Doctor’s Orders: One Relaxing Summer Vacation, Take Consecutively for 7 days

10 years ago, I defended my doctoral dissertation on burnout. At that time, no one was really talking about burnout. And little did I know how prophetic that research would become.   

What was then a "nonprofit sector challenge" has exploded into a global wake-up call:  

• According to BCG's 2024 research, 50% of workers globally are struggling with burnout  

• SHRM's latest study shows 45% of American workers experience burnout symptoms without recognizing them  

• The World Economic Forum now ranks workplace mental health as a top 5 business risk  

My research revealed something crucial:  

Burnout isn't just about working too much. It's about systems that demand unsustainable sacrifice. We all have that one friend who can’t go to brunch without her computer, or the other who is checking his Slack on the way to his daughter's play.  

The pressure placed on today’s leaders is unprecedented. We’re looking at 24/7 connectivity, rapid market shifts, growing stakeholder demands, and more! All of this together leads to major work-life integration challenges. Leading to generalized omnipresent exhaustion, lack of care, and irritability. That’s no way to live!  

But here's what gives me hope:

We're finally having the right conversations. Burnout is a part of our regular vocabulary and is starting to be addressed. Organizations are reimagining work – asking those “what if” questions to keep motivation and productivity at their max. And leaders are prioritizing well-being, finding that care and support do wonders.

That dissertation wasn't just academic research – it was a blueprint for what we're finally addressing. Because it showed that support can help mitigate burnout. 

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