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Nino Stephen's avatar

I suffered from a severe burnout for 3 years. While I "recovered" from most of the common problems like brain fog and extreme exhaustion early this year, there are still problems that lingers around after several months. From cognitive fatigue to loss of motivation and will to live, to occasional depressive cycles and forgetfulness. I hate what I used to love. I don't see a way out.

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury to just quit or even take a well deserved break. The lack of support from family and friends, who struggle to understand what's going on with me, isn't helping either.

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ktln's avatar

The core bar concept makes me think of Byung-Chul Han's theories on burnout. Han proposes that the performative positivity and relentless pursuit of achievement that are baked into our culture drive people to burnout. Digital noise, taboos around negative experience, and compulsive activity break people down over time -- he compares it to a social auto-immune disease.

Han finds part of the solution in making room for contemplation and reflection. He finds value in the sort of idleness that makes room for these things to bloom. I often find myself wondering about the cyclical balance between achievement sprints and contemplative stillness.

I think this is why, as a manager, it's so essential to encourage your reports to take time off -- and really take it off. In my time as a manager, I also found it fruitful to carve out spaces for simmering negativity to touch open air. While taking the team out for lunch and letting everyone complain a bit might not feel immediately productive, it can serve as an important pressure valve at critical times. The social bonds between coworkers can also help sustain us through difficult stretches.

I'm curious, though -- in your theory, does the core bar ever refill once its depleted? Can a new beginning restore you, or at least boost a block or two?

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