What factor is often isolated as the most frequent initiating trigger for burnout?
Excessive and unsustainable workload
Although burnout stems from a confluence of systemic stressors, excessive and unsustainable workload is frequently identified as the primary pathway leading into this state. This situation arises when the demands consistently outpace the individual’s capacity to complete them, whether that limitation is imposed by insufficient time, scarcity of necessary resources, or sheer volume. When this chronic overload occurs without providing adequate or any recovery time, the body and mind remain locked in a prolonged state of high alert, inevitably leading to severe energy depletion. While other factors compound the issue, an overwhelming volume of work serves as the baseline irritant that often sets the stage for the full syndrome to develop.
