According to HelpGuide.org:
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
Having a bad day at work is normal. Having a long string of bad days, well, may be a case of burnout. You might feel uncomfortable to label yourself as having burnout even if you fully identify with feeling “overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.” A large part of that discomfort is likely related to the social stigma of having anything less than tip-top mental health. But as the age-old wisdom goes, “The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one.”
We typically don’t let physical pains go ignored for very long. Just like consistent pain, weird lumps, and abnormal coloration may indicate a more serious underlying condition for our physical health, prolonged stress and burnout are a sign of a dire situation for our mental health. We need to take care of our mental health in the same way we respond to our physical needs. Really, the two are combined. Neglecting mental health and well-being can lead to harmful coping strategies and depression. These have consequences on our physical health, such as causing insomnia, fatigue, and increased chance of stroke. (ref)
A socially accepted culture of overwork can also make it hard to accept a diagnosis of burnout. You might not feel like you’ve even been working hard enough to get burnout. People tend to think of burnout as being caused by long, difficult hours in the office, having to constantly keep on top of projects, deadlines, and demands. Overwork is not the only source of burnout.
Burnout may also be caused by poor job fit. If you’ve been finding yourself more easily distracted and less engaged at work, despite not working at your usual level, you might not be in the right job. If your skills and interests do not align well with your job, you might even “start to burnout after just 20 hours.” (ref)
It can be hard to bring your whole self to work when you don’t feel capable to do the work, you don’t find the work important, or you simply don’t care about the work. These factors must be considered when choosing a profession. You might find something to be important but may lack the skills or interests to pursue that career. Alternatively, you might have the perfect experience, education, and skill set for a certain profession but hate the nature of the day-to-day work.
If this is the case, take the opportunity to self-reflect. Consider why you’re in a job you don’t care to do. Are you tied to a high-paying career to pay off student loans? Are you in a mindset of “sunk cost fallacy” such that you don’t want to give up something you’ve worked so hard for? Are you wedded to your position due to expected job stability or strong company performance?
Whatever the situation may be, carefully decide for yourself whether it’s worth it to stick it out despite your unhappiness. If yes, I hope you will pursue other outlets of enjoyment through hobbies, friends/family, community involvement, or travel. If not, take charge of your life. Explore other companies and other industries. Do your homework, talk to people, and actively seek a better position. After all, “today is the first day of the rest of your life.”