Stress vs. Burnout: How to tell the difference in the workplace
Mackenzie Waldron is a writer focused on ensuring workers have the information and resources they need to thrive. She explores topics that come up on Empower Work’s free, confidential text line and brings research-backed approaches to support you.
Feeling stressed out at work? Stress is a common issue in the workplace and in other areas of life—sometimes, it’s unavoidable. The question is, has your stress become so prolonged that it’s taken over your life? If that’s the case, you may actually be experiencing burnout.
Burnout is more than feeling stressed or tired at work. It happens when you’ve been stressed for a constant and prolonged period of time and might leave you feeling overworked, unappreciated, and overwhelmed.
Unfortunately, many people are facing burnout and stress at work. You may be wondering, how do I know if I’m stressed at work or burned out?
Here’s how to tell the difference.
Experiencing stress or burnout at work?
Get help with work issues from our trained peer counselors. Confidential and free.
What is work-related stress?
Work-related stress can be caused by demanding requests, an overload of work, daunting tasks, etc. Stress is your body’s immediate response to these challenges. If not managed, stress can affect your mental health and cause symptoms such as anxiety, lack of sleep, and other physical signs.
The good news is, workplace stress can be managed. It’s important to recognize when you’re stressed out at work so you can manage it before it leads to burnout. You can manage your stress by organizing your priorities, maintaining a work-life balance, practicing self-care, and reaching out for support.
What is burnout?
Burnout happens when you’ve been stressed for a prolonged period of time and you may feel overworked and undervalued. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
Signs of burnout can include feeling unmotivated, lacking energy or interest in things at work and outside of work, feeling disconnected from your job and the people around you, and lacking the ability to get anything done.
Here’s an example of burnout from someone who connected with Empower Work:
“I feel extremely burned out and don't know what steps to take…I'm experiencing[...]so much apathy and numbness with little ability to cope. I'm falling behind on everything - work, home, relationships, health, all of it - and I feel completely unable to deal with modern life.”
Unfortunately, unlike stress, addressing burnout takes more than self-care. The cure to burnout is a culture change. When people are working in seemingly impossible environments that lack autonomy and support—unsafe workplaces where there’s understaffing, harassment, a horrible boss or coworkers—this will lead to burnout.
Understanding the difference between stress and burnout
Stress is your body’s immediate reaction to a work challenge.
Burnout is a state of exhaustion that has been caused by a constant and prolonged period of stress. Burnout is a systemic issue.
Both stress and burnout are issues that no one should have to experience in the workplace. They can both have a significant impact on your mental health. The main difference is, stress can be managed much easier than burnout.
To manage burnout, we must address the underlying causes and make policy and culture changes on a large scale. We have to address issues like a living wage, paid medical and family leave, mental health support at work, and more.
Whether you’re experiencing stress or burnout at work, you’re not alone. Empower Work is here to support you.
How Can Empower Work Help?
Our text line is free, confidential, and provides non-legal support for a variety of workplace challenges, including stress and burnout. Our trained peer counselors act as a sounding board to help you reflect on your current situation and brainstorm the best action steps for you to help you move forward. Here's what to expect if you decide to text or chat online with an Empower Work peer counselor:
We listen. We ask what’s going on, how it’s impacting you, and what’s at stake.
We help you identify what you want. We help you look at your options, figure out what’s within your control, and get unstuck.
We make an action plan. We brainstorm next steps together and help you identify specific actions you can take.
If you're ready to chat with a counselor, text us at 510-674-1414.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.