I had a brief conversation with one of my company’s owners the other day about the economy. We didn’t solve any problems or answer any big questions. But we did agree that one of the most worrisome side effects of the prolonged sluggish US economy is workforce burnout.
Burnout is a very real and scary thing. We’re still plugging along, battling to win and keep clients, putting in hard work every day. When the current hyper-competitive, low-bid, long(er)-hour market begins to shift, what’s going to happen to those of us who’ve been functioning like this for so long? After all, it’s been over two years for those of us in my industry…
It makes me wonder if my current desire to simplify my life – spending time at home, hanging out with The Boy and our friends, a rejection of too many commitments – is a function of age or exhaustion.
More importantly: how long will it take for me to feel normal again? (And what will normal look like, anyway?)