When the Going Gets Tough: Identifying and Overcoming Burnout as a Sign it May be Time for a New Job Opportunity

Listen to this article:

Abstract: Burnout is a significant issue facing professionals in a wide range of industries, yet it often goes unnoticed until the negative impacts emerge. This article explores the key dimensions of burnout as distinguished from temporary job stress, including emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. A review of common signs and objective assessment strategies helps practitioners recognize when stress has crossed over into burnout. Once identified, the research outlines actions individuals can take to address burnout through setting boundaries, managing workload demands, seeking formal or informal leave, and considering career changes if triggers cannot be resolved. Case studies demonstrate how identifying burnout prompted two professionals to pursue new roles better aligning their needs and skills. Overall, the article aims to raise awareness of burnout and promote its identification as an important indicator that a fresh job opportunity may be needed to restore well-being, passion, and optimal career functioning over the long term.

As veteran professionals and organizational leaders, we have all experienced challenging times in our careers that push us to our limits. Managing demanding workloads, difficult clients or colleagues, unexpected projects or obstacles - the nature of our work often requires an ability to navigate high-pressure situations and stressful periods. However, for some the stress levels become unmanageable, motivation declines and feelings of being drained or disconnected creep in. When these experiences go from temporary challenges to a constant state, it may be an indication that the role has crossed over into burnout territory.

As consultants and academics who have spent our careers studying human behavior in organizations, we understand the toll that unrelenting job demands can take both physically and mentally. Burnout arises when the job requirements consistently outweigh an individual's ability to cope and regain equilibrium (Maslach, Schaufeli & Leiter, 2001). While occasional pressure is inevitable and manageable for healthy professionals, chronic exhaustion signals that a change may be needed to reclaim our passion and purpose.

In this article, we will explore the key indicators that differentiate temporary stress from burnout. We will outline practical strategies for assessing one's own situation and addressing burnout if present.

Understanding Burnout

Before examining solutions, it is important to have a firm understanding of what exactly constitutes job burnout. Burnout develops gradually over time and reflects a response to chronic work stressors rather than a single event. Researchers agree there are three key dimensions of burnout (Maslach, Jackson & Leiter, 1996):

Emotional Exhaustion: Feelings of being emotionally overextended and depleted of one's emotional resources. Showing up to work feeling drained is a red flag.
Cynicism: A negative, indifferent or excessively detached response to one's job, colleagues and clients. This often presents as lack of motivation.
Inefficacy: Feelings of lack competence and achievement regarding one's work. An inability to perform as productively as one desires is concerning.

While stress is a normal reaction to demands, true burnout incorporates a diminished sense of accomplishment and disconnection from the work itself (Ganster & Rosen, 2013). It reflects a breakdown in the relationship between the individual and their occupation (Schaufeli, Leiter & Maslach, 2009).

Some common signs and symptoms of burnout include:

Physical and emotional exhaustion
Increased absenteeism, sick days
Irritability or negativity towards colleagues
Difficulty concentrating or focus issues
Changes in appetite/weight gain or loss
Sleep issues or insomnia
Withdrawal from responsibilities
Substance use increase or dependence issues
Cynicism or detachment from the job

If several of these signs ring true on a frequent basis, it is prudent to take a closer look at potential burnout and consider next steps. But how does one determine if a situation has truly crossed into burnout territory versus typical work stress? Several assessment strategies can provide greater clarity.

Assessing for Burnout

Objective Self-Assessment

The gold standard for measuring burnout is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1986) which assesses the three core dimensions of emotional exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy. While the full survey requires payment for use, free versions exist online that mimic the questionnaire structure and scoring methodology. Taking an anonymous assessment can bring much-needed objectivity to evaluate one's situation.

Seeking Input from Others

Getting feedback from family, friends or colleagues who know you well can also provide an outside perspective. Ask if they have noticed any shifts in your demeanor, behavior or coping abilities at work lately. Be prepared for possibly unsettling insights as others may pick up on subtle changes we fail to recognize ourselves due to close proximity. Validation of concerns from reliable sources indicates deeper assessment is warranted.

Tracking Work/Life Impact Over Time

Review calendars, journals or notes from the past 6-12 months to spot patterns of increased workload, missed breaks or social/self-care activities. Graph physical/mental health indicators or quality of life ratings by month to visualize fluctuations. Correlations between external stressors/internal wellbeing over time can expose problem areas and normalization of concerning behaviors.

Comparing to Coworkers

Have informal discussions with peers in similar roles about their typical workload capacity, stress levels and self-care routines. Significant differences that leave you disproportionately drained or struggling to recharge warrant concern and setting appropriate boundaries. Isolation often intensifies burnout, so a supportive colleague network provides necessary perspective.

If a self-assessment highlights several symptoms of emotional exhaustion, cynicism and reduced competence over an extended period that aligns with independent validation from others and recorded trends, true job burnout is a reasonable conclusion that demands addressing. In these instances, making changes becomes crucial for recovery and long term career fulfillment.

Taking Action Against Burnout

Once burnout is identified, the path forward requires dedication and diligence but recovery is very possible with the right approach. Some effective strategies for action include:

Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Self-Care

Create a realistic work/life balance through limited work hours, use of paid leave and firm separation between work/personal time.
Schedule breaks, vacation days and time with family/friends non-negotiable.
Develop stress management routines like exercise, meditation, hobbies.
Consider professional counseling for additional emotional processing.

Addressing Workplace Factors

Have candid discussions with management about workload concerns and brainstorm possible solutions.
Establish clear expectations regarding emergency response expectations.
Request additional training or resources to improve efficacy.
Consider job transfer, role changes or reduction in responsibilities if feasible.

Taking Short-Term Leave if Needed

Discuss FMLA, unpaid leave, sabbatical or disability options with HR for needed temporary detachment from daily stressors.
Disengage fully from work demands to rest and reset focus during hiatus.

Preparing for New Opportunities

If burnout culminates from chronic, unresolvable triggers, evaluate if it’s time for career change by identifying transferrable skills and exploring alternatives.
Build professional network, refine resume/CV and testing market value through informational interviews.

With consistent effort over months, these strategies can facilitate burnout recovery through addressing both external work factors and internal coping abilities. However, for some the role demands prove irreconcilable long term. In these instances, identifying burnout serves as an important sign that new professional opportunities may be the healthiest next step.

Burnout as a Sign of Needed Change: Industry Case Studies

As informed advisors, we understand change can induce anxieties but also create space for personal and career growth. Let’s examine two case studies where colleagues identified burnout as prompting career transitions to more fulfilling roles:

Non-Profit Director

Sara led a small social services non-profit for 5 years. Challenging funding realities resulted in an ever-growing workload while staffing levels remained stagnant. Tracking symptoms revealed severe emotional exhaustion and doubts in her ability to sustain mission-critical work. Taking leave, Sara realized core triggers were unlikely to change. She left to focus on self-care, then pivoted to corporate social responsibility work for better work-life balance and resources to spark meaningful impact.

Academic Researcher

After a decade in academia, Tom’s passion for his research program waned as grant deadlines and large course loads wore him down. He began experiencing detachment from colleagues and health issues arose. Discussing with mentors, it surfaced that publishing demands were disconnected from his interests in applied solutions work. He transitioned to a policy role where stakeholder engagement reinvigorated his work. While a challenging change, it reduced burnout and allowed him to advocate research in new impactful ways.

In both cases, recognizing burnout served as a clear message that while the individuals were dedicated, the roles no longer provided sustainable alignment. An honest assessment of needs, skills and fuel for work led to career transitions that better balanced personal wellbeing with professional drive. Sometimes leaning into burnout as an impetus for considered change results in new doors of opportunity.

Conclusion

Chronic job burnout reflects a dysregulated relationship between an individual and their occupation that can no longer be ignored. While short term stress is inevitable, true burnout incorporates a crisis in motivation, connection and self-efficacy that demands attention. Through open assessment of personal signs and seeking input from others, practitioners can gain clarity on whether a situation reflects temporary strain or a more systemic issue. When burnout is identified, action is required through setting realistic boundaries, addressing workplace triggers if feasible, considering temporary leave and planning for career evolution if key stressors won’t dissipate. Identifying burnout serves as an important indicator it may be time to actively seek new work arrangements or paths that are a better professional fit for one’s long term career fulfillment and wellbeing. With dedication to self-care and career exploration, burnout need not define us but can instead spark positive transitions.

References

Ganster, D. C., & Rosen, C. C. (2013). Work stress and employee health: A multidisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 39(5), 1085–1122.
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1986). Maslach Burnout Inventory: Second edition. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (1996). Maslach burnout inventory manual (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422.
Schaufeli, W. B., Leiter, M. P., & Maslach, C. (2009). Burnout: 35 years of research and practice. Career Development International, 14(3), 204–220.

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Associate Dean and Director of HR Programs (WGU); Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD/HR/Leadership Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.

Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2025). When the Going Gets Tough: Identifying and Overcoming Burnout as a Sign it May be Time for a New Job Opportunity. Human Capital Leadership Review, 28(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.28.2.5