Meaningless Work Causes Burnout

Burnout occurs when a person gets emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion due to prolonged stress. Stress occurs when a person is in an undesirable situation.

Burnout occurs because people are in undesirable situations for too long. Burnout is not about prolonged working hard.

For example, some people found work from home (WFH) stressful, while others were a blessing. Those who found WFH stressful confronted undesirable situations at home. And so, prolonged WFH may cause burnout.

Yet, those who found WFM a blessing was given a break from undesirable situations in the office. And so, prolonged office work may cause burnout.

A desirable situation is when people are living their values and achieving their goals. Thus, burnout occurs when people do not attain their goals or are living against their values.

For example, an environmentalist working in the oil & gas industry or an anti-consumerist working in advertising may burnout because they are not living their values.

Reduce or eliminate time and energy on tasks that take you away from your goals. Prevent burnout by engaging only in work that gives you meaning and helps to achieve your goals.