Burnout isn’t tied to workload.
It’s about emotional misalignment in your work environment, including:
- Unpleasant relationships: Working with the wrong people.
- Lack of purpose: Pursuing goals that don’t resonate with you.
- No control: Operating in systems where you feel powerless.
Let's take a closer look at these three primary causes of burnout:
1) Working with people you don’t like
A lack of positive relationships with colleagues or superiors can drain motivation and make work feel emotionally taxing.
2) Goals you don’t believe in
If you don’t find purpose or value in the objectives you’re working toward, it can lead to feelings of disconnection and futility.
3) Systems that grant you no agency
Being in an environment where you have little control or autonomy over your work can make you feel powerless, leading to frustration and exhaustion.
In essence, burnout stems from a lack of alignment between your values, relationships, and sense of control, rather than just overworking.
Shift your perspective to fully consider the deeper emotional and psychological context of work.
If you can't change environments, here are two things you can do to improve your situation today:
1. Create Boundaries That Protect Your Energy
Burnout often comes from blurred lines between your priorities and everyone else’s demands. High performers tend to say “yes” too often.
A sustainable solution is to clarify your non-negotiables: when you’re available, when you’re offline, and what tasks you’re willing to take on. Communicate these boundaries with clarity, and reinforce them by removing “energy leaks” (like constant notifications or unnecessary meetings).
2. Rebuild Meaning Through Connection and Purpose
One of burnout’s deepest roots is not just overwork, but disconnection from your values, your team, or the bigger “why” behind the work.
To counteract this, reconnect with purpose: revisit what parts of your work energize you, delegate or drop what doesn’t, and seek out collaboration instead of isolation. Even small acts of recognition, gratitude, or peer support can help reframe your environment from draining to meaningful.
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Thanks to Adam Chalmers (via X) for the image.
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