We often hear the words, “I’m burned out in my job.”  That happens, to be sure, but it is NOT necessarily the same thing as being “Doomed.”

Being “Doomed” simply means that you have been in a job long enough to gain competence but are starting to feel frustrations and boredom because the content of the job is below your capacity to perform.  You are “good at” your job, but simply tired and frustrated by the fact that you are being asked to do much less than you are capable of doing.  You are entering “Q3” from “Q2.”  “Doomed” is more of an early warning signal that “burn out” is coming, and the remedy for being “Doomed” is much easier than that for “Burn Out.”

Check out what the Mayo Clinic has to say about “job burnout.” 

According to Mayo, job burnout is a special type of job stress — a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.  In a sense, “job burnout” is more closely matched with Q4 in the Doom Loop matrix.

Mayo offers a set of questions to ask yourself to see if you are “burned out” in your job:

• Have you become cynical or critical at work?
• Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started once you arrive?
• Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?
• Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?
• Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?
• Do you feel disillusioned about your job?
• Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?
• Have your sleep habits or appetite changed?
• Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, backaches or other physical complaints?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be experiencing job burnout and be partially or fully in Q4. Be sure to consult your doctor or a mental health provider, however. Some of these symptoms can also indicate certain health conditions, such as a thyroid disorder or depression.

Certainly, being “Doomed” is not pleasant, but if you find yourself in that circumstance, consider your options for action prior to the onset of “burn out.”  The remedies for being “Doomed” (Q3) are far less daunting than what might be called for if you wait until the onset of Q4.

Being “Doomed” is not necessarily a signal that things are really bad;  rather, entry into Q3 is a signal that things could get worse if you do not address what is happening and fall into some sort of denial until you arrive in Q4.

So, heed the warnings!  Be thankful that you can identify when you are “Doomed” (Q3) and do something before you have to deal with the negative effects of Q4 and “Burn Out.”

~ CCJ