[mickotron]

I suffered serious burnout a few years back. I took long service leave, any kind of leave, to get away from the stressful and toxic environment. I used that time away to apply for a different job. I told my managers that I would not come back if I could help it. Luckily I didn't have to go back to that workplace.

Burnout also manifested itself in health problems with no explanation. I suffered epileptic-like episodes on a plane a week into my leave from work. I spent a year getting tests, unable to drive until cleared by a doctor, which were all inconclusive. The timing of this, and the fact I've not experienced this before or since, makes me think stress was the cause.

It took months of doing practically nothing at home, and a year or so in a new job, to understand a few things.

  - There are external and internal stress factors that can influence burnout. You might have external workplace factors you can't influence, or you might also have unrealistic expectations, be a perfectionist, have an intense work ethic, or unbalanced work-life balance.
  - After burnout, you can recognise these stress factors, and how to mitigate or avoid them. Some you can control, some you can't. If you need to leave somewhere, then leave. Before I suffered burnout, I saw a therapist and they said that leaving was the best option. They were totally right.
  - Once you recognise stress factors that you can control, you take steps to mitigate or avoid them. You change your attitude towards work. You time box between work and life activities (if your work allows). You make meaningful boundaries, which can be physical, time-based, or mental.
  - It's ok to feel defective for a time. For a year or two after my burnout, I felt like I was "damaged goods". Certain situations were triggering, I would not apply myself to work in the same way as before. I wondered whether I would "find my mojo" again. This is temporary, but it's a crucial time for reflection and learning.

I am actually grateful I was able to have this experience relatively early (first decade) of my professional career. It taught me lessons that I will use for the remainder of my career. I feel like some people learn the easy way, and some people learn the hard way. I am the latter, and this was my hard way of learning boundaries and self respect.