September 21, 2024

Why identifying with your occupation makes you burn out

It has become clear to me that it is much more likely to get burned out at your job if you identify with your occupation. To prevent this, my advice is to not base your identity around your occupation, but consider your occupation as an (important) part of your identity.

Let's say you are employed at a school as a teacher. If you ask yourself: "Who am I?" What do you answer?

I think that if your answer is based around "I am a teacher" as the primary description of yourself, that you are more likely to burn out at your job.

Here's why: Work doesn't always go great. Sometimes for longer times. This can be tough. However, if you attach your personal identity to your work, and it doesn't go great for a while, you will be personally hurt by this. And you will start to seriously doubt yourself as a person ("I am a bad teacher."), which will make you insecure and vulnerable to identity crisis ("Am I a teacher?") and burnout.

So, my advice? Don't base your identity around your work. See work as something you do with some of the time you have. Instead of thinking of yourself as a teacher, try to think of yourself as someone who teaches (among other things). The difference may look subtle, but it is important.

I think that if you follow this advice, you are much less likely to "bring home" work-related stress.