I recently had to take a break from my job search. There’s a misconception that breaks only apply to people working full time, but this doesn’t take into account the threat of mental burnout.
Burnout is not so much about how much work you do or even the type of work you do—it’s the result of unmet needs that go beyond a paycheck. It’s an indication that you’re not taking care of yourself: you may not be sleeping well, eating well, exercising, spending time with family and friends, and so on. When you experience burnout, you shut down. It’s both a mental and physical experience that can hit you gradually or all at once. For me it’s usually triggered by unexpected bad news. In the context of job hunting, the bad news usually comes in the form of a rejection for a position for which I was either over-qualified or well-suited (in my mind). Given my interest in current events, though, bad news can also come in the form of the latest political tragedy to befall the working class, of which there are too many to recount here. Post-2016 it’s easy to be burned-out by bad news.
Sometimes I’m able to initially shrug off my job-related disappointment or find hopeful signs of progress buried deep below the main headlines, but then I’ll feel the anger creeping up slowly from the reptilian brain to the prefrontal cortex. Within hours I’m drinking out of a flask and binge-watching true crime dramas on Netflix in the middle of the day—occasionally pausing to text sympathetic friends (who are likely at work) with the hope they’ll provide love and encouragement.
While this seems like a harmful way of dealing with stress, I realize that it isn’t so bad if I treat it as a break. Modern capitalism and technology have managed to keep us occupied and (supposedly) productive at all times. These days I don’t even go to the bathroom without my cell phone. I feel guilty when I’m not doing something, and I know I’m not alone: it seems like everyone these days is either busy or pretending to be busy. Thus, it’s easy to forget the primitive past, when it was normal to go for a walk in nature without a phone or electronic gadget of any kind—or when a vacation actually meant getting away from both the luxuries and stressors of the nine-to-five. I miss those days with a passion. But let’s be honest, an effective break or vacation in the current context can be as simple as closing one’s eyes and meditating (this can be done for minutes or even days, if you opt for a Vipassana retreat).
So if you lack the money, opportunity, or will to take a real vacation, a Netflix-induced coma (i.e. an extended period of doing nothing) is the next-best thing. Don’t listen to those critical voices in your head telling you to keep applying for jobs or schmoozing suits and ties who likely don’t give a f— about you. Give yourself a break for giving yourself a break.
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Previous posts in this series:
Unemployed? Don’t Feel Bad for Feelin’ Bad
Don’t Need a Job to Need a Partner
Being Unemployed Doesn’t Make You Less of a Man
When Unemployed, Exercise Every Day
Don’t Sell Your Soul for a Job
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