Burnout to Breakthrough

INTRODUCTION

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!

It’s official. The World Health Organization (WHO) now places burnout in its International Classification of Diseases diagnostic manual. It’s no longer just a stress syndrome but rather “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or mental exhaustion

• Increased mental distance from one’s job or negative feelings toward one’s career

• Reduced professional productivity

Let me phrase these dimensions in more common terms. Consider these questions:

• Does the job that turned you on now seem to turn you off?

• Are you working more but enjoying it less?

• Have you lost who you ...