It seems like the world media is goading people into quitting their jobs, with it sounding more like a dare or a "you're stupid if you don't" scenario. The amount of articles talking about the Great Resignation is quite astounding really, considering there is also a war going on and the economy is collapsing globally. Many are citing "burnout" as the cause, which is understandable for many considering the last couple years, but is quitting the right thing to do?
Well, this depends of course on the person, because there is a lot of vacancies at the moment, as the world tries to recover from the mismanagement and extraction activities that have led to such a dire situation. What is true though, is that if a person is skilled, experienced and motivated to work - there is a lot of money on the table - because the majority of people going for jobs, seem to be overvaluing themselves greatly.
Perhaps it is because they were encouraged to believe that they were the ones that should quit their jobs, that they are the ones in demand. Well, like it or not, people who get burned out, aren't exactly moved to the top of the employment list.
Why'd you leave your last position?
"The workload was too high and I couldn't cope."
You're hired!.
If burned out once, the chance to get burned out again are much higher, as the threshold comes down on the level of stress required. So, hiring someone who hasn't been able to manage their workload in a previous position, becomes a risk, even if the new position is less stressful. At least anecdotally from my experience, the people I know who have been burned out, tend to burn out again.
Part of the reason for this is that while people are affected by stress, the general move is to avoid stress, but no move is made to learn how to manage stress levels. Avoidance might lessen the stress levels for a time, but as soon as the stressors return, the person is right back where they started, ,if not worse, because now they have to admit that they really can't cope - it is no longer a one-off problem.
I am definitely no expert at dealing with stress myself, but I think I have built up a level of resiliency that allows me to perform under stress, even if unwillingly. It would be grand to not feel stress at all, but that would mean that I am not pushing myself, not growing, learning or being challenged - and that sounds like pretty damn boring life.
I remember hearing somewhere that it isn't stress that kills, it is our belief that stress is a negative. Those that don't see stress as a problem, tend to not be negatively affected by it, even when they are experiencing it. Perhaps though, this belief is part of the coping mechanism and it could be argued that it is avoidance, by failing to see "reality" as others see it. That is funny, isn't it?
We each build our world view through a whole lot of factors, but when people believe differently to us and even if it is working for them positively, we see it as wrong. How come it is so difficult for us to admit that the way we do things is not necessarily the best way to do it and then change to something that could work better?
We might have all the world's information at our fingertips, but we aren't very wise, as wisdom is the right application of knowledge - so if we can't apply what we have learned to improve ourselves, our conditions, or surroundings - what is the point of having access to all that information?
Seems a waste.
Sometimes I wonder what minds like Einstein or Da Vinci would be capable of given the resources we all have in the palms of our hands today - what would they do with that level of access? Perhaps they would just be playing Candy Crush.
I suspect not though, as creatives tend to be very poor consumers, as they spend their "free" time and resources on activities that help them generate, more than consume. The fact is that while we are very creative as a species, the majority of us make nothing at all and that is why we are employees - because that way, we don't have to think that much, we can just be directed and told what we need to do to produce something of value.
That sounds harsh.
But it isn't really, it is just the way we are. When I go to work, I don't have to think that much about what I am going to do each day, as the business itself narrows and defines what needs to be done. Then, there is a collection of skills and roles, where I am a piece of that production line, chosen for the position based on the skills I possess. It is like gaming software, it feels like there is freedom of choice, but it is still dictated by the code.
Of course, this is the same for all things and this is where a real artist can thrive, as art in essence is a challenge of the code, questioning if there is another way to do what is currently being done. But, this is a rare breed, because the fact is, averages exist for a reason and the majority of us want to be part of and therefore, follow the group. This means that our "success" in our endeavors, is the attainment of average.
And this is okay.
Because chances are, you, like me, are average. Average height, build, intelligence. Average in most ways - but what makes you stand out from me, me from you? Isn't that our competitive advantage, our opportunity to add value to the world? We might be very different in some aspects of what we are capable of, so shouldn't we be leveraging this wisely?
The problem is that while most people have been told they are special and unique, most of us have never explored what this actually means and what sets us apart. We may feel unique, but when we are doing what everyone else is doing, are we special?
And this is the same with the information we have at our fingertips, or the resources we have available to us - if we are doing what others are doing, we are going to most likely get what others are getting. If the average person is unhappy with their life conditions - why are we modelling our processes on them?
It is good that people are thinking about their employment situation more seriously now, but I wonder how many are going to do what it takes to improve their lives, and how many will be worse off for it. I suspect that listening to the media on this is like listening to the media for investment advice - if they are saying one thing - you might want to turn around and walk the other way.
Something to think about before quitting.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]