The Mist
Earlier this week, I saw an excellent article in the Guardian about Burnout.
I recognised all of the elements that were mentioned, having experienced all of them for most of my last two years of full time year round teaching. However, I always thought of burnout as a mist obscuring everything around me. I decided it was time to write another poem, so I did and the finished version can be seen below. This time I experimented with making lines 2 & 4 of each verse rhyme. I’m not sure if it makes the poem better or worse, but it’s all part of finding a style I can work with.
The Mist
The mist descended gradually
It came on without warning
A sense of something missing
A perpetual gloomy morning
I told myself 'it's tiredness'
And tried to struggle through
But I lost my way more and more each day
As the mist within me grew
I left the cause of my malaise
But the mist would not depart
It kept me feeling inchoate
And my mind was stop then start
The truth is there's no easy fix
But my better days are more
And when it finally vanishes
It will feel like my encore
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David Pearce - Popular Culture and Personal Passions 
I know the feeling. At least with a job like teaching it is easier in the sense that most people actually care about what they do. Imagine the same levels of intensity but it involved something whuch brought no satisfaction whatsoever outside of just making a living. Then again, that probably makes it harder to switch that off “the mist” after years of intense work and stress. It becomes a part of your operating system. I do get the sense that you are getting there, however. As for me, am still on way back from work. 😂🙃🫠
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I am getting there and I hope you will eventually.
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Suffered two burn outs in teaching David and the second time finished me in the classroom. I became a consultant after that. I hope you get through it ok. Some good CBT therapy helped me a lot. It’s such a hard job. Take care
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Cheers Paul. I’m glad you got to a good place. I am getting there with the help of rest, meditation and, recently, Yoga. It’s a work in progress but I feel like I’m over the worst, fingers crossed.
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