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Burnout, depression and returning to work

Eyes

I burnt out a year or so ago and am finding it hugely difficult to regain any enthusiasm for work. I am working now but only part time and take little joy in it, even though my team are lovely and kind and the organisation is interesting. I worry I'd take no joy in any kind of work anymore. 

I have had depression for a number of years and do well managing it on the most part now. I do take joy outside work in painting and so on. However work seems to be really difficult to get back to enjoying - I used to have quite a bit of responsibility and did kind of enjoy it at times.

I don't know if it was burn out because of Autism and masking (I was just diagnosed a couple of weeks ago) or just my jolly personality but it happened and I was interested to know people's experience of returning to work so I can learn from you all if that's ok?

  • in reply to Eyes

    No worries, I hope that when you're ready to make a change it helps. Going with that past experience and maybe trying something which contains the elements of that which you liked might be a good place to start. Or you could potentially try volunteering for something first to see whether it was something you liked before committing fully, unless that'd be too insanely stressful! 

    And yes, it might well just be time and patience and a hell of a lot of self-care too! 

  • in reply to Queer Autistic Grunge

    Yes, probably a good idea to change jobs. I did change for a wee bit to helping at a national monument (trying to be vague but weird phrasing there!) I had a great time, I wasn't the best at customer service but was so nice to work outside and not ever look at a computer or emails!

    I think it isn't necessarily a panacea unfortunately. It might help, but it might just be time and patience I need. 

    Thanks for the reply, appreciate it.

  • I just wonder whether changing jobs to something more interesting might renew the spark a little bit? Perhaps once you feel like you've levelled out again after the burnout so that you're not just adding more demands and changes into a burnout situation, but it might help? Otherwise, it might be that you're just still burnt out and struggling to feel passionate or motivated in general. It's good to hear that you're finding more you-focused things to help you enjoy life - work is a big part of life, but it shouldn't be the main part unless you absolutely love it! 

  • in reply to Joe

    Not got the wrong end of the stick at all, yes far more focused on me and non-work stuff. Which is definitely helping me enjoy life more.

    I suppose work is such a huge part of life, so many hours spent there it becomes necessary quite quickly to address it. It's come to that point for me, which perhaps shows I'm over the worst of it.

    My ideal job would be a painter but no where near talented or business savvy enough to make a living out of it!

  • in reply to Eyes

    So much I want to say, basically though did your focus switch off work and is that bad? Maybe the focus being on you not work isn't such a bad thing? Was work just a distraction? May have the wrong end of the stick, sorry if I have.

  • in reply to Joe
    Joe said:
    Nothing can go back the way it was

    Yeah you're probably right, I wouldn't want to return back but there are some elements I would love to have back, enthusiasm / curiosity / something to turn my brain from low gear to something higher.

    I've had some discussions on this forum that have made me realise it has to be me who works this out but hearing from you with your experiences is so helpful.

  • So my last burnout led to my diagnosis, since which I've looked back and realised a number of other significant times where I was burnt out but didn't know. I'm a year later, I don't feel back to normal but then I'm now of a mind as to what the heck is normal anyway. I still care about my work, but right now figuring who or what I am and how I interact with the world seems more important. 

    If you're asking yourself If it was burnout, it probably was.  Nothing can go back the way it was, so for me it's about accepting what's going on now rather than looking back on what was, which you might be viewing with rose tinted specs anyhow.