Job burnout is a type of mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion that is work-related. The
feelings of depletion impact one’s mental wellbeing and overall motivation and performance at
work. Burnout can occur for different, and sometimes opposite, reasons. Burnout from an
overload of work can come when employees feel overwhelmed with tasks at hand. In the same
way, employees can experience burnout when they feel like they are not challenged or doing
enough. This kind of burnout leads to employees losing interest and disconnecting.

Factors that cause burnout:

• Having a heavy and demanding workload
• Being in an unfair environment that exhibits favoritism
• Working at an organization with values that are different from your own
• Having a community that encourages you to share your ideas freely
• Feeling in control of the kind of work that you put out

Signs of burnout:

• Extreme stress from managing work and simple tasks
• Loss of motivation
• Frustration with coworkers and loved ones
• Lack of concentration
• Always feeling fatigued and never well rested
• Withdrawal from others
• Skipping work more often
• Missing deadlines

If you are experiencing burnout, there are several ways that you can recover from burnout:

1) Create a life outside of work

Make sure that you are cultivating other areas in your life that need your attention as well. These
other areas can help you create a work-life balance and give you the push that you need to show
up feeling refreshed at work.

2) Create bonds with coworkers

Experiencing burnout can come from not having a community at work. Having positive
relationships with colleagues makes you less prone to burnout because you have an outlet to ask
for help and gives you a sense of belonging.

3) Set boundaries

When burnout comes from a heavy workload, sometimes the workload comes from our constant
“yes” to any task at hand. Learning to say no to extra work can help us preserve our physical and
mental health from pressure and exhaustion.

4) Take care of your physical health

Signs of burnout include missing meals, changing sleeping habits, and lacking interest in
exercising. A good way to combat burnout is by engaging in self-care. Giving in to burnout will
lead to neglecting oneself, and neglecting oneself can lead to a burnout. The vicious cycle will
continue until you take a stand. Eating nutritious meals, moving your body, and making time for
rest are all ways that you can prevent emotional and physical exhaustion.

Reflection Questions:

• Am I avoiding work, conversations, and meetings with certain colleagues?
• Do I find myself saying yes to extra workload without any consideration?
• What are ways that I can start looking after my physical and emotional health?
• Who can I reach out to and ask for help if I’m experiencing burnout?