness. Feeling numb, or indifferent about your work is the loudest warning bell of career fatigue to listen out for. Dr Saliha says, "Stress is active - there's an energy when you think of stress. But when someone feels numb to their stress, their job purpose and their work commitments... it's all gone."
If you hear the numb bell toll, it is probably too late to be able to prevent career fatigue. So keep an ear open for these more subtle warning signs along the way:
1. When someone asks about your work, do you react with negativity or cynicism?
2. Does the second hand on the office clock seem to click around more slowly than on any other clock?
3. Is it hard to keep the sarcasm out of your voice when there is an ‘exciting' new project, development or a new perk introduced at work?
4. Do you suddenly start feeling physically ill, or depressed on Saturday evenings, or on your way to work at the start of the week?
5. Do you find yourself whining about your work to anyone who will listen - including your pet dog?
If you answered yes to two or more, you are likely to be on the road to career fatigue. If you answered yes to all five questions, you are probably already there.
Real life stories
Profile: Female, 29 years old, from the Philippines
Job: Cashier at a supermarket
"I used to work in a computer store in the Philippines. I came to Dubai because I have a small daughter and I needed to make more money. In my old job, we worked eight hours a day and we had good benefits, like salary increases, bonuses, health insurance... I enjoyed it, sometimes working with the customers, sometimes on the computers. Here, we work 12 hours a day without any of the same benefits. The work is really easy, but sometimes the customers and co-workers can be difficult and drag you down. My boss is very hard to please. When you say hello to him, he doesn't even respond. If I could change careers, I would work in an office as a receptionist, or a secretary. I used to do that before and I really enjoyed it. It was challenging when your boss gives you something to work on, and its your responsibility to manage it and make sure you get a good result... I really like that."
Verdict? Rust out
Profile: Female, 31 years old, from Malaysia
Job: Mechanical engineer
"For the first year of my daughter's life, I was working in China while my husband and daughter lived here. I really missed them and lost 10 kilos in that time. I found a job in Dubai and moved here. Being a female mechanical engineer working on a construction site with all male colleagues was hard. I was also having issues finding a maid... So, I was working six days a week, being called all times of the day and night, then working a second shift when I got home doing the housework... I was getting about four or five hours of sleep per night - with interruptions. It affected our family life... my husband and I were drifting apart, my daughter was sick all the time, I lost another eight kilos... One day I decided to quit. My husband said I should wait until I found another job, but I couldn't wait. Now I am freelancing. I have time for my family, I go to the gym, I am cleaning and cooking like a perfect housewife. My career was my dream. I didn't want to leave it and I really miss it. I hope one day I can go back but still have time for my family."
Verdict? Burnout
Profile: Male, 35 years old, from Britain
Job: Manager of a recruitment consultancy
"I have been in this profession for 11 years now. I always found it boring, but it paid well and there were some elements that made it interesting and, at times, rewarding. But as a predominantly sales-driven job, it has never had any creative or intellectual appeal. I stayed for the money and, frankly, because it was a means to an end. The thing is, after a while you become good at it, then you're seen as an expert, you get promoted, you become known in the industry and before you know it, it's11 years later and you're still doing something that is fundamentally dull.
"I often think about just resigning on the spot. Some weeks are soul-destroying. Other weeks an interesting project might keep my mind occupied. But there is a level of boredom that is ever-present, which means I am not able to give 100 per cent. The inability to deliver to my best gives me sleepless nights and anxiety.
"I don't see myself being in this career for longer than another six months. I am already training for a new career that doesn't involve going anywhere near an office but will mean a drastic pay cut and a change of lifestyle. While this job may have become a massive burden, it has enabled me to pay off all of my debts and to save a little nest egg, so now I can afford to take the jump."
Verdict? Fade out
Did you know?
There is a difference between career fatigue and job fatigue. Will just a change of position, or a change of company, re-spark your interest? Or is it really time for a whole new direction? Life coach Sahar Haffar Moussly, says, "When people feel as if their company's values are not aligned with their own, they might feel they need a change." In this situation, you may be suffering from job fatigue, rather than career fatigue - you might just need a change of scenery.
