{"id":138756,"date":"2025-01-01T15:30:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T19:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=138756"},"modified":"2025-01-03T15:31:55","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T19:31:55","slug":"history-of-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/history-of-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of Burnout: Which Generation Had It Worse?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>How has society\u2019s understanding of exhaustion evolved over centuries? What makes today\u2019s digital workplace uniquely exhausting? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While we\u2019ve suffered from exhaustion throughout history, today&#8217;s version is different. Often seen as workplace burnout, it\u2019s exacerbated by digital overload and the blurring of lines between work and home life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continue reading to learn about the history of burnout and what can be done to lessen the severity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-burnout-through-the-ages\"><strong>Burnout Through the Ages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Societies have <a href=\"https:\/\/aeon.co\/ideas\/why-exhaustion-is-not-unique-to-our-overstimulated-age\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">long grappled with exhaustion<\/a>, with medical experts and cultural observers casting it as everything from a biochemical imbalance to a viral disease to a spiritual failing.\u00a0Here&#8217;s a look at the history of burnout:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In ancient Greece, doctors blamed exhaustion on excessive black bile in the body.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medieval religious scholars saw fatigue as a problem of acedia (a state of not caring) and sin.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>18th century Scottish physician, George Cheyne, attributed low spirits and lethargy to the \u201cEnglish Malady,\u201d a condition stemming from <strong>growing wealth and lazy, luxurious lifestyles<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>19th century physician George Beard cited the cause of \u201cnervous exhaustion\u201d to modern developments like the telegraph, steam power, scientific advances, and women\u2019s increasing participation in intellectual life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contemporary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/building-a-positive-workplace-culture\/\">workplace culture<\/a> views exhaustion as a <strong>failure of individuals to properly manage their physical and mental well-being<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While exhaustion has remained a constant human experience throughout history, today\u2019s researchers identify it differently. They say it\u2019s <strong>one component of the larger phenomenon of <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/03\/08\/974787023\/burnout-isnt-just-exhaustion-heres-how-to-deal-with-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>workplace burnout<\/strong><\/a>\u2014which manifests as severe fatigue, increasing detachment from work, and persistent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/overcoming-self-doubt\/\">self-doubt<\/a> about one\u2019s professional competence.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>3 Different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/3-types-of-burnout-and-how-to-overcome-them\/\">Types of Burnout<\/a><\/strong><br><br>In his book <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/feel-good-productivity\/preview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Feel-Good Productivity<\/a>, <\/em>Ali Abdaal distinguishes between three different types of burnout.<br><br><strong>Burnout Type #1: Strain<\/strong><br>To begin his discussion on the three types of burnout and how to overcome them, Abdaal talks about strain. <strong>Strain happens when you\u2019re simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-doing-too-much\/\">trying to do too much<\/a>; even the positive energy you get from feel-good productivity has limits.<\/strong> So, just like exercising too much can cause you to strain a muscle, doing too much can cause you to \u201cstrain\u201d your well-being.\u00a0You can avoid or recover from this type of burnout by taking a healthier approach to your day-to-day work. <br><br><strong>Burnout Type #2: Drain<\/strong><br>Abdaal\u2019s second type of burnout is a counterpart to the first: Whereas <em>strain <\/em>happens when you work too much, <em>drain <\/em>happens when you don\u2019t get enough rest after working. Naturally, this can happen because you don\u2019t take enough time for yourself\u2014however, the problem could also be that you\u2019re not resting in a way that\u2019s truly restorative. <strong>Abdaal explains that effective types of rest help you to feel calm and (temporarily) free of any demands on your time or energy. <\/strong>Each person is different, so only you can discover exactly what works for you. <br><br><strong>Burnout Type #3: Mismatch<\/strong><br>Abdaal\u2019s final type of burnout, <em>mismatch<\/em>, happens when your work doesn\u2019t line up with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-you-curious-about\/\">your interests<\/a> and principles. <strong>If what you\u2019re doing feels meaningless, that\u2019s a clear sign you\u2019re headed for this kind of burnout.\u00a0<\/strong>The easiest way to tell whether you\u2019re suffering from mismatch is to think about why you\u2019re working on something; in short, what\u2019s motivating you? If your only motivation is some kind of reward, such as a paycheck, prestige, or someone else\u2019s goodwill, then the task isn\u2019t a good match for you.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-digital-burnout\"><strong>Digital <\/strong>Burnout<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as 19th-century physician George Beard blamed exhaustion on <a href=\"https:\/\/aeon.co\/ideas\/why-exhaustion-is-not-unique-to-our-overstimulated-age\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the rapid pace of modern developments<\/a>,<strong> today&#8217;s digital communications are overwhelming workers in unprecedented ways<\/strong>. Between February 2020 and 2022, employees <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/2023-in-review\/an-exhausting-year-in-and-out-of-the-office?_sp=961aeea3-96d9-43b1-97eb-baef7f49165c.1730725674027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spent 250% more time in online meetings<\/a>. Meanwhile, overall digital communication continues to rise, with no signs of slowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Email, chat, and video conferencing now consume nearly 60% of workers\u2019 time, leaving just 40% for creative work.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Managing email alone consumes about nine hours weekly\u2014equivalent to a full workday\u2014for one in four workers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seven in 10 workers say constant digital interruptions prevent them from focusing during the workday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-burnout-is-a-systemic-issue\"><strong>Burnout Is a Systemic Issue<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout history, societies have tried to combat exhaustion by<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/aeon.co\/ideas\/why-exhaustion-is-not-unique-to-our-overstimulated-age\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">focusing on individual remedies<\/a>\u2014from ancient Greeks attempting to balance body fluids to medieval scholars prescribing prayer and spiritual practice. But experts say today\u2019s exhaustion, which contributes to widespread workplace burnout, <strong>resists such individual solutions because it <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6694092\/exhaustion-increasing-causes-essay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>stems from multiple sources<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A work-first culture that deprioritizes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-the-basic-human-needs\/\">basic human needs<\/a> like healthy food, regular exercise, and social connections\u2014activities people increasingly sacrifice due to work demands and stress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exposure to stressors beyond people\u2019s control<\/strong>, like global crises.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financial insecurity despite full-time work, as jobs that once supported a house, car, and family on a single income now barely cover basic needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, company efforts to combat burnout through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wcbu.org\/local-news\/2024-10-01\/american-workers-are-burning-out-in-what-experts-call-a-great-exhaustion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one-off events and activities, like pizza days and yoga sessions, have proven ineffective<\/a> because they ignore structural causes. The consequences of this mismatch between individual solutions and systemic problems are severe: workplace burnout <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/03\/08\/974787023\/burnout-isnt-just-exhaustion-heres-how-to-deal-with-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increases risk of depression, substance abuse, and suicide<\/a>, and<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/joop.12296\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">can spread throughout entire workplaces<\/a>. Organizations that don\u2019t address the issue face increased workplace errors and loss of trained staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-can-organizations-do-to-help\"><strong>What Can Organizations Do to Help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Experts say organizations must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wcbu.org\/local-news\/2024-10-01\/american-workers-are-burning-out-in-what-experts-call-a-great-exhaustion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recognize burnout as a structural problem<\/a>, not an individual resilience issue, and make fundamental changes to workplace culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To address the digital overload that characterizes modern exhaustion, organizations can implement specific communication strategies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/podcast\/episode\/you-cant-fix-burnout-with-self-care\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Limit email to one-way information sharing<\/a> and simple questions that need only a single response.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/03\/08\/974787023\/burnout-isnt-just-exhaustion-heres-how-to-deal-with-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Establish daily office hours<\/a> for back-and-forth discussions, and have employees <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/2023-in-review\/an-exhausting-year-in-and-out-of-the-office?_sp=961aeea3-96d9-43b1-97eb-baef7f49165c.1730725674027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wait for responses during these designated times<\/a> rather than demanding immediate replies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations should also rethink how work is structured and valued:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/radio\/costofliving\/the-great-exhaustion-1.7210589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Identify and eliminate unnecessary tasks<\/a><strong> <\/strong>so employees can spend more time on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/fulfilling-work\/\">meaningful work<\/a> they excel at.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain workplace changes to employees and celebrate individual accomplishments to prevent workers from feeling like worthless widgets.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies that effectively address burnout and well-being will likely see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wcbu.org\/local-news\/2024-10-01\/american-workers-are-burning-out-in-what-experts-call-a-great-exhaustion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">improved product quality and safety, along with higher employee engagement<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How has society\u2019s understanding of exhaustion evolved over centuries? What makes today\u2019s digital workplace uniquely exhausting? While we\u2019ve suffered from exhaustion throughout history, today&#8217;s version is different. Often seen as workplace burnout, it\u2019s exacerbated by digital overload and the blurring of lines between work and home life. Continue reading to learn about the history of burnout and what can be done to lessen the severity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":138759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,7,30],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-138756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-lifestyle","category-work","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The History of Burnout: Which Generation Had It Worse? - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Burnout has existed throughout history, but modern burnout is different. 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