Positive Talk
BURNOUT
By
Jul 17, 2008 - 3:55:26 PM

There is a point at which a body moving through the atmosphere at a high rate of speed will ignite from atmospheric friction. We have all seen the beauty of a meteor entering the earth’s envelope; it bursts into flame and shines brightly for a moment or two. But if it arrives at the earth’s crust, it is a charred remnant of what it once was. Believe it or not, there are lots of ever-impatient people in our world who are just like that meteor. They are beautiful to behold but are headed for total destruction. These are the people who are destined to burn out. Are you one of them? How many of these statements apply to you?

1. Do you seem to be getting less done even though you are expending more effort and working longer hours?

2. Do you have unexplained bouts of sadness and find little joy in life?

3. Are you easily disoriented and find it hard to concentrate?

4.  Are you easily tired and finding the time between work and bed to be dwindling?

5. Do you have a problem remembering things and keeping appointments?

6. Are you taking ever-increasing doses of pain relievers just to get through the day or to get a good night’s sleep?

7. Is your attention span so short that you were barely able to get to this point in this column?

8. Do you find yourself avoiding even people you like and withdrawing from everyday activities?

9. Do you find it hard to joke about yourself?  If you do, is it always in a negative sense?

If you answered “yes” to five or more of these questions, you may be a candidate for burnout and should take a serious look at how you are leading your life. Are you actually leading your life—or following what life gives you and trying to keep up? Many of us are like sailboats without rudders; we are at the mercy of the elements. There are things you can do to make things better.

First, I suggest keeping a time log that lets you review how you are spending your time. You may be amazed at the things you are doing that could be eliminated or changed to provide you with more time to do other things. Second, get a physical exam to eliminate any physiological reason for pain and fatigue. Your problem could be as simple as the need for vitamins. Third, make a list of the activities you really enjoy and then make an appointment with yourself to do them. Things that are scheduled are more likely to happen. Fourth, take five minutes every hour to collect your thoughts during times of high stress. (Finding five minutes sounds easy but sometimes it isn’t.) Five minutes of deep-breathing exercises can give you the stamina to continue your project with renewed concentration.

A fifth technique is to fill your workspace with pictures of things that give you joy. Give your office a scrubdown and eliminate any negative references. Replace them with pictures of things or people you love as well as posters and pictures of things you like to do. Last, at least for the space I have today, please make every effort to laugh as often as possible. The Reader’s Digest has had a column for years entitled “Laughter is the best medicine.” It really is.

Hodges Hosts Television Program
Bill Hodges also hosts an interview-format television program, which has been renamed “Spotlight On Tampa Bay.” It airs Mondays at 8 p.m., Bright House cable channel 950 and Verizon cable channel 30. His guests for July 21 will be State Attorney for Hillsborough’s 13th judicial district, Mark Ober, who will give us a glimpse into the workings of the State Attorney’s office. This program will be repeated on Wednesday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m. on Bright House channel 949.

Appearing on Monday, July 28, is State Representative Betty Reed. Representative Reed, a Democrat, will give us an insight into the happenings during the last session of the Florida State Legislature from a minority party viewpoint. The program will be repeated Wednesday, July 30, at 7:30 p.m. on Bright House channel 949.

It should be noted that Bright House subscribers who cannot get the higher channels can get—at no installation fee and a monthly one dollar fee—a box to allow access to the upper level government and educational channels. Call Bright House for details on the rental. If you are unhappy about having to pay extra to see your government in action, complain to your state representatives and the Hillsborough BOCC which have either caused this situation or been complicit in allowing it to continue.




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