May your candle never burn out.
Those were the words of the prayer that was offered on our behalf on the day we left high school as young adults, looking to venture into the university and find our way in life. I opted to be a doctor, because I thought to myself...
How hard can it be?
Well, it didn't take me very long to realize that hard work does not just mean doing a work that is hard. It means doing the work you are not meant to do. It means covering for people who are too lazy to do their own work so that the whole project doesn't come tumbling down. it means slaving yourself for others so that the "oga at the top" can recognize your good work.
Oh... that's not the dictionary definition of hard-work. That is the Nigerian definition of hard work. In your country, it might be different, but here in Nigeria, it is what it is..
Being a doctor in a place like Nigeria takes a lot of mental fortitude, physical strength and energy and emotional support. I have have had colleagues who just simply gave up on medicine, even before they completed medical school. It was real tough. And even now as a doctor, it is not any easier.
One major thing doctors in Nigeria are very prone to is burn out. It is so because some doctors think that they are robots, so they work extra shifts, take up extra responsibilities so that they can earn more. Imagine a doctor working for 48hrs straight. No stopping. Here, working for 36hrs or 48hrs straight is the norm. It is considered normal.
Coupled with the fact that more doctors are leaving the country than they have ever done, most doctors are overworked. Imagine one doctor seeing 30 or 40 patients in a day. You might not know what that entails until you understand the amount of mental work that goes into seeing one patient.
So, daily, doctors are experiencing burnout, stressed to their core and falling down with illnesses. Well, I am biased towards doctors because I am one. But I am sure that the conditions are not better in many other industries in Nigeria. It seems like burnout and stress is a norm with working in Nigeria.
This is particularly because most people are not satisfied with their pay and need extra, so they try to do extra. Burnout is a real threat to the work force as more and more people are becoming incapacitated by disease as a result of an immune system weakened by stress.
This would mean that the enormous work would fall into the hands of people who are already overworked. And it becomes a vicious cycle that doesn't end. Productivity hits the floor and so does profits.
I have had my share of burnout and I am determined not to let it happen again. I will take rests, eat properly and sleep as I should. No job is more important than my health and state of mind... and I think you should do the same if you haven't already...
What other professionals are prone to burnout? I heard Lawyers are extremely prone... is that a fact? You could leave your thoughts in the comments.
