Job burnout is common. In fact, more common than we think. It can come not only from a day job, but from being a work at home mom, or by being a caregiver to someone. The definition of burnout is – exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.” Job burnout can creep on us insidiously. You may find yourself waking up and not feeling like going to work anymore. If it happens long enough, it may lead to a chronically negative state and self concept.

Signs of burnout are common and here are some signs that may indicate that you may be suffering from job, career or carer burnout. You may find yourself identifying with one or more of the following symptoms of burnout. Feelings of frustration, of anger and criticism. Feeling that one is overwhelmed or that there is no reward commensurate with the amount of effort put in. Feelings of depression, sense of helplessness and ability to see a way out of problems. A sense of being overwhelmed- feeling angry with yourself and criticize yourself. Feeling physically run down, tired, and feeling like there is a a lack of energy.

To overcome burnout you must realize the causes of burnout. It can often arise from the following: 1. Working at a job that is not fully resonant with your personal values. 2. Boredom. There are no new challenges or excitement. 3.Having unrealistic goals for yourself or high expectations of your work. 4.Having too much to do that you have no time to do the things you really want. 5. Not having enough work life balance. 6 .Working under conditions that do not allow personal freedom 7. Feeling trapped from the need to do this job due to lack of choice. 8. Not being appreciated for the work you do after all the effort.

Here are some steps you can take think of how to overcome burnout. Take time to think of how you can overcome this problem. 1. Take a break from your routine. 2.Reassess your goals. It may have changed from when you last thought hard about your life 3. Be assured of your ability in yourself to change. For the better. 4. Face your fears; don’t avoid your fears, or mask them in an addiction 5. Think about what you really want. 6. Clarify your values. Who you really are deep down inside and who you want to be. What is important to you? 7. Reclaim your dreams.What do you dream about that you want to do in your lifetime? What are the things you want to do, places you want to visit? What does the good life look like to you? 8. Think about your relationships. Are you spending enough time with the people you want to spend time with and are important to you? 9. Think about how you want to plan your financial future. Have a broad picture. The details will come sooner. 10. Reclaim healthy habits. Are you eating healthily, sleeping adequately? Exercising? Rest and relaxation? 11. Have fun. Are you able to have fun?

To overcome burnout you must know what you really want to achieve. Then go for it .

To “Do college”…or “Not To Do college”…that is the question.

This is one of the many huge decisions high school students and their families have to make in their lives. It is so serious that some parents have already planned for their children’s college education even while they were still infants or sometimes even before they are born.

And why not? College is a big undertaking that does not only have a great impact on your education but it will decide on your profession and the kind of work you will be doing for the rest of your life. It sounds scary, doesn’t it?

But, if you have planned ahead and have given things a lot of thought, it wouldn’t be. It is always recommended that high school students start planning and thinking when they are already in their junior year in high school, or better yet, earlier.

So, if you are one of those students who are already considering the college they want to get into, here are some guidelines you can mull about before deciding on the right school for you:

1. The first and most essential step is to know what you want to study in college and what you want to be as far as your work life. When you already know what you want to “major in”, that will help to determine the schools and colleges where you can enroll that offers the necessary courses. Try to check with your guidance counselors in your high school or take career assessment tests if you are still undecided and uncertain on what course to take.

2. Determine what type of college you want to enroll in. There are so many colleges and universities in the country, each with their own unique characteristics, offerings and specializations. The following questions can help you evaluate the college you might want to enroll in:

- What are the degrees offered in the college and the majors and minors?

- Do you want a public or a private college?

- Are entry expectations realistic in the college?

- Where is the college located and do you want to study near your home or away from home?

- How safe is the location of the college?

- What are the housing options in the college? Do they have dormitories, apartments and other areas for boarding near the campus?

- Do you want to enroll in a highly populated college or a smaller one? In this area, try to consider also the class size given for course subject.

- How much are the tuition fees and other expenses that could incur on your stay in that college such as board, etc?

- Does the college offer scholarships and other financial assistance packages?

- How are the facilities such as libraries, laboratories, etc. in the college. This is a special consideration especially if the college course you want to take requires extensive use of facilities or up-to date facilities.

- What are the internship programs offered by the college?

- Is the college accredited by distinguished accrediting bodies? Does the college have a reputation of giving high quality education?

- Is the college composed of highly qualified faculty members?

- How diverse is the population of the college in terms of gender, race, culture, etc.?

- What are the organizations and activities in the college that contribute to the social life of students?

3. Check out various college and university information in your school, or check out school websites in the Internet. Advice and suggestions from families will help, as well as information disseminated at college fairs and career orientations.

4. With the answers you gathered from the things you need to consider in step 2, gather a list of colleges and universities from step 3 that match up with your requirements. Narrow down the list of colleges you want to consider entering. The number of colleges should be realistic enough for you and your parents to be able to check them out and visit them.

5. Visit the colleges that you have considered in the previous step. This is an important phase for you to determine if the campus feels right for you. You can do this by attending a class, meeting some of the students, touring the school and its facilities and trying things you will be doing there should you enroll in that college.

6. After doing all of these, submit application letters to the colleges that made your list, that you visited and you feel you want to be enrolled at. The number of schools where you should apply will depend on your situation financially since most colleges charge application fees. Try to consider the best college for you and some colleges that you feel will take you just in case the best college turns you down.

7. Let’s face it. A college education is very heavy on your parent’s and/or even your own pockets, so while waiting for your application results, try to look for scholarships that can help mom and dad with your college tuition fee especially if you need financial assistance. Check out with your high school or in the Internet for listings of college scholarships.

8. If you’ve been accepted by some of the schools you’ve applied in, you have to make the ultimate choice on where to attend.

Career planning is not an activity that should be done once — in high school or college — and then left behind as we move forward in our jobs and careers. Rather, career planning is an activity that is best done on a regular basis — especially given the data that the average worker will change careers (not jobs) multiple times over his or her lifetime. And it’s never too soon or too late to start your career planning. Career planning is not a hard activity, not something to be dreaded or put off, but rather an activity that should be liberating and fulfilling, providing goals to achieve in your current career or plans for beginning a transition to a new career. Career planning should be a rewarding and positive experience. The most critical element of your US job search knows in which industries you are most likely to be hired. To be successful in the USA, you must have the job-search tools and the know-how to compete head-to-head successfully with an American applicant. If you plan to go to the USA as a temporary-worker, you must prove to American immigration that you are not replacing the talents of an American worker and that no other American worker could do what you do or wants to do what you do. The most critical element of your US job search knows in which industries you are most likely to be hired. Nobody expects you to be able to hire everyone you interview for an IT position, but applicants expect companies to do a better job interacting with them. http://www.hotcareersusa.com/ notes that job searching can be frustrating and demeaning because employers in India generally do a poor job filling positions, which is also a common complaint I’ve heard from Jobnet Magazine readers. “When someone takes the time and trouble to apply for a job, they expect to be treated with respect, not ignored or mistreated. After you fill a position, send a brief e-mail notice to each applicant so they can cross the potential opening off their lists instead of waiting by the phone. Write postings that make sense for jobs that actually exist, rather than using a brief or general job description, no company name, and a fax number for resume submissions. Give applicants who are enthusiastic about the opportunity the ability to call your office and talk with someone knowledgeable about the position. Instruct your security guards and receptionists with steps to follow if a job seeker arrives without an appointment. Even if you can’t let him in or send someone to meet with the job seeker, ask for copies of the person’s resume. Treat job seekers with respect and dignity.