20 Questions Tuesday: 86 - Burnout

Last week I didn’t get any questions for the 20 Questions Tuesday, therefore today’s topic is all about “Burnout.” When you ask for questions regarding why people didn’t question, it is amazing how many responses you get. After weeding through all the “I thought it was SPAM” and “’Cause you SUCK, SRH” responses I have cobbled together 20 question revolving around “Burnout.”

Thanks this week go to Peefer, Dustin, ACW, Sparky, and Wifey… on to the questions!


1. Upon being burned out, my doctor prescribed sleep for me. This means, I get to sleep 8-9 hours a night, and my wife and children have to suck it up. The question is this: How much do I love my doctor?

I am not sure words can adequately describe, but I would have to guess “to the moon… and back.”

2. Do you prefer to burn one wick responsibly, or two wicks brightly? You may answer this literally or metaphorically.
I prefer the one wick responsibly, but I tend to burn two wicks erratically. You make take this answer literally of metaphorically.

3. If you had your child's energy, could you single-handedly save the world?
Easily, but… I would most likely spend the time running around acting like I could fly.

4. What lunch foods are you most burnedout on?
Sliced turkey breast sandwiches

5. If you can burn”out,” is it conversely possible to burn”in”?
Burning in is usually an etching process done with acid on zinc plates. Branding cattle is also a version of burning in.

6. Hypothetically speaking what is the cure for professional burnout? Healthy and unhealthy ways to combat it – any thoughts?
I think the only permanent solution if for the job to continually challenge. Most professional burnout occurs because the job becomes more routine and repetitive in some aspect. Healthy: try varying methodologies to accomplish similar goals, look to find different responsibilities, add new hobbies to your personal life, try to add something into your life that you find mentally challenging. Eventually you might resolve that a new job is necessary because all the changes you have tried did not work. Unhealthy: sulk, surf the web, blog about professional burnout from work just hoping that your boss notices, punch someone in the gut, knit… (just making sure people were paying attention).

7. If you were going to make a 5 min. film documenting burnout, what song would you choose for the background music?
Hmmm… this is a good question. To make the short documentary film work, I would have to find a song that has lost its copyright. I am cheap that way. Screw it, I am going with Got the Time by Anthrax (it is a badass cover of a Joe Jackson song).

8. Does corporate America recognize burnout? Does your work have any programs in place to combat it if they do recognize it?
I think corporate America does recognize that burnout is an issue for the modern workplace. It is one of the main reasons for the rapid turn-over in the work place. As for the second part of the question... no comment at this time.

9. Has the Little Man experienced burnout?
Yes, and thankfully it was with Higglytown Heroes. That show can bite my pale blue ass.

10. Do you know anyone who hasn't experienced burnout?
Not that I can think of.

11. What do you do for burnout?
Sulk, surf the web, blog about professional burnout from work just hoping that your boss notices, punch someone in the gut, knit

12. What do you do when feeling burnout at your job?
Sulk, surf the web, blog about professional burnout from work just hoping that your boss notices, punch someone in the gut, knit

13. How do you cope with "Noggin" channel burnout?
Lots of weeping... or has Little Man finally gotten tired of it and gotten on board the HGTVnation?

14. Have you ever experienced friendship burnout? Such as, you know what, this person isn't doing it for me anymore...they're too (fill in blank...whiny, negative, clingy, boring...) What do you do? What do you do???
Slowly disengage. Unless it is so bad you decide to move. Do less and less with the person and only invite them to things that they don’t necessarily like (rearrange your sock drawer, wash your hair, have "things" to do).

15. Some peeps feel burnout when they should be feelin' matrimonial bliss. What remedy(ies) would you suggest?
Typically relationship burnout is due to not paying enough attention to the relationship. I would suggest making sure to spend just couple time with each other. More couple time will either make the matrimonial bliss more blissier or kill the marriage entirely.

16. Were you ever friends with a burnout in high school? I was. I know this surprises you, but I was.
I believe the technical term is a “burner” unless they failed out, then they become “burn outs.” Yes, his name was Geoff, so he really had no other option than the weed.

17. Burnout as distinct from vicarious trauma...discuss
Burnout can happen in many a medium. One can get professional burnout as a librarian. Books books books bored bored bored
Vicarious Trauma happens for care workers of trauma survivors. OH GOD I CAN”T HANDLE ANY MORE CRAP IN MY LIFE

See the difference? Vicarious Trauma is a very specific form of burnout.


18. It's good when a fire burns out. Why not so much with people?
Because there are always more people to cleanse with fire… ummm that wasn’t what you meant was it?

19. What have you ever eaten so much of that you're entirely burned out on it now? In a related question, can one ever burn out on donuts?
I am not sure if there is a particular foodstuff that I just have completely overdone for all of eternity. There are temporary burnout items, but none permanent that I can recall. For the follow up, No. One can never burnout on donuts due to the wide variety of delicious confections on the market.

20. Do you think that there are some people who are prone to burnout on their jobs? Do they just care too much? Have poor boundaries? Care too much? I'm just curious.
I think there are jobs that are prone to burning out people, but those jobs are also filled with people who are prone to selecting jobs that burnout people. It is circular logic, yet eerily correct.


To recap:
Thanks to Liquify.org for finding this site
Many of them make me giggle
Wifey is all meeting upped today
She will get home in time for the bedtime ritual tonight
Or the ritual will not be complete
AND WE MUST COMPLETE THE RITUAL
Sounds more ominous that way
It is a left-over night tonight for dinner
I hope we have left-overs
Or I will be a bit on the hungry side
Listening to Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J
Don’t call it a comeback,
I’ve been here for years…