The Burnout Gamble #6: The Gig Economy's Contribution to Burnout
In a world full of entrepreneurial spirits, Uber Drivers, and Skip The Dishes, it’s estimated that 1.3 million people are working two jobs or more. Many of these workers grow used to splitting their time such as a barista who is also a blogger or a social media manager who is also a Lyft driver. However, working multiple jobs like this offers tons of pros and cons.
Pros:
Flexible hours
More freedom
Work-from-wherever mentality
Fallback plan if a full-time job doesn’t work out
Fulfill different interests
Cons:
Feel the need to prove self-worth and validate the work you do
Working too many hours
Working erratic hours
Always being “on”
No regular salary or benefit plan
As demonstrated, the gig economy provides good and bad qualities, but does the gig economy directly contribute to burnout? While some workers agree that the benefits of working within the gig economy outweigh the negatives, many people would probably say yes.
How does the gig economy contribute to burnout?
When you have multiple jobs to fulfill different interests (and pay the bills), you tend to work more than you should. Sometimes your work hours are all over the place because a client needs to connect with you at midnight. And, because you don’t have a regular salary, you feel the need to work harder to prove to the people who hire you that you are worthy of their time and money. There’s a hunger to constantly prove yourself and validate the work you do—especially if you work from home—because those around you don’t always view it as a real job. All of this can lead to burnout.
According to a 2018 Gallup study, millennial workers seem to be at the core of this issue. Millennial workers reportedly have higher expectations of themselves than most older generations. Coupling these expectations with anxiety, social media, and a really strong work ethic can put a strain on mental and physical health. Please keep in mind that not all millennials are struggling, but millennials working in the gig economy tend to sit at a higher risk of burnout.
The World Health Organization (WHO) finally added burnout to its list of recognized health conditions and describes it as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Not only is burnout connected to your job but it can also be connected to your financial decisions. Now, that job stress and financial stress feeds off of one another.
How does burnout affect financial decisions?
When you’re stressed or overworked, it often feels convenient to order food rather than prepare it yourself. Therefore, you end up spending more money on something you can make much cheaper at home. Moreover, it’s common to find ways to reward and treat yourself to feel better about all of the stress you’re feeling. Spending this extra money can contribute towards a debt you may be trying to pay off by working in the gig economy, which then leads you to work more to pay off these new purchases.
In the end, the gig economy is not necessarily at fault for burnout. However, the conditions in which some people choose to work can often lead them towards burnout. If you’re looking for ways to prevent burnout before it creeps up on you, continue reading The Art Of Resting And Recovering (To Avoid Burnout).
