# Conversation and Fun > Just Conversation >  Anyone else nearing burnout?

## optilady1

It's been a long time, but I wouldn't mind burying myself deep in a lab.  

I'm hoping my Memorial Day weekend camping trip will help ease this, but I'm thinking the only thing I'll get is some bug bites and lots of dirty laundry.  :p

Who wants to send my happy optician vibes?

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## chip anderson

Optilady:
Once upon a time I went on an Opticians fishing trip with 300 opticians from the Houston area aboard.  I will spare you some of the more interesting details.  But Out of the 300 on board only four of us left the boat sober.   On the way home my employer (one of the four sober people) told me that was the reason he went to Houston, he saw the _quality_ of individual in the optical business there and figured that not being like that, he could do well.
This is why so many opticians drink excessively.   For the most part the only opportunity is to be over worked, underpaid with little chance for signifcant advancement.  And one will always have someone higher on the totem pole with near dictatorial power.
Keep a bottle in the desk for after closing time.

Chip

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## Uncle Fester

http://www.funny-ecards.com/cards/misc/peckerhead.html

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## skt

years ago, I wondered why people in the optical busines drink so much.....25+years later, I now know!  But...wouldn't trade it for anything else!  (That's not to say that I don't start salivating when vacation time is getting close)  :)

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## Jacqui

It's the reason I left the business.

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## finefocus

I get weary unto death of the donkey work; checking out jobs, dealing with insurance, inventory, etc. But it is still fulfilling fun to deal with people (with the usual exceptions). Taking their uncertainty/anxiety, their expectations, their needs, applying a bit of knowledge and experience, and turning it all into a perfectly fitted pair of specs: that's as good as it gets. It's not work, it's sport. Maybe the ego-feed has gotten cheaper as industry standards have eroded, but it's still ego-feed. Too bad about the actual work that has to be done, and the occasional creep.

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## lensmama

You can always call me and we can cheer each other up!!

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## For-Life

I am pretty much done with the industry right now.  After everything that has happened, I do not want to be a part of it.  More due to a personal thing than the industry itself.  

Once I have either sold or shut down my father's business, I will look into getting laser eye surgery.  May also delete OB from my favourites, so I do not come back.

For an industry I loved, it is just bringing in too many bad memories and thoughts.

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## Speed

I'm done. Have not made a pair of glasses in over three years. I do not plan to make another. I have started a process that will allow me to stay out of the optical biz forever!

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## Striderswife

I know what you mean, honey.  I'm there now.  Probably once or twice a year, I just wonder what am I doing, still doing the same thing after so many years.  I eventually get over it.

I am near total burn out right about now, though.  My last vacation was in February of last year.  Yeah, I've had a day off here or there, but it was because our son was sick, or we didn't have a sitter (there's only so many back-ups!).  One day at a time does not count as "time off."  We are going out of town this coming weekend, and I need this so badly.  I'll be glad I'm an Optician when I come back, and I'll get back into the swing of it.  If I didn't love what I do, I'd have gone to do something else a LONG time ago.  I know you feel the same way.  Burnout comes and goes; I think our cycles have synced!!  Ha!  X^D

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## opticianbart

All I can say is.. OMG I'm soo jealous! where are you going camping? I've not been in about a year and it's driving me nuts!

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## WFruit

I hate to disappoint, but being burried in a lab does not cure burnout (although if you'd like to relocate, give me a call).  

(Totally unrelated, but I brought in two bottles of Mt. Dew this morning, but somehow there are three on my desk, two of them openned, none left from yesterday, none belonging to anyone else......)

Back on topic, my days usually consist of: Being system admin for our LMS software, monitoring all of the lens inventory for 800+ job/day wholesale lab, answering any questions CS doesn't know the answer to for wholesale accounts (usually technical lens questions), double checking all glass jobs (about 150), double checking jobs for "special" wholesale accounts, assisting with frame tracing, lens picking, and edging of "difficult" jobs, solving any data entry issues, being primary contact for all of our lens vendors, and anything else my boss needs done on a given day, incuding, but not limited to, creating/updating/maintaining our wholesale price list, keeping up with all new lenses, creating specific spreadsheets, and, most recently, assisting with creating the new layout for our lab redesign.

On the plus side, I really do like my job.  But yes, I hit burnout every 2~3 months.  I hope your camping trip helps.  While I'm sure there will be bug bites, there is a lot of beautiful land up in New England, so make sure you take a camera, and just think about the positive things.

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## optilady1

Yeah, I guess I was a bit of a gloomy gus yesterday.  I know that I'm lucky I have a job, my kids are healthy (although according to them they should be in traction with all their 'aches and pains'), we aren't in foreclosure, and my husband is home and only has another 14 days of underway time coming up before I get to keep him for 3 years at home.    

I don't know if other women feel this way, but I feel like I either have to be an absolute witch or I get walked all over by my patients.  Or even worse, I have to not be myself, because then many feel like I'm their buddy so I'm gonna give away the store.  It's not true for all, and I do love the hordes of adoptive grandparents I feel like I've accrued sincing coming to work for an ophthalmology practice, but some are very trying.  

Ok, so you've all made me feel better, so thanks for that.  I'm going camping in Voluntown, CT, a hole-in-the wall town about 25 minutes from where I live.  I'm a little scared of camping for the first time with two girls who could shatter glass when they encounter spiders, but I'm betting it will be fun.  Add in a dog and a husband, and I'm sure it will be nothing if not interesting.  Plus we're throwing in my daughter's seventh birthday party into the mix, so by day balloons, by night, beer and s'mores?

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## skt

everything looks and feels better after some time off from the crazies and the daily routine..hope you have a wonderful time

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## NeGlassesGirl27

I grew up on camping in the summer and hockey in the winter. Since my mom passed away a year and 1/2 ago, there has been no camping. My dad sold their camper, which was pretty hard to clean it out for him, so I can only hope we can get back into it when we have kids some day. To me, going camping was my time to get away from everything. I didn't worry about work, friends, nothing at all. I would wake up, go outside to drink some coffee and look at a lake and that in itself is the most relaxing thing ever. 

I'm hoping that we can go camping with my husband's mom and dad coming up soon. I am REALLY REALLY hoping for that! It's not the patients here that I stress out about..it's the office as a whole, how it's ran and how much drama happens in one day. It makes me want to the bar to drink and eat fried pickles!

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## skt

oh boy....fried pickles...yum

when I go "home" to the midwest in the summer for 2 weeks(yes, it takes that long to decompress), I do nothing but hang out with family, read books, sleep late, eat good food...lots of nothingness which tides me over to the next time off

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## NeGlassesGirl27

I retract what I said previously about not being hungry for dinner...now I really do want beer and fried pickles! :p

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## DragonLensmanWV

When we go camping, it's to a nearby state park in Kentucky. The primitive area is pretty nice and it's easy to spot the n00bs. Every night for as long as I can remember, about 10 PM the skunks come out to canvass the campsites. Now, these are pretty tame as far as a wild skunk can be. What you do is just sit still and watch them go through your camp. If there's nothing for them to scavenge (as it should be) they will just move on to the next campsite. These skunks will take food from your hand and I've seen them chased all over the place by kids without being sprayed, so it really takes a lot for them to get upset.
 What's funny is to watch them leave your camp, move on to the next camp, then a mighty ruckus ensues when the n00bs see the skunks and try to chase them off or run away themselves, but it causes quite an uproar. When it dies down, you can still hear the old-timers chuckling from all around.

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## optilady1

So we survived our first camping trip, and it was Super Duper Fun!!!!  My poor Abby, my seven year old, seems to be actually allergic to bug bites, because they swelled up so bad, but other than that it was a blast.  It was only three days, but I definitely helped my "I want to kill all my patients" attitude I was sporting.  Even my dog had a good time.  Maybe a few more trips this summer and my burnout will go away.

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## Judy Canty

I am taking the train (yes, the TRAIN) to Chicago to spend a week with my grandson!  Just me and Jackson hanging out in the yard and at the park!  I can't think of a better way to decompress.  The train takes longer than a plane, but that's part of its charm.

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## skt

"time out" always makes us appreciate what we have

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## Wes

How bout that burnout?  Im getting it.  I swear I think it makes me work that much harder in class.    I like the labwork and the troubleshooting but I think its the public thats giving me the burnout.

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## DragonLensmanWV

Just remember what Sam Clemens said:



*FUN*


  ...a good and wholesome thing is a little harmless fun in this world; it tones    a body up and keeps him human and prevents him from souring.

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## Striderswife

> Just remember what Sam Clemens said:
> 
> 
> 
> *FUN*
> 
> 
> ...a good and wholesome thing is a little harmless fun in this world; it tones a body up and keeps him human and prevents him from souring.




Funny you bring that up; our vacation two weeks ago was to Hannibal, MO, the hometown of Samuel Clemens!!  It's just a little touristy place, and we had some good relaxing fun!!

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## optilady1

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggg  gghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Ok, I'm better now.  Today has been a perfect example of why I wish I'd never gone back to work.

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## uncut

A Canadian answer to optical stress:   buy a stress-ball!

Link:http://www.licensedoptician.ca/cms.D...04-Merchandise

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## Roy R. Ferguson

Well, I finally did it.  Everyone was busy today so I answered the phone.  It was one of those “how much are your glasses” calls.  I explained the costs to this intellectual void with the usual results.  Before hanging up I asked the following question:  Are you interested in the professional qualifications of my staff, the quality of the eyeglasses we supply, and whether or not you can see out of them, or do you just want the cheapest junk you can find?  

Is that considered burn-out?

Roy

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## optilady1

> Well, I finally did it. Everyone was busy today so I answered the phone. It was one of those “how much are your glasses” calls. I explained the costs to this intellectual void with the usual results. Before hanging up I asked the following question: Are you interested in the professional qualifications of my staff, the quality of the eyeglasses we supply, and whether or not you can see out of them, or do you just want the cheapest junk you can find? 
> 
> Is that considered burn-out?
> 
> Roy


thanks you made me laugh. :)

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## Roy R. Ferguson

We avoid burnout by bringing our two German Shepherds to the office each day.  They manage to keep everything in perspective for us.  No matter how crazy the day gets they both demand their Frisbee time.  Fortunately we are in a small town that considers Shepherds in the office as normal.  

Roy

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## Mizikal

One of the benefits that keeps me working at Wal-mart is my three weeks vacation. i just took a week off at the end of may and have another the first part of July.I also have a lot of personal time. Granted my hourly rate may not be as high but I love taking my vacation time.

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## optilady1

> We avoid burnout by bringing our two German Shepherds to the office each day. They manage to keep everything in perspective for us. No matter how crazy the day gets they both demand their Frisbee time. Fortunately we are in a small town that considers Shepherds in the office as normal. 
> 
> Roy


lucky!  We adopted a dog a few weeks ago who ended up being a wonderful addition to the family (you know, the four cats, two kids, fish and husband I already take of :)) Best decision we could have made; he is small, almost 6, and hasn't had an accident and willingly goes into his kennel at night.  He is so sweet, he would make a good apprentice optician.  
Us waspy yankies definitely don't consider dogs in the office as normal.  Maybe thats why we are all such grumps.

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## Speed

Done there, been that.

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## Roy R. Ferguson

> Us waspy yankies definitely don't consider dogs in the office as normal. Maybe thats why we are all such grumps.


We encounter one or two folks each year who take umbrage at having a canine in the office.  After being told that these guys are both therapy dogs as well as search and rescue canines, most quickly fall in love with them.  If a “waspy” type continues to object, they are referred to the local big box optical where they can purchase cheap glasses really cheap.  

Roy

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## Mizikal

I would love to bring Sheba to work with me. I think all of our patients would be happier with her in the office.

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## DragonLensmanWV

We had a customer bring her Gomer to the office once. He was a good doggie!

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## Striderswife

That's not a dog; that's a horse!  He's beautiful--what is he?  His face looks to stocky to be a Dane. . .

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## DragonLensmanWV

I think she said he was Great Dane and Mastiff.

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## NeGlassesGirl27

Gomer is the perfect name for a horse/dog like that :bbg:

Since I've been in optical, I've had patients bring in dogs from time to time. One time was a Saturday and there was no OD so it was myself and another staff member. 2 patients brought in their White West Highland Terriers and other patients in the office just thought it was so fun. Another patient had their dog in the car and decided to bring it into the office too. I don't really know what happened that day but I'm just thankful no one did any "business" on the floor! :bbg: :bbg:

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## chip anderson

I've concidered buying a pecan retail business near the coast, just so that whenever some Yankee comes in and ask for 
Pee Can's, I can give them a coffee Tin and say : "Go out back."     For you that don't know no bedda it's:  pronounced 
P-cauhn.
Some day I'll tell you about how the Louisianna Legislature met for three whole days to decide the correct pronunciation of
crawfish (Crayfish, mud-bugs).

Chip

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## Striderswife

> I think she said he was Great Dane and Mastiff.


That makes perfect sense. He looks exactly in between the size/features of those two breeds. 8^)




> Some day I'll tell you about how the Louisianna Legislature met for three whole days to decide the correct pronunciation of
> crawfish (Crayfish, mud-bugs).
> 
> Chip


It's a crawdad! Or even crawdaddy, if you're really hick. ;-)

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## Uncle Fester

> I've considered buying a pecan retail business near the coast, just so that whenever some Yankee comes in and ask for 
> Pee Can's, I can give them a coffee Tin and say : "Go out back."     For you that don't know no bedda it's:  pronounced 
> P-cauhn.
> Some day I'll tell you about how the Louisiana Legislature met for three whole days to decide the correct pronunciation of
>   craw-fish(Crayfish, mud-bugs).
> 
> Chip


Consider adding a wholesale to the retail pecan business!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...248237738.html

I believe the blue bloods (Sen. John Kerry) on Beacon Hill pronounce it p-cauhn.  :)

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