Burnout: The truth about overwork and what we can do about it | DW Documentary
I wanted to share some quotes from this very compelling DW documentary (link), but for some reason, the video was suddenly made private and sadly this is the only free bit of what’s left! (Unless you go to Dokbox and subscribe.)
Therefore I can only share what I can remember ha, ha! Good for you cos this post won’t be TL;DR. 😆
So what’s the truth about overwork?
The documentary showed that people’s obsession with efficiency is rooted in their desire to produce more in order to have more. Needless to say, overworking leading to burnout* has mental, physical, and social effects.
Key points:
The goal of automation to drive efficiency isn’t really about focusing on more meaningful work and working less, but rather to do more and more and more. People thought by automating things, workers would work less, say work 4 hours instead, but no. People are actually working more than ever because businesses still operate within the industrial age bias which is to produce more output.
During the industrial age between 1760 to 1840, people transitioned from using manual/hand production methods to machines paving the way to the rise of the mechanized factory system resulting to stratospheric level increase of output. (Imagine making clothes with machines vs sewing all of it by hand).
“The priority of automation is not to give people more freedom, but to make production more efficient and therefore increase profits.”
What drives this desire of wanting more?
Advertisement. The documentary showed that we live in an extremely consumer capitalist world. Ads are everywhere telling us we need to have this and that and once you buy the idea that you need those things, you have to work more so you can afford more. To afford things, we’re willing to do jobs that are sucking the life out of us because they pay (we become wage slaves).
Personal opinion: I think it’s not fair to blame it all on advertisement. I mean it takes two to tango. Once you start comparing and becoming proud or envious of others or “when you buy things you don’t need with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like”, then you can’t let go of your job that’s burning you out. Temptations will always be there, but we can choose to run away from them.
Suppressing the kind of people we want to be.
Are we truly living well by working more?
“The Corona virus pandemic has shown us how our working lives were not enhancing life, but suppressing the people we want to be.
“Very few people lie on their deathbed and say, ‘I wish I had spent more time in the office.’”
We developed a twisted view of which work truly matters.
Again the COVID pandemic has shown us which kind of work truly matters. We found out who the essential workers are and tragically they’re the ones who are usually underpaid — like hospital cleaners, nurses, delivery men, and garbage collectors. And those with super high paying salary, the world can still survive without them — like bankers, finance people, etc.
5. How can we free ourselves from the vicious cycle of overwork and consumerism, and learn to relax again?
Unfortunately, this is the part in the documentary that I vaguely remember. Ugh, how could I forget the most important part?! Sorry! Anyway, from what I can remember:
People are taking a step back to rethink their priorities. They started taking the time to meditate and pray again, to pause/rest in order to assess what’s truly important, and to intentionally spend more time with themselves, family, friends, and seek God. People are becoming more intentional nurturing relationships that are valuable to them and this requires time off work!
There was a guy interviewed in the documentary who had to walk away from his job because he had gotten really sick due to the extreme demands of his work (I can’t exactly remember if he got an aneurysm-like disease). When he told his boss he needed surgery, he was told he couldn’t take some weeks off because the business needed him to work. (Not all companies are like this, ofc. There are still humane companies out there.)
I wish I had taken notes while watching the documentary. I trusted the video would stay public forever! I wonder why they took it down. 🥺
Are you experiencing burnout? How are you coping?
I pray things will get better for you very soon!
But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. — John 6:27 NLT
*Click here for WHO’s definition of burnout