Burnout is not tiredness
Step 1 / 3·Stress and burnout are two different things
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Tell stress apart from burnout
- Know the three dimensions of the Maslach model
- Spot early signals in yourself and in your team
Stress and burnout are two different things
Understand why annual leave does not cure burnout.
Stress is a state of OVERLOAD: too much work, too little time, a sense of urgency. A stressed person says 'I'm exhausted' and usually recovers after a rest.
Burnout is a state of DEPLETION: no energy left, disconnection from the work, and the loss of any sense that it matters. A burnt-out person says 'I just don't care any more' — and a week of leave does not fix that, because the problem is not the amount of rest but the relationship between that person and the work.
The distinction matters because the remedies differ. For stress, reducing load and resting works. For burnout, something in the work itself has to change.
This course does not replace medical care
What follows is professional knowledge about how work is organised and how energy is managed. If you or someone on your team shows sustained signs of anxiety, depression, or thoughts of self-harm, that is a health matter requiring a professional — seek proper support rather than treating it with work-management technique.
Key takeaway: Stress is overload and rest helps; burnout is depletion and the work itself has to change.