It’s no secret that managers and employees have been suffering from burnout for quite some time. It’s typically not any single cause, but usually the convergence of a number of elements that, when unaddressed or unmanaged over time, ultimately lead to burnout. It’s more than simply feeling tired or spent.

The World Health Organization characterizes burnout as comprising three key dimensions.  The specific drivers within each of these three aspects of burnout will be different for each person.

  1. Sustained feelings of exhaustion
  2. Feelings of personal inefficacy
  3. Increased mental distance from one’s job (typically involving feelings of negativity or cynicism)

Below are some reflective questions to ask yourself so that you can pinpoint your own primary drivers within each facet of burnout. While the answers to the questions below may be clear (either immediately or after some reflection), they likely don’t represent a quick fix, so consider them as a starting point. And depending on what these drivers are, you may or may not have control over some of them. Nonetheless, identifying them is a first essential step.

Sustained Feelings of Exhaustion. If you’re feeling a sense of depletion or fatigue from being overextended for a prolonged period of time, ask:

  • What one or two things have been most exhausting or stressful for me?
  • What has been stopping me from getting adequate rest or taking regular breaks?
  • What energizes me that has been missing from my work or my life?

Personal Inefficacy. If you’re perpetually lacking a sense of accomplishment, struggling to feel productive, or feeling like your work isn’t meaningful, ask:

  • Where do I feel the most ineffective?
  • What is most frustrating to me or getting in my way?
  • What is taking significantly more energy than it should?

Increased Mental Distance. If you find yourself disengaged and mentally withdrawn from your job, ask:

  • What is making me feel negative or cynical?
  • What did I previously enjoy about work that I no longer do?
  • When did this shift occur and what prompted it?

Ultimately, asking yourself all nine questions will help you to uncover core issues to diagnose what’s causing your burnout. It’s likely a combination of factors, requiring a number of changes over time to fully address it, and not something a one-off vacation can reverse right away. It’s one thing to not be burned out. It’s another thing to feel re-energized and re-engaged. Nonetheless, this exercise can inform steps you can take to address your burnout and possibly prevent it from happening again in the future.

 

References:
Harvard Business Review (2024, June 6) Rebecca Zucker: 9 Questions to Help You Figure Out Why You’re Burned Out