Does anyone here work in social services or healthcare?
I referred to myself in another thread as a “recovering workaholic”. I've worked long hours and sometimes multiple jobs since I was old enough to work. I think the longest stretch I did was a month without a day off. During the first year of the pandemic I worked in a retirement home and it started a downward spiral in terms of my physical and mental health that nearly destroyed me. Now, I'm working in group homes supporting adults with disabilities.
I love my work and the importance of it, it gives my life some meaning, and I can make a tangible difference in people's lives every day. I have the ability to be an inside advocate for people with disabilities and care workers.
But the risk of burn out is incredibly high in jobs like this. I try my best not to, but I still find myself agreeing to things I shouldn't and thinking a lot about work when I'm not working. I know people need me and I'm trying to advocate in my daily life and make a systemic difference in social service/healthcare jobs, which is all very important to me. I feel like this dilemma is pretty specific to certain jobs and careers so I'm just interested in other people's experiences.