The 4 Types of ADHD Explained
September 27, 2024
What is a Narcissist?
January 10, 2025
Quick Summary
- The World Health Organization defines workplace burnout as a syndrome caused by chronic work stress, not a medical condition. Its signs are exhaustion, feeling detached or negative about your job, and doing your job less effectively.
- According to the American Psychological Association’s 2022 report, over 40% of workers report burnout, up 38% from the year before, and Harvard Business Review found more than half of managers were affected by May 2023. Nurses, doctors, teachers, lawyers, caregivers, parents and students are among those most at risk.
- Emotional signs of burnout include sadness, irritability, pulling away from others, low motivation, and trouble focusing or making decisions. Physical signs include poor or excessive sleep, low energy, appetite changes, unexplained headaches and aches, and a lower sex drive.
- Recovery starts with figuring out what’s draining you, like too much work or too little downtime, then making changes through rest, yoga, counselling or doing things you enjoy. If you’re relying more and more on alcohol, cannabis, gaming or screens to cope, it’s time to get professional help.
Is workplace burnout a medical condition?
According to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Disease, workplace burnout is a syndrome that results from overwhelming stressors, but it is not classified as a medical condition.
You could be experiencing burnout if you have been struggling with:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- Increasing mental distancing from one's job (ex: avoidance, escape, and numbing)
- Feelings of negativism or cynicism relating to one's job (ex: negative outlook, dread, and grief about your job)
- Reduced professional efficacy
"I'm so tired of constantly feeling like I'm falling behind." Am I the only one?
No, you’re not alone. Workplace burnout is becoming increasingly prevalent each year globally, with over 40% of workers reporting burnout and the American Psychological Association’s 2022 Trends Report indicating a 38% increase from the previous year. Harvard Business Review reported in May 2023 that more than 50% of managers are experiencing workplace burnout.
Burnout syndrome impacts up to 60% of the workforce; however, some occupations are more vulnerable to the effects of burnout, such as high-stress jobs (ex: managers, physicians, nurses, executives, lawyers). The seasonality of your industry, workplace, and occupation can also influence your susceptibility to workplace burnout during winter, such as jobs that are impacted by calendar-year ends or busy season around the holidays, where there is an increase in workload volume.
I’d like to invite you to book a free virtual consultation with me if you have questions about workplace burnout and the paths to recovery.
Common Careers With High Burnout Rate
Some of the most common occupations that have frequent work burnout include nurses, caregivers, physicians, educators, corporate jobs, parents, and students.
How to Deal With Burnout
Dealing with burnout can feel overwhelming, but taking small steps can make a big difference. Start by figuring out what’s draining you—maybe it’s too much work or not enough downtime—and make changes where you can. Overcoming burnout is about finding balance, whether that’s through relaxing with yoga, talking things out with a counselor, or just making time for stuff you love. It’s not about fixing everything overnight, but about building a lifestyle that feels healthier and more manageable.
Book a FREE 15 minute call
We are standing by waiting to help you breakthrough and become healthier and happier.
Psychological symptoms can include
- feeling sad, tearful, or down
- feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty
- feeling agitation, irritability, or social withdrawal
- losing enjoyment, interest, or motivation in life
- trouble thinking clearly (indecisiveness)
- having trouble with concentration (fidgety or restlessness)
- having thoughts of not wanting to live
Physical symptoms can include
- trouble with sleeping too much or disturbed sleep
- low energy and feeling sluggish
- appetite changes (decreased appetite or overeating)
- unexplained aches and pains (headaches)
- lowered sex drive (loss of libido)
When should I seek professional help for workplace Burnout ?
- Increasing use of unhealthy methods of coping with stress. For example, the over-reliance on escapism, distraction or self-soothing through the excessive use of social media, TV, gaming, shopping, and substances (such as caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, etc.).
- Worsening or prolonged symptoms
- Noticeable impairment towards your functioning in major life areas (ex: employment, education, family or life responsibilities, and relationships)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is burnout the same thing as depression?
No. The World Health Organization ties burnout specifically to workplace stressors and classifies it as a syndrome rather than a medical condition, while depression is a diagnosable condition that is not limited to work. The symptoms overlap heavily, though, including low mood, loss of interest, poor concentration, and disturbed sleep, so a counsellor or physician is the right person to sort out which is which.
How do I know if this is burnout and not just a rough few weeks at work?
Persistence and pattern are the difference. Burnout has four recognized features: exhaustion, mental distancing from your job, cynicism or dread about it, and a drop in professional effectiveness. A hard stretch that resolves once the deadline passes is not the same as symptoms that keep worsening or stretch on for months and begin affecting your functioning at home.
Does burnout only happen to people in high-pressure careers?
No. Managers, physicians, nurses, executives, and lawyers are heavily represented because of sustained stress levels, but caregivers, educators, parents, and students turn up just as often. Any role with continuous demands and little recovery time can produce it, paid or unpaid. Being outside a traditional workplace offers no protection.
Why does my burnout get worse at the same time every year?
Seasonality in your industry is often the driver. Jobs tied to calendar-year ends or a holiday rush see workload volume spike in the same months annually, which concentrates the stress that produces burnout. Recognizing that pattern is useful, because it lets you plan recovery time and boundaries before the busy stretch arrives rather than after it.
Can I recover from burnout without quitting my job?
Often, yes. The starting point is identifying what specifically drains you, since the fix for an unmanageable workload differs from the fix for never switching off. From there, change what is within your control, protect downtime, and add things that restore you, such as movement, yoga, or counselling. Progress tends to be gradual rather than immediate.
