What to do about burnout at work

Key Points:

• Jonathan Malesic experienced severe burnout as a college professor, characterized by chronic exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of ineffectiveness, which led him to leave academia and write a book on the subject.
• Burnout manifests differently across generations, with older generations experiencing more physical burnout, Gen X facing mental burnout, and millennials and Gen Z dealing with emotional and existential burnout linked to work identity.
• Gen Z is redefining work boundaries, rejecting traditional loyalty to companies after witnessing economic hardships faced by previous generations, challenging the notion that younger workers are lazy or entitled.
• Preventing burnout starts early in the hiring process by recognizing red flags like companies describing themselves as "family," and establishing clear communication about work styles and needs with managers.
• Practical burnout management includes energy audits to track and optimize daily energy, taking breaks during work, and avoiding overextension by setting realistic workloads and seeking support rather than pushing through exhaustion alone.