The Burnout Blues: A Bartender’s Guide to Staying Sane (Mostly)

Sources: Bartenders Business, Chilled Magazine, Tales of the Cocktail, Mixology EU, The Association Between Humor and Burnout, and Broker Bartender 

What is Burnout?

Think of burnout as that annoying friend that appears uninvited in your house and doesn’t want to go away. It entails emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and a pinch of “I can’t take it anymore.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes burnout as an “occupational hazard,” which is a fancy way of saying, “yes, burnout is a real burden.”

Burnout Symptoms

Here are some burnout symptoms that may sound familiar:

• Emotional exhaustion: This occurs when you feel drained, unmotivated, absent, and lacking the energy to respond physically or emotionally to any stimuli. You just want to go home.
• Depersonalization: This happens when you start treating clients as if they are not human. You no longer care whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied, or if they voice complaints. You want to go through the motions and leave. Everything feels meaningless.
• Reduced performance: This is when you only do the bare minimum without questioning why. You are essentially operating on autopilot. 

Burnout in the Hospitality Industry

Honestly, hospitality involves challenging work. You stand up all day, dealing with difficult clients and showing interest in their lives. It’s like being a therapist, only with better drinks, but a worse pay rate.

Being a bartender is very demanding. You are expected to be charming, show expertise, and stay sober while dealing with rude clients and spilled drinks. It is a miracle that we are still alive at the end of long shifts.

But what exactly leads to burnout? There are three primary factors contributing to burnout: working long hours, managing emotional labor—such as maintaining a positive attitude—and feeling out of control due to limited options, like adjusting the music volume when stuck behind the bar for extended periods.

If these things resonate with you, here are some tips that can help avoid burnout (or at least stay sane):

• Embrace mindfulness and meditation: A bit of Zen can make a significant difference. 
• Stay active: It may sound cliché, but regular exercise truly helps shift one’s mindset and distract oneself from persistent worries. 
• Cultivate healthy sleep habits: Sufficient rest is the essential ingredient for your favorite cocktails. It enhances your overall mood. 
• Maintain your sense of humor: Finding humor in life’s absurdities serves as a powerful defense mechanism and free therapy. Indeed, laughter is the best medicine!
• Manage your responsibilities: Don’t hesitate to turn down additional shifts. Your well-being (and your liver) will thank you. 
• Seek flexible work schedules: This can transform every shift into a valuable experience, promoting balance between life and work.
• Pursue new interests and hobbies: Gaining knowledge unrelated to work will help you discover external motivation.
• Recognize your accomplishments and reward yourself: Acknowledging and appreciating your efforts can do wonders.

Burnout at the Bar

Bartending is physically and emotionally exhausting. The job demands a lot from your body and mind, and external factors such as noisy clients and demanding bosses can make you feel it is not worth it.

Do not be afraid to consider a shift when you start feeling burnout. Take a break. Consider applying for jobs that relate to your expertise, like management, consulting, or working with a brand. Alternatively, you can take a break and travel to find renewed motivation to get back behind the bar. Whatever you decide, don’t ignore burnout, which is very real.

A touch of humor, self-care, and a bit of planning can significantly improve your work. The next time you want to throw a drink at a lousy client, think of better ways to cope with burnout oriented toward your well-being.