In this profession of mine that I've chosen, there is an accepted truth - burn out happens. It's just a matter of when, and if you let it get the best of you.
I don't speak for all dispatchers, but I think it's pretty safe to say that almost all of our centers are understaffed, and some pretty severely. This means that we are all working ridiculous hours on little to no sleep, and with the adrenaline peaks that we go through behind the console, it's not a pretty sight.
One of my academy-mates called a full pursuit in her sleep the other day, from failure to yield to code 4. It woke her son up. Even when she's not 10-8, she's working.
That's why vacations are a Godsend. Time away from the center, away from the scanner, away from the cattiness, and supervisors.
That is, if they don't revoke your vacation last minute "due to staffing needs of the center." Or cut your vacation in half. All things that have happened recently at my center.
A co-worker goes on vacation in two days. We were talking, and she said something that is very true. She stated that she didn't feel burnt out until she got super close to her vacation. Now it's like senioritis - she is annoyed by everything and everyone, and can't wait to get out of here for a bit. She normally is a very pleasant person, with hardly anything negative to say, and burn out has turned her into someone she doesn't even recognize.
Everyone has to find an outlet, otherwise we'd all go crazy. Many people have hobbies or spend time with their families, which is all well and good, except that this job sucks up so much time and energy that there isn't any left of either to devote to hobbies and families. The tough part is forcing yourself to do these things to help in the long run.
If you don't, then burn out gets the best of you, and you quit or make a costly mistake that means you can no longer do your job.
Or, you know, our agencies could hire enough people so we don't have to be overworked...
I don't speak for all dispatchers, but I think it's pretty safe to say that almost all of our centers are understaffed, and some pretty severely. This means that we are all working ridiculous hours on little to no sleep, and with the adrenaline peaks that we go through behind the console, it's not a pretty sight.
One of my academy-mates called a full pursuit in her sleep the other day, from failure to yield to code 4. It woke her son up. Even when she's not 10-8, she's working.
That's why vacations are a Godsend. Time away from the center, away from the scanner, away from the cattiness, and supervisors.
That is, if they don't revoke your vacation last minute "due to staffing needs of the center." Or cut your vacation in half. All things that have happened recently at my center.
A co-worker goes on vacation in two days. We were talking, and she said something that is very true. She stated that she didn't feel burnt out until she got super close to her vacation. Now it's like senioritis - she is annoyed by everything and everyone, and can't wait to get out of here for a bit. She normally is a very pleasant person, with hardly anything negative to say, and burn out has turned her into someone she doesn't even recognize.
Everyone has to find an outlet, otherwise we'd all go crazy. Many people have hobbies or spend time with their families, which is all well and good, except that this job sucks up so much time and energy that there isn't any left of either to devote to hobbies and families. The tough part is forcing yourself to do these things to help in the long run.
If you don't, then burn out gets the best of you, and you quit or make a costly mistake that means you can no longer do your job.
Or, you know, our agencies could hire enough people so we don't have to be overworked...
