Burnout is caused by feelings of uncontrollability. Powerlessness, damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don’t situations. It is prevented by developing feelings of control over the job – which is an on-going process.

Developing a sense of “personal power” or “controllability” is essential for preventing or overcoming burnout. When you work in your “spare time” – especially if it is out of your home setting limits is essential. If you don’t, then phone calls and other interruptions can become overwhelming and crowd out the work you need to get done.

It is a mistake to think of callers as “not respecting you”. Actually, the person is simply trying to accomplish something on their end. The problem is that by answering the phone you are “rewarding” the person for the call. To blame the person for calling contributes to the feeling of loss of control. And it is the sense of “uncontrollability” that causes burn out – i.e., destroys motivation.

By owning the “problem” you take control of it and are a step ahead in avoiding burnout. Setting limits is a sub-set of being assertive. Telling co-workers and customers when you will take calls, lays out the “game plan” so they know what to expect and what the limits are. Then you must enforce your limits. Certain voice messages help. Turning off the phone may help. Setting specific times to receive calls and when you will return calls helps. Saying “No” is important and it may be helpful to take an assertiveness workshop to learn how. Time management training is also important. Don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Take a class and learn some helpful techniques.

If you catch yourself blaming the caller, this is a signal that you’re losing control. People call. It is how you handle calls and structure your time and answering calls that is important.

For considerable information on job burnout, the symptoms, burnout quizzes, and what to do to prevent it or turn it around – go to my site at docpotter.com