Honestly I’m not sure when it happened, but I stopped caring about my job (due to many reasons). I have even started to have a physical reaction to work, like I feel sick and anxious knowing I have to be here all week with barely anything to do or any satisfaction in my job.
Being a tape recorder, with basically zero responsibility or workload, no one to talk to during the day, students who don’t care, etc. has really taken a toll on me. I probably sound really privileged, and of course I’m lucky to even have a job, but I’m just done and not sure how to be positive about it anymore.
Any suggestions on how to make time go by more pleasantly?
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Kind of in the same boat. Really only my once-a-week visit school is enjoyable, with most of the rest of the time I’ve just been doing marking and correcting the last few weeks.
Best I can suggest is during the day start looking over what you need to do before you go (Things to sell/get rid of, what you need to pack/send home) and look over what you *want* to do before you go (Any last trips or events) Maybe write some goodbye notes for any teachers or other people you’ve enjoyed interacting with during your time.
There’s nothing wrong about feeling that disconnect since you’re going to be leaving soon.
Focus on your life AFTER school. Go to the gym, music lessons, whatever! Talk to people at home (I always call somebody when walking to school and my sister after school).
Go crazy durint the weekend. Travel, go to parties…
Do you have access to a computer during school? There are a myriad websites, education and entertainment. Read something for fun, study something interesting, learn more about a topic you have some connection with or interest in. If you can have earbuds in, even if only 1 while at your desk, then audiobooks are also an option.
Have an interest in something but never had the time to learn about it? Feel like there are certain things you can’t do or don’t understand in life but think knowing them would probably be better? Now is your chance.
Don’t have access to a computer? Get a physical book. Cover is not so good? Get a book cover so no one knows what you’re reading. Got a phone? download pdf’s of whatever you’re reading to save data. Have a laptop but no internet? Get a usb drive and read it on a bigger screen. Don’t like reading? How about writing something, a book or notes/ideas.
In short, a sluggish mind is a terrible thing to have. It will lead to all sorts of negative emotions. Find a way to make it more active, to occupy your wandering thoughts.
Good luck.
People in Indonesia mine sulphur from active volcanoes for $15 dollars a day.
Get a second job that you can do online!
Mood.
Been burnt out for the better part of the year.
I would say accept the fact that you no longer will get satisfaction from this job. If you have no expectations, you care less, and it’s easier to be at peace.
We have about two more months, and there’s so much to do. Packing, selling stuff, getting a job back home, etc. Spend your deskwarming time setting that up. You’ve made it through however long you’ve been burnt out, you can make it through another 2 months.
Exercise can be a big thing too. For a while, I did 0 exercise and couldn’t burn out all of those negative emotions. But even just like a 30 minute walk a day can help clear your head.
Treat yourself to something nice. Food and whatnot.
If you can’t make the most of your job, at least make the most of Japan while you’re here.
Focusing on the usual things (packing, selling stuff etc), but mainly just living for after school and the weekend.
Just focus on the good parts. I’m playing sport (still got 1 game left), catching up with friends before I leave and getting dental work done since its cheaper here than back home.
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If you’ve had a rough few months – year of school, you’re in the home stretch now. Just rock up, do what you need to do and leave when your time is up.
It sounds like you’ve already ejected your enthusiasm for work, and maybe that’s the best thing for you. I wouldn’t recommend expending any energy to force yourself to care about work again. I think you should orient yourself towards a successful and seamless return home while getting the most of what you enjoy outside of your work hours. See how much of your office time you can use to service what it is outside of school that you enjoy. I know it’s been a hard two years for everyone, and I think you can congratulate yourself for getting by as well as you have (however unwell that might be).
I live way out in the countryside as well. Outside of school, I frequent a monthly photography club, study Japanese at KUMON, and host an Eikaiwa every 2 weeks. Those keep me plenty busy. I also cook a lot.
People didn’t like my last comment, so I’ll post some actual suggestions. Assuming you have no work to do, here are some things you can try. Depends on your school and staff room of course.
Study literally anything
Read a novel
Get something from the library to read if you’re jouzu
Take an online course
Look for your next job
Shitpost on Reddit
Talk to staff
Take walks
Visit other classes (with permission)
Ask to go home early
Sleep
As long as you’re doing good work, your principals like you, and you’re discrete, you can do basically anything but play games or listen to music.
Do kegels
It’s clear you’re dissatisfied with your working environment. I recommend taking the initiative and asking for responsibility and how you can get involved. If you are just sitting around idly and waiting to be told what to do, I would ask other teachers how you can be of assistance. Collaborating with other teachers requires effort on your end.
For example, I work at a high school and although no one asked me – I took it upon myself to find a slot to give a speech at graduation to motivate our senior students during their transition to college.
It’s up to you to bring the energy to your classes and inspire your students. Your self-defeating mentality will only keep you in your own pessimistic prison.
I mean, even if I wasn’t thrilled about the job I still had a lot I liked about living in Japan. I guess my suggestion would just be to compartmentalize work=work and life outside of work=life.
My mind checked out since January and I’ve been in going-home mode ever since.
So I just focus on things I like to do while being here and hanging out with my friends and local friends. My social life comes first now. I chat with students and teachers I’ve known for long.
I started writing some notes for my successor, been looking and applying for jobs, writing about my goals after JET, what to anticipate, what to do… basically keeping myself busy and preparing myself for the next chapter.
Even while “working”, my mind is already elsewhere in the future.