Burnout: How to Recognize It and Build Resilience for a Healthier Work Life

Burnout has become a significant and widespread issue in today’s work environment, affecting people across all professions and industries. According to research shared by Dr. Christina Maslach , a leading expert on burnout, nearly three out of four employees report feeling burned out at some point in their careers, with many experiencing symptoms regularly. Maslach’s research identifies burnout as a critical health crisis, with serious implications for both individuals and organizations.

Burnout is more than just feeling stressed; it's a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that results from prolonged stress and can lead to severe health issues like anxiety, depression, and even heart disease. It is also a productivity killer, costing organizations billions in lost revenue, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover rates.

The good news? Burnout is both recognizable and preventable. By understanding its signs and implementing targeted strategies to build resilience, we can safeguard our well-being and maintain a healthier, more sustainable work life.

Recognizing Burnout: The Hidden Costs of High Performance

During a parenting class, I experienced an exercise that was a real turning point for me. The exercise involved holding a number of balls in your hands, each representing a different responsibility or task. The goal was to realize that you cannot possibly hold all the balls at once—inevitably, they start falling to the ground because there are always more tasks than time. This visual manifestation taught me an invaluable lesson: letting some balls drop is okay. My friend, Libby Pier , extended the analogy for me by adding that you must decide which balls are glass and must be held tightly and which are plastic and can afford to be dropped. Understanding this distinction helps in prioritizing tasks, managing stress, and preventing burnout.

Conversely, as my friend Abi Harmon recently pointed out in her post , burnout is not necessarily caused by working long hours. Instead, it often stems from working on goals or within structures that you don't believe in or for people you may not actually like or respect. As Abi wisely notes, "You control your well-being and where your time is allocated. Are you prioritizing your own joy in the immense effort you're putting into the grind? Your limit is self-imposed, your value infinite." This perspective aligns with the idea that we must ensure our work resonates with our values and brings us fulfillment. By doing so, we can reduce the risk of burnout and maintain our motivation and energy levels over the long term.

By embracing these ideas, we empower ourselves to focus on what truly matters and allow ourselves the freedom to step back when needed --and, more importantly, that it's going to be okay when it happens.

Burnout often creeps up slowly, making it hard to notice until it's already taken a significant toll. Here are some of the key signs:

1. Chronic Exhaustion: Feeling tired all the time, even after a full night's sleep.
2. Increased Cynicism: Developing a negative or indifferent attitude towards work or colleagues.
3. Reduced Professional Efficacy: Struggling to complete tasks, feeling unproductive or ineffective.
4. Physical Symptoms: Headaches, muscle tension, or digestive issues without a clear medical cause.
5. Emotional Detachment: Feeling disconnected from work, colleagues, or even personal relationships.

The good news is that burnout is preventable and manageable. Research has shown that specific habits and behaviors can significantly reduce the risk of burnout and enhance resilience.

Building Resilience: A Key to Combating Burnout

Psychological resilience is the ability to recover, adapt, and grow following adversity. Resilient people push the boundaries of their skills and abilities, testing new ideas while knowing they can overcome setbacks and learn from failures. This mindset not only builds psychological strength but also prepares them to handle future challenges more effectively.

People who build resilience are more confident in exploring new ideas without fear of failure and recover stronger when things don't go as planned. This makes them more likely to drive innovation and creativity in their organizations. Research shows that resilient individuals adjust and cope better in adverse or stressful situations than those with lower resilience reserves, who may struggle to handle challenging experiences. Building resilience can, therefore, directly reduce stress and burnout, making it a critical focus for anyone looking to maintain peak performance.

8 Habits of Highly Resilient People (i.e., Proven Strategies to Combat Burnout)

Drawing from years of research and thousands of interviews, particularly in high-stress fields like medicine, experts like Dr. Christina Maslach have identified eight habits that can help you build resilience and manage burnout effectively:

1. Reflect on Best and Worst Practices: Highly resilient individuals take time to evaluate their methods. They understand what works for them and what doesn’t, continually refining their approach to work and life.
2. Make Peace with Imperfection: Accept that not everything will be completed perfectly or on time. Resilient people know how to prioritize tasks and make peace with the reality of not getting everything done.
3. Establish Transition Rituals: Having a ritual to transition from work mode to personal time helps separate professional responsibilities from personal well-being. This could be as simple as a walk, a workout, or a meditation session at the end of the workday.
4. Set Clear Boundaries: Resilient people develop a strategy to maintain work-life balance, whether it’s temporal boundaries (specific work hours), locational boundaries (working only in certain places), or digital boundaries (limiting access to emails and work calls after hours).
5. Cultivate an Opposite World: Engaging in activities that are completely unrelated to work is crucial for recharging. Whether it’s a hobby, exercise, spending time with loved ones, or any other passion, having something outside of work helps restore energy and perspective.
6. Implement a Phone Strategy: Keep your phone or work devices out of sight, out of mind, and out of reach during personal time. This reduces the temptation to check emails or messages, which can prolong the stress cycle.
7. Keep Work in Perspective: Approach work with a balanced mindset. Think of your relationship with your job as "dating" rather than "marriage." This mindset helps maintain a healthy distance and prevents work from becoming an all-consuming aspect of life.
8. Know Thyself: Understand your personal limits, preferences, and energy levels. Create boundaries that align with your needs, and be proactive in managing them. Commit to what works best for you and stick to it, whether it involves a strict separation between work and personal life or a more blended approach.

Innovative Approaches to Burnout Prevention: Learning to Do Less

Interestingly, one of the most effective strategies to combat burnout involves doing less, not more. As explored in the Hidden Brain podcast episode "Do Less" , we often overlook the power of subtraction in our quest for innovation and productivity. The episode highlights several examples where simplifying tasks, minimizing distractions, and focusing on high-impact activities led to greater success and satisfaction.

For instance, removing non-essential tasks from your to-do list or streamlining processes can lead to more meaningful work and reduce the risk of burnout. It’s about prioritizing quality over quantity and recognizing that adding more to your plate isn’t always the best approach.

This concept aligns closely with my own philosophy as a Chief of Staff. In my Chief of Staff manifesto , I emphasize that my number one goal is to help teams achieve more by doing less. By identifying and removing redundant processes, cutting through unnecessary complexity, and focusing on the core activities that drive impact, we can build a more sustainable and effective work environment. This approach not only prevents burnout but also fosters a culture of clarity, purpose, and high performance.

By embracing the idea of "doing less," we can encourage more innovative thinking and a healthier, more resilient way of working.

Practical Steps to Build Resilience in Your Organization

1. Promote Open Dialogue: Encourage discussions about burnout and mental health in your organization. Reducing the stigma associated with burnout can help employees feel more comfortable seeking support.
2. Encourage Breaks and Downtime: Build a culture that values rest and recovery. Encourage regular breaks, vacations, and downtime to recharge.
3. Set Clear Expectations: Define clear goals and expectations to avoid overloading your team with ambiguous or excessive tasks. This clarity helps everyone focus on what truly matters.
4. Foster a Culture of Flexibility: Give employees the autonomy to set their boundaries, manage their workloads, and find their most productive ways of working.
5. Invest in Resilience Training: Provide training and resources that help employees develop resilience skills, such as stress management, mindfulness, and time management.

Conclusion: A Call to Action for Resilient Workplaces

Burnout is not just an individual issue; it's an organizational challenge. By recognizing the signs early and adopting proven strategies to prevent it, we can foster healthier, more resilient workplaces. Whether you’re an individual seeking to protect your well-being or a leader looking to support your team, these insights can serve as a valuable guide.

Let’s commit to doing less, setting boundaries, and prioritizing what truly matters to build a more resilient, engaged, and productive work environment.