In the midst of a busy city life, a friend's burnout makes one wonder: why do we often burn out at work?
In fact, in a day's working life, behind the seemingly simple tasks, there is often an emotional marathon. The exhaustion it brings to us does not come from physical exertion, but from the invisible emotional labor.
Sociologist Hochschild first proposed this concept in 1975 in The Sociology of Feelings and Emotions, referring to the fact that people must adjust their behavior and inner feelings according to the rules of emotion in the workplace.
The concept was originally aimed at airline flight attendants, but today, 48 years later, emotional labor has become an integral part of each of our jobs.
For naturally extroverts, emotional labor may come naturally, but for introverts, it's a challenge.
Because happiness at work is often closely related to the relationship between colleagues and leaders. Many people often feel overwhelmed and even burned out due to excessive emotional exertion when dealing with various emotional challenges at work.
So, what do we do when we feel emotionally overworked at work?
First of all, it's important not to be too yourself. Problems at work should not be blamed solely on individuals. For example, if someone else can't understand what you mean, or if you still can't learn the SOP of the hands-on teaching, it may be the other person's problem. Secondly, the work should be appropriately relaxed. Set yourself small breaks, such as buying a cup of coffee and looking out the window, these small recess exercises can greatly improve your productivity.
In addition, we need to learn how to say no and take the initiative.
At work, learn to prioritize your tasks and focus on what's important and urgent. It is also important to learn to socialize upwards and take the initiative to communicate with your superiors so that they know about your work and efforts.
Finally, keep your heart strong, put yourself first, and don't care too much about what your colleagues think or what the outside world says.
Ultimately, we need to realize that the true purpose of work is for a better life.
If work makes us neglect life, then we are putting the cart before the horse. As Mr. Luo Xiang said:
We have only been around for more than 30,000 days, and there are very few things that really deserve attention, and the only people you really care about are your relatives and friends, and the criticism of others is not as important as imagined. ”
So, don't let work drain all your energy and emotions, learn to balance work and life and enjoy every moment.
It's just a part-time job, why do you have to consume yourself?
This is a question worth pondering for every migrant worker.
After all, life is not only about the 9-to-5 in front of you, but also about poetry and distant fields. But often in the midst of busy work, we forget this and get caught up in endless emotional labor and self-consumption.
In fact, emotional labor is not simply work pressure, it is a kind of labor that requires us to adjust our emotional expression according to social norms. This kind of labor, especially for introverts, is an indescribable burden.
Have you ever been in a situation where you have to suppress your true feelings and put on a reasonable face when communicating with a colleague or client?
This hidden, subtle labor is actually the source of exhaustion for many people.
How do we deal with this situation?I think it's all about self-awareness and self-regulation.
The first thing to realize is that not all problems at work are our problems. Sometimes, the problem may be with the process, the collaborator, or the unclear work requirements. We can't always put the blame on ourselves. This lack of self-awareness is one of the root causes of internal friction.
Second, learn to relax appropriately at work.
For example, set yourself a short break or find a little fun at work. These seemingly insignificant things can actually have a significant impact on our mental health.
Third, learn to prioritize your work. We can't do it all, and learning to make trade-offs is the key to avoiding excessive emotional exertion. For less important work, you can choose to let it go appropriately.
Finally, don't forget to communicate effectively with your superiors. This is not flattery, but a way to show one's abilities and worth. In the workplace, establishing a good communication channel with superiors is essential for our professional development.
Of course, these methods do not happen overnight and require constant practice and adaptation in our daily work. It's important to realize that work is just a part of life, not the whole story.
Either way, we can't let our work drain all our energy and emotions.
Therefore, in the face of increasing workplace pressure and emotional labor, we urgently need to re-examine the relationship between ourselves and work.
It's just a part-time job, why do you want to force yourself into a situation of internal friction?Work should be a part of life, not the whole of life.
In fact, in this fast-paced society, we often forget the true meaning of work. We're not machines, we can't keep going. It's like my friend, who comes back from hard work every day and just wants to find a little peace in the dark.
This phenomenon is not uncommon in the workplace, and today's young people are always running, but they forget why they are running and where they are running.
The concept of "emotional labor" proposed by sociologist Hochschild in the last century, although it was originally only for specific industries, is now common in the daily life of everyone in the workplace. Emotional labor, a once neglected role, is now an integral part of our work.
We need to manage our emotions at all times to adapt to the ever-changing work environment and relationships.
So, how do we respond when emotional labor becomes too heavy?
First, we need to stop and do a little relaxation for our minds. Don't strive for perfection too much and set yourself reasonable goals and boundaries. Well-timed relaxation, such as a short walk or a coffee break, is necessary. Secondly, we must learn to arrange our work reasonably and draw clear boundaries between our lives and work. Remember, we work for a better life, not live for work.
We also need to learn how to communicate with people, especially with our superiors. Many people think that they should not be overly flattering in the workplace, but in fact, proper communication and demonstrating one's abilities are essential.
Not only will this help your superiors better understand your efforts, but it will also create more opportunities for your own career development.
The most important thing is to learn to take care of your mental health.
Don't be swayed by your surroundings and keep your independence and individuality. Because your worth is not determined by the evaluation of others. Maintaining self-recognition and self-esteem is key to survival in the workplace.
As Mr. Luo Xiang said, our time is limited, and there are not many things worthy of our attention.
In this short life, we should focus more on the people and things that are really important, rather than the trivial things in the workplace that don't matter. We need to rediscover the original purpose of work and redefine the work-life balance.
In this way, we can truly live our colors and enjoy every precious moment.
So, just work part-time, don't consume yourself. In this busy world, finding your own rhythm to make life and work better is more important than anything else.