From Work Passion to Depression

Barry started his law career at 25.

He was full of passion and drive.

He had been hooked on law dramas since his first year of university, and now he was finally living the dream.

As an intern at his first law office, Barry was eager to prove himself. He gladly took on every task – even the heavy piles of work, his “mentors” threw at him.

Sometimes he stayed late, and sometimes very late (almost midnight). Seeing his enthusiasm, his boss gladly threw him more work, as a reward bosses often give.

When senior colleagues slowed things down, the boss made Barry “in charge” of the entire workflow, (as he was doing so “exceptionally well!”).

But what “in charge” meant was that Barry carried the responsibility if things were left unfinished.

So not only did he have to nudge the seniors to do their job, but he also had to complete the leftover work himself!

Despite this, Barry’s salary remained ridiculously low.

So one day he asked his boss, “Was it possible for him to get a raise?”

“Sure, you do a good job, but you don’t even have your diploma yet. Get your lawyer’s license, then we’ll talk!”

Fair enough, Barry thought. And so, he worked even harder.

By the time Barry earned his lawyer’s license, he was juggling nearly 8,000 cases!

His days were split between endless court sessions and long hours in the office handling paperwork, accounting, and even managing interns. Most of his colleagues had already left this dead-end workplace.

But Barry stayed, and was eventually made a partner. His finances improved, but his quality of life collapsed.

He did everything himself.

Finding reliable people to delegate to was impossible. Deadlines piled up, angry clients called nonstop, and the pressure never let up.

Barry didn’t even like his job anymore. He dreaded going to the office. He lost sleep.

And by 29, Barry – once the golden intern – had completely burned out.

What Exactly Is a “Burnout”?

A work burnout is a state where a person feels completely mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted after a prolonged period of stress in the workplace.

Burnout has taken a long time to be recognised by psychologists.

It wasn’t until the late 20th century that experts began to diagnose what we now call the “Burnout Syndrome” and its devastating consequences. Before that, people just assumed constant stress was “normal.”

If you’ve ever heard older generations scoff, “Young people are so spoiled, we didn’t have burnout back in my day!”, they’re not entirely wrong.

Manual labor can be exhausting, sure, but burnout is different.

It’s not about lifting heavy things; it’s about carrying invisible mental weight until your mind gives out.

And with modern work culture, that invisible weight keeps getting heavier:

• Deadlines
• Endless emails
• Sky-high expectations
• Ten-hour workdays

It’s no wonder so many people are cracking under the pressure.

For decades, stress at work was practically worn as a badge of honor. Companies still love writing “must be able to work well under pressure” in job postings, as if constant stress is a skill instead of a health hazard.

Unfortunately, exposure to prolonged stress, slowly destroys your brain over time.

The word “burnout” was first used in the 1970s by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger.

He noticed how doctors and other caregivers were collapsing under the weight of their work.

Fast forward to 2019, and the World Health Organization finally recognized burnout as a legitimate health condition.

That’s how serious, and how common, it’s become.

Why Do People Burn Out At Work?

Burnout doesn’t just happen overnight. It sneaks up on you, and before you know it, you’re running on empty.

Here are some common reasons:

• You give 200% of yourself at work but it feels like you’re getting nowhere due to bad management, poor teamwork and no career growth;
• You’ve been putting work first for so long that your health and personal life take a back seat, until one day, it all just crashes down;
• You wake up one day and realise you’ve put so much effort in a job you don’t even like;
• You threw yourself into a project that was never finished;
• Your to-do list never ends, no matter how much you cross off, there’s always more waiting;
• You get no rewards or recognition on your efforts.

When all of this piles up long enough, it’s no surprise people start feeling drained, unmotivated, and completely burned out.

What Happens When Burnout Takes Over?

Burnout can become so severe that you may feel forced not only to quit your job, but to quit working altogether.

It can bring on persistent feelings of hopelessness, which often slide into depression. Many people diagnosed with burnout end up needing weeks or even months of sick leave just to recover.

You might start feeling like a failure, and completely lose interest in things that mattered like:

• Your work, even when conditions improve;
• Hobbies you once enjoyed;
• Side projects you once ran;
• Anything that requires productivity and creativity.

For those who tie their sense of purpose to career success, this loss of motivation can feel especially crushing, like life itself has lost meaning!

And if you don’t take steps to recover, burnout can leave deep marks.

It can rob you of motivation, limit your career opportunities, and in the worst cases, lead to depression or even substance abuse, that will be very hard to escape.

How To Recover From Burnout?

After experiencing burnout, you need to take a step back.

A real break is not optional, so if possible – take a long leave or sick leave and when you’re ready – change your job.

You need to recover physically and mentally from the heavy stress you were exposed to before you can fully function like a normal human being.

Take time off where you DON’T DEAL WITH anything work-related:

• spend quality time with family – play games, go out and enjoy shared activities that strengthen your bond;
• do what feels good – any relaxing, light and mindless activities;
• get into shape;
• improve your sleep;
• talk to a therapist – they will teach you how to set healthier boundaries at work and not overextend yourself again;
• think about your real goals – (Click here to read: How to turn your dreams into goals and make them all come true. )

Burnout Can Be A Turning Point

Believe it or not, burnout can sometimes be the best thing that happens to you. Why? Because it forces you to pause and ask yourself what you REALLY want from life.

There are countless stories of people who worked hard for years until they reached a total breaking point.

They had to step back to realise they didn’t even like their job. So they took a leap of faith and totally changed their course:

• Lawyers who opened grooming business
• Accountants who became graphic designers
• Salespeople who started crafting

So many people discovered their passion and life path only after going through the pain of burnout!

Have you ever experienced burnout yourself?

How did you recover? Share your story in the comments below, I’d love to hear it!

Check relevant articles:

How to slack off at work and get paid

What makes someone “quiet quit” their work

I’m also dealing with relationship problems

TheThinkAbout is a website based on psychology in practice and experience.

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