By Sabina Micucci, BA (in progress), Admin Intern
We all experience stress. A busy week, a demanding job, or a long list of responsibilities can leave us feeling tired and overwhelmed. But when that stress becomes ongoing and there is little opportunity to recover, it can begin to affect how we feel, think, and function.
This is where burnout can become a concern.
According to Mental Health Research Canada, 39% of Canadian employees reported feeling burnt out in 2025, up from 35% in 2023. While burnout can affect anyone, recognizing the signs can make it easier to take steps toward recovery.
What is Burnout?
The World Health Organization defines burnout as a phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It involves three key experiences:
- Exhaustion: Feeling drained or depleted of energy.
- Detachment: Becoming increasingly negative or disconnected from your work.
- Reduced effectiveness: Feeling less capable or effective in your role.
Why Does Burnout Happen?
Burnout can develop when the demands of work become difficult to manage over time, particularly when people lack the resources or support they need. Research has identified several workplace factors that can contribute to burnout, including:
- Heavy or unreasonable workloads
- Limited control over your work or schedule
- Unclear expectations
- Lack of support
- Difficult workplace relationships
- Poor work-life balance
- A mismatch between your values and your work
- Insufficient recognition or reward
Understanding these factors is important because burnout is not necessarily a sign that someone is unable to handle stress. It can be a signal that the demands being placed on them have become unsustainable.
What Can Help?
There is no single solution to burnout. What helps will depend on what is contributing to your stress and how long you have been experiencing it.
You might start by:
- Identifying your stressors: What is taking the most energy from you?
- Setting boundaries: Where could you create clearer limits around your time and energy?
- Making space for recovery: Rest is part of maintaining well-being, not something you need to earn after everything else is finished.
- Seeking support: Talk with trusted people rather than trying to manage everything alone.
- Looking at what can change: Consider whether your workload, schedule, or other circumstances can be adjusted.
When Should You Seek Support?
You don’t have to wait until you reach a breaking point before asking for help.
Consider speaking with a mental health professional if:
- Stress is interfering with your work, relationships, or daily life
- You feel exhausted even when you have time to rest
- You have become increasingly disconnected or overwhelmed
- You are struggling to cope with responsibilities that once felt manageable
- Your mood, sleep, or ability to enjoy everyday activities has changed
- You have tried making changes on your own but continue to feel stuck
Therapy can offer a space to step back and understand what is contributing to your stress. Together with a mental health professional, you can explore coping strategies, boundaries, expectations, relationships, and other patterns that may be affecting your well-being.
Recognizing that something isn’t working is not a failure. It can be the first step toward creating a healthier and more sustainable way of moving forward.
Sources and Further Reading
Bianchi, R., & Schonfeld, I. S. (2023). Examining the evidence base for burnout. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 101(11), 743–748. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.23.289996
Secretariat, T. B. of C. (2026, July 20). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/government/publicservice/wellness-inclusion-diversity-public-service/health-wellness-public-servants/mental-health-workplace/preventing-burnout.html
Nagarajan, R., Ramachandran, P., Dilipkumar, R., & Kaur, P. (2024). Global estimate of burnout among the public health workforce: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Human Resources for Health, 22, Article 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00917-w
Nápoles, J. (2022). Burnout: A review of the literature. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 40(2), 48–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/87551233211037669
Araújo, D., Bártolo, A., Fernandes, C., Pereira, A., & Monteiro, S. (2026). Effectiveness of organizational interventions to reduce burnout in the workplace: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(5), Article 556. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23050556
