Is There a Vaccine for Burnout?

Working long hours won’t necessarily burn us out, but getting too little sleep or feeling unappreciated might. Women commonly face extra stressors, like office chores or doing a “second shift” at home, that can leave us exhausted. And once we’re burned out, it usually takes more than a few yoga classes or going on vacation to feel like ourselves again.

Mandy O’Neill, an expert on workplace well-being, explains the causes, symptoms, and repercussions of burnout. She suggests several antidotes (including laughing with your colleagues) and ways to protect ourselves from experiencing it in the first place.

Our HBR reading list:

• “Beating Burnout,” by Monique Valcour
• “How to Help Your Team with Burnout When You’re Burned Out Yourself,” by Rebecca Knight
• “Employees Who Feel Love Perform Better,” by Sigal Barsade and Olivia A. O’Neill
• “Turn the Job You Have into the Job You Want,” by Amy Wrzesniewski, Justin M. Berg, and Jane E. Dutton
• “Women Need Mindfulness Even More than Men Do,” by Beth Cabrera