Burnout

Work is all I do now a days.

Wake up

Shower

Take Meds

Put on Work Shirt

Go to Work

Work all morning

Work thru lunch

Work all afternoon

Work overtime into the evening

Go home

Eat dinner

Sleep

Repeat

And no one seems to think that's odd.

"That's normal," my parents say, "you're low on the totem pole, you gotta work extra to earn respect."

"Oh I do that," says my brother, "you just gotta push through you'll be okay."

"Ya, that's how it goes around here," say the other photographers, "getting lunch is a luxury."

"I get that," the reporters say, "I'm literally exhausted all the time."

This shouldn't be okay though. We're working ourselves to the bone for a job that has no problem replacing us at the drop of a hat (or just let's everyone else work more overtime to cover for management's lack of planning).

We're understaffed and overworked and we're just supposed to be okay with that. We're just supposed to keep giving and giving and giving while being yelled at and taken for granted. Can't even get a goddamn thank you most days.'

We're made to feel guilty for taking a day off. Most of my coworkers don't use all their time off or even their sick days.

"I'm fine," they'll say while hacking up a lung.

"It's just a low grade fever," they say while they're swaying every time they stand up.

"Oh, I've got vacation days, but I don't want to mess up anyone's schedule," after they've worked overtime everyday that week.

And now, I've caught myself saying these things too.

But the coal is running low and the steam isn't running as hot as it should.

I'm burning out and I feel like there's nothing I can do.