Earlier this year, one of our most-read and most-shared posts on Cleaner.com was an article about how to put the joy back in your work if you’re suffering from burnout.
I was a little surprised, I guess because burnout is (stereotypically) associated with lawyers and finance types who work 100 hours a week to try to make partner and flame out. But obviously this image is no longer true.
Anyone with a job, even if it’s work they genuinely enjoy most of the time, can suffer from burnout. As the article says, drain cleaners aren’t always seeing customers at their best moments. The demand of spending every day solving someone else’s problems as quickly as possible, often with little thanks and complaints about the bill, can be exhausting. And when you work in a service-based industry, you always need to be “on” and show up with a positive attitude if you don’t want to be slammed with negative reviews online.
It can be difficult to admit you’re feeling burned out, especially if you run your own business. You probably feel like you can’t take a break, even if you absolutely need one. Attitudes like “work is supposed to be hard” and “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” get ingrained in us, and admitting you could do with a day off can seem like admitting defeat.
But there are serious health ramifications, both mental and physical, to burning the candle at both ends. You won’t be any good to your business, your employees, your family or yourself if you work to the edge of a breakdown. Taking care of yourself is important too.
The authors of the article (“How Burnt-Out Drain Cleaners Can Put the Joy Back Into Their Work”) outline four tactics to reenergize yourself and start enjoying your job again. You can read their tips on Cleaner.com.
Avoiding burnout in the first place is ideal, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes a little change of pace is all it takes to get you inspired again. Go take a class, go to your state association conference, or take a manufacturer up on the in-house equipment training they’ve been offering you.
Maybe start doing some market research on a new service you’ve contemplated offering or spend some time browsing manufacturer websites if you need some new equipment.
An actual vacation might not be a bad idea either. Taking a step away, even if it’s just for a long weekend, is sometimes all you need to come back feeling fresh and ready for the next challenge.
One hurdle to taking a break is not having anyone to take over when you’re gone — or being unable to relinquish control, even when you know your team manager and employees are perfectly capable.
If you’re one of those people who has a hard time letting go and allowing others to handle some of the workload for you, check out the Just Business column this month from fellow drain cleaner Michael Williams. He talks about the importance of getting your successors involved in the business before something unexpected forces them into it. After all, you hired and trained them; they know what they’re doing.
Keep others in the loop so you have help you can rely on, and you’ll feel much better about taking your well-deserved break.
Enjoy this month’s issue.
