How does burnout-related exhaustion differ from the low energy associated with depression?

Burnout exhaustion feels like energy used up beyond capacity, a tank that won't refill.

The key differentiator between the exhaustion experienced during burnout and the low energy seen in depression lies in the underlying mechanism and responsiveness to rest. In burnout, exhaustion is a chronic state of emotional, physical, and mental depletion that persists even after adequate rest or time off; it is conceptualized as energy reserves being completely expended because the system has been operating under excessive strain for too long, leading to a pervasive sense that one simply cannot perform one more task. Conversely, depression often involves low energy that is fundamentally tied to feelings of sadness or a lack of motivation. While both conditions involve fatigue, the burnout-related sensation is often described as the tank being empty due to overuse, whereas the depressive state is characterized by a lack of desire or motivation to utilize energy, even if some reserves might technically exist. The chronic, unresponsive nature of burnout fatigue is the crucial distinguishing characteristic.