Burnout

A has hit a critical phase- burnout. I can tell b/c when he comes home he doesn't talk about his students and his day, he just wants to crash and sleep. With the intense schedule he's been keeping, I'm not surpised. But he only has 25 more hours to go. His good friend is coming to FL to start the program and he'll spend 10 of those hours with him, which will be good for them both. I'm glad we are almost at the end (and sincerely hope that we are almost at the end). I can't imagine having to keep on this for another 100+ hours!

I know it's been hard for him to see several friends leave for airline jobs and to have passed on the chance to have a job already while he's been waiting for his preferred airline. I know he's tired of incompetent students who throw him under the bus when they don't know something during a check-ride, harried schedules, being overworked and not being able to take care of personal things. Of his guilt for not spending more time with his family (which, if you've been reading this blog you will know, is self-imposed).

I called him on his procrastination the other night. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't horrible either. I told him it wasn't fair to us to use us as his excuse if he failed b/c he hadn't really applied himself. There is so much he needs to study- airline regs, gouges, prep for the jet course, ATP and AGI stuff- that he doesn't do any of it and instead says he can't because we need him. It's hard for him b/c he is overwhelmed and feels the pressure to succeed and doesn't want me to be angry with him. It's hard for me to be so helpless and unable to make things easier for him.

I have faith that this too shall pass in a matter of weeks.