📄 This report is wellness reference content and does not constitute a medical diagnosis. For serious mental health concerns, please seek professional help.
TL;DR
The WHO ICD-11 defines burnout along three dimensions: (1) exhaustion, (2) cynicism toward your job, and (3) reduced efficacy. Ordinary tiredness recovers with sleep and rest, but burnout doesn't ease even after resting, and a state where just thinking about work drains you persists for two weeks or more.
Source: WHO ICD-11 QD85
01 How the WHO defines burnout
In 2019 the WHO officially listed burnout in its International Classification of Diseases, ICD-11. Burnout is defined as "a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed."
The WHO distinguishes burnout across three dimensions.
Exhaustion
Feeling depleted of energy or extreme fatigue
Cynicism
Negative feelings, distance, or indifference toward your job
Reduced efficacy
A negative sense of your work performance and your own abilities
02 How common is burnout?
52%
of workers worldwide
have experienced burnout
Indeed/BCG Research, 2024
67%
of those who've had burnout
say it has "gotten worse"
Indeed Survey, 2024
Burnout isn't an individual failing. It's a social phenomenon.
03 Burnout vs. ordinary fatigue, how do they differ?
04 Symptoms of burnout
💓 Physical symptoms
- •Chronic fatigue, you don't feel refreshed even after enough sleep
- •Frequent headaches, muscle aches, digestive issues
- •Sleep disturbance, trouble falling asleep or waking in the night
- •Weakened immunity, frequent colds and mouth sores
💭 Psychological symptoms
- •Cynicism, "What's the point of any of this?"
- •Helplessness, a feeling that nothing changes no matter what you do
- •Poor concentration, even small decisions feel hard
- •Emotions go numb, or tears come out of nowhere
05 Burnout self-checklist
If 3 or more of the items below apply, it may be a sign of burnout.
I don't feel refreshed at all even after waking up
Work I used to enjoy now feels like a chore or meaningless
Socializing feels so exhausting that I just want to be alone
I blame myself or feel extreme stress over small mistakes
Thoughts of work won't leave me after hours, so I never truly rest
06 How to recover from burnout
Set boundaries
Not replying instantly to work messages after hours. Saying "I don't think I can take this on." Boundaries aren't selfish, they're a skill for living sustainably.
Make sleep your top priority
Sleep is the foundation of all recovery. Just fixing your bedtime and wake time, and turning off screens for the hour before bed, can change your sleep quality dramatically.
Put your emotions into words
Bottling it up alone is the slowest route to recovery. Open up to someone you trust, write in a journal, or talk with Ongi. A single "I've been having a hard time lately" is the start.
Consider professional support
If you've struggled to the point where daily life is impossible for more than two weeks, we encourage seeing a counselor or psychiatrist. Asking for help is an act of courage.
You don't have to bottle it up alone
Burnout isn't a sign of weakness. It's a signal that comes especially to those who have lived earnestly.
Instead of "I have to hold on a little longer," it's okay to say "It's time to take care of myself."
Your exhaustion is not your fault.
The exhaustion and lethargy you feel right now, try sharing it with Ongi.
Talk with Ongi