Burnout is real. Here’s how to spot it—and recover.

Burnout is everywhere, but before I read this article by Isobel Whitcomb in Popular Science, I didn’t know exactly what it is. I learned burnout is always derived from work (unlike depression), and it’s a combination of three things: exhaustion, loss of idealism, and feeling you’re bad at what you do (ugh). Six factors prevent burnout: manageable workload; autonomy, fairness, and reward for work; a strong workplace community; and alignment with your values to provide meaning. I like the idea that even if you’re not burned out, you can work on improving these six points to reverse-engineer more meaningful work.