Just about everyone experiences stress at work sometimes. Usually we can push through it, take some time to recharge, and bounce back. But being too stressed-out for too long can lead to a more extreme level of exhaustion. That’s what we call “burnout.”
Burnout is nothing new, but in recent years, it has become an epidemic. The World Health Organization recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019. The heightened stress brought on by COVID-19 has only added to the challenge. This has led to problems like “quiet quitting” where workers stay in their jobs but put in as little time and effort as possible.
In one 2023 survey, more than 75% of Canadian workers said they had experienced burnout at some time in their careers, and more than 1 in 3 said they were currently burned out.
What is burnout?
Burnout is a form of work-related exhaustion caused by long-term stress. In general, as a workplace issue, burnout is characterized by the following 3 conditions:
1. Exhaustion
Exhaustion is the physical, mental, and emotional response to chronic stress. Symptoms include:
- Feeling tired, physically and mentally spent, or worn out
- Feeling depressed, anxious, helpless, or overwhelmed
- Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches, muscle aches, and upset stomach
2. Cynicism and negativity
Workers facing burnout are not only exhausted. Hostility—toward your job, your co-workers and yourself—is a common sign of burnout. Another common sign is feeling disinterested or disengaged. This might be expressed as:
- Having angry outbursts and irritability
- Having negative thoughts about your job, clients, or co-workers
- Focusing on errors, mistakes, and failures
- Feeling incompetent and self-critical
- Feeling unappreciated
- Thinking about leaving your job on a regular basis
- Withdrawing professionally and socially
- Feeling like your work and achievements are meaningless
3. Sub-standard performance
When a worker is burned out, their level of effort and effectiveness on the job suffers. Reduced efficacy at work can take the form of:
- Lack of focus and commitment
- Procrastination
- Poor outcomes
- Inefficiency and lower productivity
- High absenteeism
Who’s at risk of burnout?
Some people may be at higher risk of suffering burnout than others because of their personal characteristics or situations.
Personal risk factors include:
- Being a perfectionist
- Being highly competitive
- Having trouble setting boundaries or delegating
- Suffering from low self-esteem
- Making work too much of a priority
- Experiencing a stressful event, like a family crisis
Personal characteristics aren’t the only factors to consider here. Burnout is often caused by external, environmental conditions that are all too common in the modern workplace.
Environmental risk factors include:
- A workload that is too challenging
- A workplace that is toxic
- A lack of autonomy
- Misalignment of values
- Feelings of isolation
Check in before you burn out
If you’re starting to feel burned out, take a look at how you’re doing in each of these areas. Consider how you might avoid or improve the things that are draining your energy.
An unsustainable workload
For a lot of people, workload is a major burnout factor. In a competitive work culture where being busy might suggest having a strong work ethic and being a team player, it’s easy to take on too much. Often, we don’t say no to tasks until our to-do list is already longer than we can handle.
Working remote presents unique challenges
In theory, the move to remote work that started during the pandemic should have helped reduce burnout. After all, the time saved not having to commute to work is time we get back in our life. But for many people, remote work actually increases the problem of burnout. Here’s why:
- Too much digital communication can waste time and lead to constant interruptions. If you’re always dealing with phone and video conferences, a full email inbox, and a stream of instant messages, it can be difficult to focus and get work done.
- It can be hard to maintain work-life balance. When you work from home and there’s always more work to do, it’s tough to walk away from it at the end of your shift, shut down and recharge. Work becomes inescapable.
- You may feel added pressure to do more—faster—to prove that you’re not at home slacking.
You can relieve some of the strain of a heavy workload by practising basic time management skills and good self-care. Examples might be making sure to get enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Here are some other tips to consider:
- Recognize and respect your own limits. Work with your manager proactively to agree on priorities and realistic targets. Learn when and how to say no.
- Define boundaries to maintain work-life balance. Make sure that your workday has clear start and end times. If you work from home, try to set up a workspace that’s separate from where you spend your downtime.
- Take breaks. Have lunch away from your desk. Fit in microbreaks of 5 or 10 minutes throughout your workday. Stretch, walk, have a snack, or do a short meditation.
- Try to deal with email in blocks. Switching tasks every time a notification pops up makes focus impossible and is a huge drain on productivity.
Toxic workplace
Burnout can happen even in a positive work environment—but a toxic workplace makes it all the more likely. A toxic workplace is one in which:
- Demands are unreasonable and work-life balance is not respected.
- Conflict is common and unresolved.
- Roles, goals, and expectations are not clearly defined or communicated.
- Employees are not treated equitably in terms of assignments, pay, or recognition.
- People are bullied or harassed.
If you realize that you are in a toxic work environment, you may be able to deal with the situation by addressing a particular conflict or people problem.
But if the problems are too many or too serious, it may be time to start thinking about a new place of employment, a bridge job or other options.
Lack of autonomy
One of the main factors that predicts happiness on the job is how much influence you have over decisions that affect you or how you do your work.
If you’re burning out because you feel powerless or trapped, are there ways in which you could regain a sense of control?
Many workplaces have made big changes since the pandemic, offering more flexibility in hours and ways of working. For example, if you think a remote work arrangement would be a better fit for you, think about how you could make it work with your current employer or find remote work elsewhere.
And if you really want to take charge, consider whether self-employment or entrepreneurship might be for you.
Misalignment of values
It’s important to feel like the work you do matters and fits with your beliefs, preferences, and world view.
When your work does not match your true values or identity, you can experience something called misalignment burnout. The mismatch might take the form of feeling that your job is too competitive, too monotonous, too profit-oriented, or focused on achievements that don’t seem important to you.
If this seems to be the problem, it may be time to take another look at your values, preferences, and ideal working conditions. From there, you can explore whether you might be able to adjust your current situation to match your needs, or whether it’s time for a change.
Feelings of isolation
Social connection is important in all areas of our lives. During the pandemic, feeling isolated from colleagues was something that many remote workers found difficult. But this disconnect can happen in a traditional or hybrid workplace as well.
The solution will depend on your situation, but here are some possibilities:
- If you just don’t know enough of your co-workers, take steps to make some friends at work.
- If the problem is tied to remote work, brush up on your remote communication skills, try to shift to a hybrid work situation (a mix of remote and on-site work), or make an effort to attend in-person social or networking events.
- If your work tends to be solitary by nature, ask to be assigned to a project or committee that allows you to work together with another person or a team.
When to seek help
Finally, if burnout crosses the line into depression or another mental health disorder, you might want to start by talking to your employer. Additional help is available. Don’t hesitate to reach out.