3 roads to burnout (and how to get off them)

In this blog, we explore three primary pathways to burnout: perfectionism, lack of autonomy, and people-pleasing, plus strategies for recognition and recovery, with help from health and community psychologist, Marny Lishman.

What is burnout?

The World Health Organisation defines burnout to be a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that can occur after a long period of excessive or stressful work. Its definition was updated in 2019 from a stress-syndrome to a “syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.²

Though it's most often caused by work, burnout can also be caused by other areas of life, such as parenting, being a long-term carer, or romantic relationships³.

Burned-out people can experience:

• Emotional exhaustion
• Negativity
• Irritability
• Reduced efficiency
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Physical pain - such as an upset stomach

3 roads to burnout

1. Perfectionism

   Close enough is good enough. It’s the saying hated by perfectionists around the world. But, as it turns out, it may just be the secret to avoiding burnout.

   In a study by UK researchers who completed a meta-analysis exploring how different aspects of perfectionism relate to burnout across various domains like work, sports, and education, it was found that perfectionistic concerns are strongly associated with higher levels of burnout symptoms⁴.

   After reviewing 43 studies involving nearly 10,000 participants, researchers compiled the following commonly shared perfectionistic concerns:

   • Worry about making mistakes
   • Fear of negative evaluation from others
   • Perceived discrepancies between expectations and performance
   • Negative reactions to imperfections

   While the same study found perfectionist strivings like setting very high personal performance standards tend to be harmless, if you expect to be perfect and beat yourself up for not achieving your goals, you can quickly add a layer of stress and prime yourself to experience burnout⁴. 

2. Lack of autonomy & boredom

   If I’m bored at my job, I can’t possibly be a candidate for burnout, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. While it’s a common misconception that those in high-stress positions or with large amounts of responsibility are at risk of burnout, research suggests that beyond this ‘frenetic’ type of burnout candidate, two other types may exist:⁵

   • 'Under-challenged' types who are bored, indifferent, and find no personal growth in their jobs
   • 'Worn-out' types who feel they have no control over their work and that their efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated

   If you don’t experience stimulation, satisfaction, creativity, or purpose in your work, you may be just as at risk of burnout as an overworked exec.

   In simple terms, if you’re spending a large part of every week doing something you don’t want to be doing and don’t enjoy, it’s likely to start having effects on your mental health.

3. People pleasing & lack of boundaries

   It’s natural to want to help the people you care for and make them happy. But when you start sacrificing your own needs, compromising your values, and making your happiness dependent on how much others like or appreciate you, you can run into problems.

   Health and community psychologist, Marny Lishman, says people pleasing is often developed during childhood years and can keep you operating out of alignment throughout adulthood if you’re not aware of it.

   “Often people who are constantly saying yes to others to avoid conflict can end up with empathy or compassion fatigue, meaning they are so burned out from caring for others over themselves that they don’t care anymore.”

   When you say yes to others all the time, you’re often saying no to yourself. The burden of other people’s needs and approval is a heavy load to carry, and can put you on a path to burnout.

Getting off the road to burnout

If you’re burned out or noticing some of the signs that you might be heading in that direction, there are things you can do to turn it around.

While making time for self-care, doing regular exercise, and eating nutritious food all are common recommendations for managing stress – these things can also feel like more tasks to cram into an already overpacked schedule. Marny advises you ask yourself if there are any boundaries you can put in place to protect yourself.

“Look at moving from managing your time to managing your energy – making time to reset, recharge, relax and rejuvenate going forward. Think about what gives you back the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy that you use during the day.”

Marny recommends going through the following steps:

1. Recognise what parts of your life are causing or exacerbating your burnout: Is it primarily internal (e.g., self-criticism, perfectionism, or people-pleasing) or external (e.g., a job you dislike or a toxic work environment)? There’s a good chance there are some elements from both involved.
2. Understand what makes you feel better: Going for a run and eating salad have questionable value if you hate running and eating salad. If adding new items to your ‘must-do’ list feels overwhelming, check if it’s possible to adjust or improve some of the things you’re already doing, in ways that feel achievable.
3. Use the time you have: If you go for a daily walk, could you invite a supportive friend to walk with you? If you ride the bus to work, could you use this time to listen to a guided meditation instead of ruminating on current problems?

“Often the hardest moments in our life are catalysts for personal transformation – burnout is a sign to start doing life differently and redirect your personal and professional life to one more aligned with health and happiness,” Marny concludes.

When to seek support

If your burnout is primarily caused by external factors, it might be time for an honest evaluation of whether some big life changes are needed. If you feel stuck or powerless to change those external factors, or if your burnout seems to be primarily internally driven, you may benefit from speaking to a mental health professional like a psychologist who can provide you with perspective and support.

Likewise, if you’re having trouble sleeping, experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, or self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, speak to your GP about your options and the support services available.