It’s 6:30 am. The shrill alarm sounds again. I’m already awake but clinging to the excuse that I’m waiting for it to ring. I’ve changed the tone many times, from birdsong to affirmations, hoping mornings feel less like Groundhog Day or the endless hamster wheel of burnout I cannot escape.
I drag my body out of my bed, tuck in my sleeping toddler, brush my teeth and head to the kitchen to my only morning pleasure: a cup of my favorite coffee and five minutes on my balcony for some fresh air. I then dress up, prepare a meal for my toddler and husband, then rush to the office.
At the office doorway, I take a deep breath, put on a smile and greet my colleagues as enthusiastically as I can manage. I have added some plants to my office to make it more welcoming. Some might say it is more than needed, but to me, it is all the same.
No matter how much I decorate my desk or try to start the day brilliantly, the monotony remains. Five years of the same tasks. Sure, I was promoted, but those tasks just got bigger, more complex, and more draining, a classic sign of professional burnout.
Lately, I have been judging myself a little too harshly, wondering: Why can’t I be happy with the job I have? I definitely recall how excited I was when I first started. Thinking about it holistically, I loved what I was doing, and I was paid well enough. So, what happened to me? Why does every finger I move, every thought I run through my head, and every task I get assigned feel so daunting?
If you can relate to this, you are probably experiencing burnout.
I have always heard about this term, but never really reflected on it. To me, it was another modern term to describe a normal situation that most people go through, but it is not that simple.
So, what exactly is burnout and why does it affect Gen Z and Millennials so strongly?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a state that results from chronic workplace stress that has not been effectively managed. It tends to creep in quietly, but its impact can be deeply felt. You may notice yourself feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, like you are always running on empty no matter how much rest you get. Your connection to your job starts to fade; what once felt important may now feel distant, frustrating, or even meaningless. And despite your efforts, your sense of accomplishment dwindles, you stop feeling effective, even when you are giving your absolute best.
Why do we stay chained to what drains us, just because it pays the bills?
The worst part about burnout, if not attended diligently, is that it can spill all over our life. You keep ignoring its signs until it sneaks into your personal relationships, lifestyle, health and even your rationale and decision-making.
We often end up in this toxic relationship: I hate my job, but I love that I am paid. I no longer feel passionate about what I do, but I am very familiar with my usual tasks. I can no more stand stress, but this too shall pass… and the wheel keeps us running non-stop.
It is sad that the more responsible you are, the more resilient you force yourself to be. There will be times when you feel the pressure is unbearable, but you surprise yourself that you still will not quit. You tell yourself you must leave, that the job is eating your soul, that you feel dead inside, but still, you refuse to take leave and keep showing up.
Understanding burnout helped me realize it was not just about physical exhaustion, it was deeper. I tried shifting to remote work to find relief, hoping it might ease the load of dragging my feet to the office every day. A step that could grant me some space while maintaining my income.
To be honest that made a huge change in my life. I was able to sleep with less stress, a bit more too. I did not have to rush in the morning to prepare food, get dressed so I had an easier one. That worked well for the first few months. I was motivated, more enthusiastic and a bit relieved, but that did not last long. Soon after I realized my mind was longing for more than just physical distance from the office.
The tension started to accumulate again, and there was even a thinner line between my work and personal life with no sign in and out attached to a fingerprint. I became increasingly strained, and not meeting people nor being able to move around has made my once-thought haven into a different kind of nightmare.
Regain clarity: How long will it take you to see you are burned out?
Several months later, I had to face it: it does not matter where I work from. Work is work, and I needed space from the corporate world altogether, a refuge for my mind and spirit to regrow from the ashes. I spent days pressuring myself to take that giant step toward my uncertain freedom, a choice that a restless mind finds dreadful. I ended up putting myself into a greater amount of distress, thinking and pushing myself to resign.
I finally was lucky enough to be called for a family emergency that required that I leave the country to be with my family, away from my office, job, and my life as a whole. That unplanned call was all I needed to finally see the dilemma I was living in.
We can never really see when we are dwelling in the middle of a storm. Only those who stand outside it can see the horrific sight of it. You watch those who are flying in it get hit by things, and try to keep going, and you wonder why they do not just leave. It is because they have made a comfort zone where they are, surprisingly.
Breaking free from burnout, or making a mistake?
It took me more than a few months to think about it and muster all the courage to plan for my job departure. I knew I would face a shortage of money, debts, and unmet financial obligations, but I kept assuring myself that I needed to stop selling my soul to the devil for the same amount of money and set myself free even if at a higher cost.
I remember that drafting my financial budget for the transition time was heavy on my shoulders, but I was determined to make that move for myself. My heart was full of fear, but so it has been for years every time I saw staff cuts announcements.
The sense of setting myself free was exhilarating. I would no longer have to wake up at the same time, do the same thing, try to please others, or ignore myself and my family to serve someone else. I had a vision of what I really wanted to do and was suddenly filled with energy, ready to work day and night to make my own mark in the professional world.
Final thought for open minds…
I am not saying that we should all race to quit our jobs. We still do need to be there for at least a certain time to understand the business realm and exchange experience, but we should pay careful attention not to linger until it crushes us, compromising our tranquility for so long that we forget who we are.
We are more than cogs in a corporate machine. Know your worth. Take breaks before burnout destroys you. Remember why you started, and dare to reclaim your peace.
More than ever, Gen Z and Millennials are challenging old definitions of success, prioritizing well-being, purpose, and balance over endless hustle. If you are feeling burned out but still showing up, know that your quest for something more is not only valid, it is part of a generational shift toward reclaiming work on our own terms.
Have you felt this way too? That paradox of exhaustion and obligation?
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