Are you at Risk of Burnout?
What is your Burnout Risk?
Burnout rates here in Australia are on the rise: “An alarming 61% of Australian workers reported experiencing burnout, compared to the global average of 48%” (Mental Health First Aid, 2022).
But what actually is Burnout?
Firstly, burnout is not the same as feeling stressed or tired. It’s that, but so much more.
Burnout is when you are chronically feeling utterly exhausted, overwhelmed, dreading work, just can’t get yourself to focus, concentrate, and get your work done, possibly feeling hopeless, helpless, and anxious.
Yet despite its clinical symptoms, burnout is not considered a diagnosable medical condition in the DSM-V (our diagnostic classification system here in Australia and the USA)*.
In medical and psychological research burnout is usually assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). That’s a standardised psychometric measure which consists of three subscales assessing emotional exhaustion (EE; the feeling of being emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed by work), depersonalisation (DP; the loss of empathy and the emergence of cynicism in one’s care for others) and personal accomplishment (PA; feeling of competence in one’s work with people).
What does Burnout feel like?
Burnout can often be the consequence of chronic stress in a workplace that does not provide the resources or supports required for people to do their work, leaving them overwhelmed, anxious, and chronically stressed.
Clinically, people who experience burnout often describe a lack of motivation, dread going into work, and at the same time guilt if they feel that they cannot perform to a standard they consider acceptable.
Sleep tends to be affected; people often report that thoughts about work and their performance cause them ruminating and worrying. They might wake up early and never feeling fully rested, no matter how much they actually sleep.
Who is at risk of Burnout?
Those at the greatest risk of burnout are typically individuals who experience chronic stress, high demands, and insufficient support in their personal or professional lives. Key groups at risk include:
1. Caregivers (e.g., healthcare workers, teachers, social workers) who regularly prioritize the needs of others over themselves.
2. People pleasers who have difficulty setting boundaries and tend to overextend themselves.
3. Perfectionists with unrelenting standards who set excessively high expectations and are often dissatisfied with their performance.
4. High achievers in demanding jobs (e.g., corporate professionals, entrepreneurs) who face intense workloads, long hours, and constant pressure.
5. Individuals in toxic environments whether at work or home—where support is lacking, and stress is compounded by poor relationships or negative dynamics.
6. People with limited work-life balance who don’t have time to recharge or engage in self-care, OR who feel guilty for taking time out for themselves. This is often a learned behaviour, which can go back as far as childhood, when children might have been praised for ‘doing’ (rather than ‘being’), or where productivity and constantly ‘being on the go’ was modelled and glorified.
7. Neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD, autism, or other neurological differences, can be at a heightened risk of burnout due to several unique factors related to their neurodivergence. These factors often stem from the mismatch between their natural ways of thinking, processing, and functioning, and the demands of environments not designed with their needs in mind.
Ok, but why?
Self-sacrifice and unrelenting standards are key contributors to burnout because they create a relentless pressure to meet excessive demands—often at the expense of personal health and well-being. People who self-sacrifice regularly put others' needs before their own, which can lead to emotional depletion and neglect of their own mental, emotional, and physical needs.
Similarly, individuals with unrelenting standards set excessively high expectations for themselves and strive for perfection in everything they do. This constant drive to achieve can lead to feelings of inadequacy, even when they succeed, because their standards are often unrealistic or unattainable. Over time, both self-sacrifice and unrelenting standards drain energy reserves, leading to chronic stress, fatigue, and ultimately burnout. The combination of these behaviours creates an ongoing cycle of overwork, self-neglect, and diminishing returns, making it hard to recover and sustain a healthy balance.
People pleasers are at greater risk of burnout because they often prioritize the needs and expectations of others over their own well-being.
This tendency can lead them to take on more responsibilities than they can realistically handle, say "yes" to tasks they don’t want or have time for, and neglect self-care. Over time, this self-sacrificial behaviour can cause emotional and physical exhaustion, as people pleasers constantly strive to meet external demands without setting healthy boundaries. Additionally, the fear of disappointing others can create ongoing stress, contributing to a cycle of overwork and eventual burnout.
The combination of constant stress, self-neglect, and overwhelming demands without adequate recovery leads these individuals to experience physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, making them more susceptible to burnout.
Burnout amongst mental health professionals has become a global problem, with between 21-67% of mental health service providers reporting high levels (Morse, Salyers, Rollins, Monroe-DeVita, & Pfahler, 2012).
Researchers and psychologists here in Adelaide, South Australia, looked into burnout amongst psychologists. Now you might think that psychologists should have the knowledge and tools to recognise burnout symptoms before they become problematic. But the truth is that psychologists and others in the caring industry (nurses, doctors, veterinarians) are susceptible to burnout, too.
What if I am at risk of Burnout?
If you find yourself at risk of burnout, there are a number of things you can do to burnout proof yourself:
Firstly, awareness is key!
Recognising tendencies such as people pleasing, unrelenting standards, or perhaps feeling guilty when you take time out of the busyness of day-to-day life may indicate that it’s time to pull the brakes.
Maybe your body has been telling you that you need to slow down. Do you know your mind’s and body’s signs of chronic stress?
After I experienced my burnout, I thought “I do not want others to have to go through the same”. So, I put together a 4-module self-paced, interactive online program that outlines common misconceptions about stress, the nervous system, and the mind… and helps you develop your personalised burnout-proof plan!
Because when you understand why your body and mind work the way they do, you feel more empowered and in control – and can banish burnout in its tracks!
* In contrast, in Europe it is listed in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon, rather than a medical condition.
References
Morse G, Salyers MP, Rollins AL, Monroe-DeVita M, Pfahler C. Burnout in mental health services: a review of the problem and its remediation. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2012;39(5):341-352. doi:10.1007/s10488-011-0352-1
Nadon, L., De Beer, L. T., & Morin, A. J. S. (2022). Should Burnout Be Conceptualized as a Mental Disorder?. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 12(3), 82.
Simpson, S, Simoniato, G, Smout, M, van Vreeswijk, MF, Hayes, C, Sougleris, C & Reid, C 2019, 'Burnout amongst clinical and counselling psychologists: The role of early maladaptive schemas and coping modes as vulnerability factors', Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, vol. 26, no. 1, 15959771, pp. 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2328
Thielmann B, Pohl R, Böckelmann I. Overcommitment, Work-Related Behavior, and Cognitive and Emotional Irritation in Veterinarians: A Comparison of Different Veterinary Working Fields. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(15):1514. Published 2024 Jul 30. doi:10.3390/healthcare12151514