Two types of burnout
I read somewhere today (can you begin a text any more scientifically) that people who go to med school only learn theory there, and once they graduate and are thrown into the daily work of actually seeing and treating patients, they don't know what to do, and burn out. (This is exactly to what I went through once in my life, though in a different field.) The burnout is caused by excessive stress, which is the result of being expected to know what to do without any introduction to the job.
But that's not the only kind of burnout, is it? I mean, people burn out out of the amount of work they're expected to do, not just the unfamiliarity of the work. Quiet quitting, the new workplace phenomenon of refusing to do any more than what your contract says, is supposed to cater to this exact problem.
Here's the premise: there are two types of burnout, both caused by work, but with two different ramifications.
- Burnout due to the work being too difficult with respect to the worker's level of ability. Result: crippling mental disability, impostor syndrome, trauma, sick leave or resignation.
- Burnout due to the amount of work being too high with respect to the worker's level of ability. Result: peaceful fatigue, superior feeling of accomplishment, pride, ability to enjoy vacation more.
Which would you prefer?
RK