Burnout after a few months in new job

[Wonderbug81]

I've started a new job. At first it seemed great, supportive team and interesting projects. But it's increasingly got busier and busier. The senior team including me are regularly working evenings and some weekends. There's a pressure to get things out the door at a very high standard.

There's no end in sight and I've experienced a lot of symptoms recently. Stomach problems, nausea, headaches, insomnia etc.

For context before this I was looking for a role after redundancy for a long time, which was stressful. I'm also perimenopausal (although HRT had it under control largely).

I'm just surprised to be feeling burnt out so soon. Any thoughts or advice welcome. I probably just need to be better at managing a high workload.

I probably just need to be better at managing a high workload.

No. You don't. Honestly - I recommend reading 'Burnt Out' by Selina Barker and putting some of the advice into action. But take it seriously. Burn out is dreadful.

More questions than answers, sorry..

Is it a short term project that’s leading to this? Or is this just the normal there?

Could it be that the new environment just has a different way of doing things and you’re learning that whilst also doing the day job (which is a steep learning curve but is ultimately ok)?

Have you tried determining your own boundaries and sticking to them? Does anyone in the office successfully do this? Is this legit work or showing face?

I'm in the same situation OP so no advice just solidarity.
I started a new job two months ago and honestly I'm burnt out already.
This cycle happens to me regularly. I am all excited about starting a new job, then I can't meet the demands of the job and life so I leave, then when iv recovered the cycle starts again. It's exhausting.

Thank you. Will take a look.

No pls ask away!

We're a centralised team who manage many projects at once. I oversee a team and we look after 7 or 8 at once, plus various mini projects that come up from across the business. I have 4 direct reports to manage plus their teams.

Many of the team are new including my boss. It's also a new industry for me and I have a long commute (4 days in the office) so they definitely are a factor.

There's not really any scope for pushing back. We're a client service business.

I'm trying to implement solutions that mean we can cut workloads but they take time and effort as well.

Sorry to hear about your experiences. I do think the early months of a new job are particularly hard because everything's new anf unfamiliar.

I was with my last company for a very long time and the work life balance was excellent so this is a new experience for me.

Hope things get better for you.

It seems like there it’s a lot going on at once and you mentioned many of the team are new also your boss. That will be a factor compared to working in an established team. You are trying to build the team while also doing the day to day job of delivering for clients. How sustainable this is largely depends on your personal circumstances and how long you can realistically go on like this.

Completely get it. I was struggling with burnout in my current job when I first started, although it was less linked to workload and more to struggling with imposter syndrome and doing many more hours than I should have been (and coupled with a close bereavement at the time). I knew I was struggling, then caught a cold and ended up in hospital with pneumonia for a week! No history of respiratory issues, and am sure being burnt out led to me being so poorly.

I’ve focused more on my own wellbeing since - little things like an audible membership so I can always listen to an interesting story while I’m doing mentally vacant household stuff (feels like I’m resting mentally, but still getting stuff done!).

I think working longer hours on occasion is good to meet deadlines etc where needed, but you need the quieter periods to balance that out too, so it’s sustainable.

No real advice, other than keep monitoring yourself and prioritise some ‘you time’.

Yes good point. There's a lot of 'new' to go around. I wouldn't say I'm the most resillient which isn't helping matters. Will see how it goes over the next month and then assess.

Sounds like you've had a very challenging time.

Definitely trying to take some time for myself but I find when I'm relaxing my mind just keeps thinking about work. I love audiobooks and do use those too but need to work out a way to focus better during my downtime.

That is a typical example of stress and burnout when you just cannot switch off on your own time. It is something I have also struggled with, being consumed with work 24/7 is not healthy.