Burnout Check-in #1: Are you currently walking toward the land of burnout, in burnout, or exiting burnout? The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect, look around you, and check in with yourself.

burnout: exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration (Merriam-Webster online)

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There are many people in the land of burnout. Too many people. Oh, people come and people go. Some stay awhile, while others manage to leave sooner. But there are still too many people in the land of burnout.

I’ve been there. Funny thing is, I didn’t even realize I was there until I had been there awhile. It’s hard to see it coming. It’s hard to acknowledge it when you’re there. And it’s even harder to find the exit.

Everyone’s reasons for entry into burnout vary wildly. My entry point was librarianship. (Yes, librarians experience burnout, even pre-COVID.) A majority of librarians are deeply invested in their work, not unlike tech folks. Their job is who they are. Their work MATTERS. Librarians give a whole lot, but often receive very little support in return. The pay isn’t great. Public service can be exhausting (and sometimes scary). The parent organization–often government or universities–which libraries fall under, often don’t support or fully understand the critical role libraries play. Librarianship is rewarding work with a high tax.

So, I found my exit. My exit was quitting. After 8 years of climbing up from part-time library aide to full-time librarian, who played many roles, including a museum coordinator role (in a library)… I was done. Ironically, while earning my master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS), I re-discovered another love that soon offered me a way out: web design.

My story is important to me, and I don’t mind sharing it now. But it’s not the point of this post. My point is that we are not alone in burnout. We can encourage and support one another through it.

We are all vulnerable to burnout. Yet we often don’t recognize it until we’re well into it. Reflecting on what I went through, I’m not even sure if I could tell you now when it started for me. I just know that by the time I was deep in it, I was rejoicing when I found a different profession. I even believed I was taking a temporary break because I had just completed my MLIS. But I never went back. Oh, I still love libraries, believe in the mission of libraries, and support them where I can (hello, Friends of the Library!). But I don’t have the drive to work there, and, to be honest, discourage other people in burnout from “escaping” to work in libraries.

This past year, I have listened to conversations and presentations that had my mind reviewing my past and my current work. I keep asking myself, ”am I in burnout now? How would I know?”

In a previous post “Coming up for air (2024)“, I shared that the past 4 years felt like a downhill slope for me. But I wouldn’t say I’m in burnout right now. I was grappling with changes and balancing pandemic, work, and family life as best I could. (still am!) However, I haven’t been desperately looking for an exit sign, as I have in the past. Or maybe there’s been no option for exit? Hard to tell, right?

Last year, I realized I’ve been running a long marathon working and homeschooling. Nothing in-between. No reprieve. So, I took on less, in order to add in personal interests (AKA self-care). I found my recharge outlets and make time for them now. I feel more revived. Ready to take on new challenges again.

Career-wise, I am still content working in digital accessibility. And I’m in the unique (and privileged) position to call my own shots, where I can grow, limit burnout’s grip, and choose which tasks I perform.

There are other stories that come to my mind, warning us about burnout. I take the following stories to heart because it’s easy for any of us to find ourselves in the land of burnout:

• Nic Steenhout talks about Burnout in the Digital Accessibility Field;
• Devon Persing presented “Accessibility workers and working conditions” on April 20, 2023 at The A11y Global Collective Meetup (event sign-in required; no recording available);
• Shell Little shares about her own burnout at axe-con: The Accessibility to Burnout Pipeline (registration for axe-con required to watch archive); and
• Todd Libby’s 2024 post about his own burnout recently dropped, mirroring some of my own feelings during burnout.

Digital accessibility allies, advocates, and professionals are passionate about accessibility. We believe what we do MATTERS. We give a lot, yet we often receive very little support or acknowledgment that our work is important. Accessibility work is rewarding work, but it comes with a high tax.

For everyone in the depths of accessibility work out there: I see you! What you do matters! But let me encourage you, in Nic’s own words, “stop the drain and charge your batteries”.

First, take time now to check in with yourself. And I’ll check in again with you at the end of next month.