Feeling detached and unmotivated at work? Feel like asking – whats the point?

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Corporate burnout can happen because of poor work culture, long hours and increased pressure with no clear end in sight.

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Symptoms

• Feeling exhausted, even when you wake up

• You can’t remember “the point” of your job

• You feel like you are wasting your time or even your life

• Things that used to give you pleasure or happiness don’t any more

• You are less productive at work (you are present but really absent - known as presenteeism)

• Emotionally unavailable at home

• Self medicating with alcohol or drugs to unwind

• You feel helpless about taking action

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Causes

• Unrealistic work demands with little time off

• Being bullied in the workplace

• Poor communication structure – can’t make changes or have important discussions

• Poor ethics or lack of a strong work place culture- lack of trust and accountability

• Unhealthy lifestyle (not getting enough sleep, drinking too much, poor diet, little exercise)

• Conflicting demands in your private life ( relationship problems, caring for a relative)

• Longterm job insecurity

• Lack of rewards i.e. promotion, financial, personal encouragement

 

Identify the cause

 

Identifying the cause and understanding how it is impacting on you is the first step.

Once you have this insight it will become clear whether the change lies with:

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a) your own thinking and behaviour;

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b) assertive strategies for change in your current workplace; or

 

c) looking for new opportunities.

 

Enjoying work in a way that is sustainable is critical to good mental health.

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You can make this happen.

 

We start by looking at what is in your control and what is out of your control. The aim is to provide you with support to take the steps that you have wanted to take for awhile.

 

Feeling confident enough to do that often takes time, insight and possibly healing.

The goal is to reconnect with the work you do, the people you care about and the life you want.

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Get in touch with meaning

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For some people, getting in touch with meaning and purpose will be an important part of feeling content and motivated. These clients often make significant improvement with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Positive Psychology and Existential Therapy. There is significant and building evidence that these models can be effective in improving resilience and mental fitness.

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Mainstream psychological models such as CBT often aren’t adequate for working with for these philosophical questions.

 

Emily is trained is Existential Therapy by the Centre for Existential Practice and in ACT through workshops led by Russ Harris. She worked for the Positive Psychology Institute for three years seeing individual and clients and providing workshops.