In this frank article, Gosselin’s Ben Schmidt, describes the very real dangers of burnout in the workplace.
A few years ago, Ben Schmidt realised the moving company entrepreneur’s dream.
The international firm he had founded with just a laptop and a phone in 2008 had grown to an impressive size. He and his team of 25 people served a global market of customers from the Netherlands, enjoying a good reputation among industry agents and priding itself on fantastic customer service.
The risk that Ben, now aged 51, had taken when he left a smaller domestic mover to set up on his own had paid off. Prospects looked good. However, after years of working up to 100 hours a week, he was committed to every aspect of his enterprise.
Previously, Ben had not taken mental health seriously. ‘I was very cynical,’ he says. ‘I was invited to share my views about mental health for a LinkedIn article and commented that, when somebody had “burnout”, it was an easy way to take a vacation. I had no empathy.
‘If people’s normal working day was 8am to 5pm, and they stopped at 5pm, I would have second thoughts. If they were really committed, why not stop at 5.30pm or 6pm? I worked day and night, and would expect it from other people, although I never had a single person in my company with burnout. Overall, the atmosphere was good.’
‘I would always respond’
Ben would typically start work at 5am or 6am and work until 9pm, or later, all week. At weekends, he would work on Saturday mornings. Sunday was supposed to be a day off, but, as Ben explains: ‘When I got a work message – and I received many – I would always respond. Even when I was “off”, I was always “on”.’
It became harder to dismiss warning signs about his health. ‘Your body gives you signals, but you just try to ignore them. When I had a day off, or was on vacation, I would have terrible headaches for the first week, or I was literally sick. If we were away for three weeks, nobody really counted on me for the first one – not a good sign.’
In 2018, after an IAM Convention, he took a week’s family holiday.
‘We were walking through a city, and I was starting to say things that didn’t make sense any more. I couldn’t recognise my wife and children – I saw them standing before me, but it did not ring a bell.
‘They thought I had had a TIA (transient ischemic attack, or a ‘mini stroke’). I went to a doctor and was given medicine and told to inform my own doctor.’
In the Netherlands, Ben’s physician said the symptoms were caused by too much stress, for too long. The doctors initially thought it was a TIA, but later found out that it was transient global amnesia. One of the main symptoms is loss of memory and Ben experienced a second occurrence two months later.
‘I was typing an email in the office and no words appeared, only letters.’
The mini stroke-like incidents happened four times (‘the third time, I had no vision, everything was blurred, I had a very bad headache’). Doctors told Ben that reducing his stress was now critical.
‘Something had to change’
In the last incident, Ben could not remember the names of work colleagues and light was painful to look at. ‘I switched off the computer and phone. Others ran the business for six weeks.’
Although Ben had employees managing finance, planning and sales, he realised he was ‘too involved in everything’.
So, in 2019, Ben started a partnership with a new shareholder, who was committed to growing the business.
Being freed up to concentrate on the commercial side of the business gave Ben a burst of energy, and the changes to the business brought a rapid increase in profitability. At the end of 2019, he sold his moving company, although stayed on board for two years to help the transition, as part of the deal.
‘You need rest’
In October 2021, however – after he had sold the company – Ben crashed again.
‘I ended up in a burnout. I came home, fell on the floor, could not stand and could only cry. It was a really dark period.’
Ben’s doctors advised him that, without serious rest, he might never recover. He took seven months off, cutting off most contact with the industry and others during this period.
Ben later felt able to become more active again. The Ukraine war had started and he began volunteering for a foundation set up by people in his village, Woudenberg, to bring refugees to live in the Netherlands. It’s a mission he still supports.
‘That gave me a lot of energy and I could see my body responding (positively) again.’
In spring 2022, he joined Gosselin Group to set up a groupage department.
‘I knew people already at Gosselin, and it had very clear boundaries – the job was groupage and nothing else. They gave me the ability to build this department at my pace.’
Life lessons
The past few years have given Ben insight into living better. He enjoys his role at Gosselin and volunteering on his days off.
‘Hard work is not the biggest problem, although there has to be a balance,’ he says. ‘If it gives you energy, then that is OK. But if work is taking all your time and you neglect your family, that is not good.’
Ben and his wife, Marieke, who have two children, made several lifestyle changes. He returned to a hobby he enjoyed as a teenager – building models, including of moving trucks. He also exercises, hiking regularly with his wife, and has changed his diet. ‘I started cooking twice a week, and even enjoying it – it makes my wife happy. Happy wife, happy life!”
He also helps out with household chores. Assisting the foundation that helps Ukrainian people has been positive, too.
‘When you focus on other people’s problems, your own diminish. It makes your life more meaningful.’
