People have different burnout definitions based on what they have learned and experienced in their life.
Marissa Mayer is the President and CEO of Yahoo!. When she talks, people listen. In the below video interview for Bloomberg Buisnessweek, she talks about what burnout is and how to avoid it. Click on the image and listen to what she has to say.
Marissa Mayer provides some great tips for avoiding burnout. She acknowledges that a balanced life is not what we should be striving for. She also provides a definition for burnout I have not heard before. She believes burnout is fueled by resentment.
Are there people who are burned out through resentment? I am confident there are many. Are all people who suffer from burnout full of resentment? I am confident the answer is no.
Why am I sharing this? We have many people around us who we hope to get support from. They include family members, friends, supervisors and coworkers. Each of them has a picture of burnout in their mind. The type and level of support we can expect will be influenced by what they believe burnout is.
Marissa Mayer is likely to assume you are full of resentment if burnout is afflicting you. Others may think you are just being lazy. Be careful who you depend on while you are in this vulnerable state and taking steps to overcome burnout.
I am not giving an excuse to withdrawal from people further. They still care. Just know that everyone does not see burnout in the same way.
Are you aware of unique definitions of burnout? Let us know by leaving a comment by clicking here.
Burnout sounds scary. I don’t ever want to experience it.