The atmosphere of the workplace has changed dramatically in recent times. Ever since the exploitative practices of the industrial revolution were removed through legislation, work has been defined as a place where a person could find fulfillment through a job which was rewarding and paid a fair wage. But this definition has reverted in recent years to one in which the needs of the employee have become less important. Finding personal fulfillment through our work has become more of a challenge. Progressive occupational stress leading to job burnout has become a painful reality for many people.

     The incidence of job burnout has become increasingly widespread as -

• corporations merge and the interests of the stockholders come to predominate business policies,
• jobs are eliminated or combined because of technological innovations,
• more production moves overseas where labor costs are cheaper,
• downsizing has become more frequent (where the worker is expected to do more work for less money)
• layoffs occur with alarming frequency.

     Many people are working longer hours and taking on more responsibilities just to "stay in place." Where one income used to support a family, now it usually takes two - and this has a major impact on the dynamics of raising a family.

     As a result of these changes in the workplace, stress has increased dramatically for some workers. Job stress is the result of overload on our senses and our inability to complete tasks. We are presented with more demands, information, stimuli, and intensity than we can take in and process. The end result of prolonged exposure to this stress is job burnout. We progressively shut down under the demands placed on us from the outside world.

     When we have difficulty in setting priorities and putting our lives into balance, we are more prone to suffer from burnout. We feel that we cannot keep up with everything we have to do. Not only is our work intense, but we also have demands to participate in family life, keep up with friends, and complete our normal chores of everyday living. We feel a decreased ability to set limits on these various demands. We then begin to feel a vague sense of just not caring so much about work, or maybe anything, anymore. We feel overwhelmed and then we retreat.

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