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Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery
The first complete guide to burnout, based on groundbreaking new research. It shows how you can tell whether you really have burnout, and helps you shape a strategy for recovery that will work for you.
Are you always exhausted? Unable to feel for others or for life's pleasures? Find it hard to concentrate and take in what you read? You may have burnout.
Burnout is widespread among high achievers in the workplace, in business and in caring professions like health and teaching. Parents with new babies and those caring for the elderly and people with disabilities are also at risk. Although burnout is so common, it's often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed - most commonly as depression.
Drawing on groundbreaking new research, this book hands you the tools to work out whether you have burnout - or not. The good news? It is possible to recover from even severe burnout. The authors show you how to recognise your own burnout pattern, how far you have travelled into burnout territory, and provide a broad-based management approach to help you regain your spark and build your resilience.
With fascinating new insights into the biology of burnout, and stories from people who have brought themselves back from the brink, Burnout is a complete guide for anyone who suspects they may have burnout, for their families, for health professionals and employers.
Are you always exhausted? Unable to feel for others or for life's pleasures? Find it hard to concentrate and take in what you read? You may have burnout.
Burnout is widespread among high achievers in the workplace, in business and in caring professions like health and teaching. Parents with new babies and those caring for the elderly and people with disabilities are also at risk. Although burnout is so common, it's often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed - most commonly as depression.
Drawing on groundbreaking new research, this book hands you the tools to work out whether you have burnout - or not. The good news? It is possible to recover from even severe burnout. The authors show you how to recognise your own burnout pattern, how far you have travelled into burnout territory, and provide a broad-based management approach to help you regain your spark and build your resilience.
With fascinating new insights into the biology of burnout, and stories from people who have brought themselves back from the brink, Burnout is a complete guide for anyone who suspects they may have burnout, for their families, for health professionals and employers.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2021
72 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Parker
36 books16 followersGordon Parker is Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at the University of NSW, Professorial Fellow at the Black Dog Institute, and a renowned researcher and expert on mood disorders. Kerrie Eyers is a psychologist based at the Black Dog Institute, Sydney. Gordon Parker and Kerrie Eyers are editors of the bestselling Journeys with the Black Dog and several other books on depression. Philip Boyce is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney, Professorial Fellow at the Black Dog Institute, and an international expert on postnatal depression.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 8, 2022
Sometimes I think, doctors are not writers and should not pretend to be.
For all the supposed mindfulness that went into this book, it's a pretty inaccessible book as far as self-help goes. Thankfully I have a huge vocabulary and an interest in psychology, because if I didn't, I would have quit this book near the start. Its tone and vocabulary places its intended audience firmly in the range of highly literate professional business people, and medical workers. Although the text of the book acknowledges that stay at home parents of disabled children and/or the elderly, those in care profession, and working mothers, all run the risk of burnout, this is not the primary focus of the book. I also found that, despite myself and my typical love of puns, I could not feel fond of the cringey dad-jokes.
Being padded out by anecdotes written by people who are actually used to writing for a broad audience, does make it a little easier to read, but it isn't great that we get helpful suggestions from wealthy and influential people to "take on less" when we are feeling run down, as though that is something that those on precarious income are able to do; thankfully this subject is tackled later in the book but you'd be forgiven for giving up before you get to that bit.
For a book that claims to clarify what IS and IS NOT burnout, it still manages to hedge, and stay fairly imprecise in some of its descriptions. It doesn't help that what they are describing is focused primarily through a lens of the competitive Capitalist business environment, and that it is a disorder that hasn't yet made it into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Thankfully the treatment programs outlined in this book are backed up by sound science, as they are methods that are used generally to treat any number of stress disorders and anxiety. They specify that any plan of action needs to be tailored to the individual.
The most pertinent point that I think has been well unpacked in the book, is the predisposition of Perfectionists to overextending themselves to the point of psychological, physical and spiritual exhaustion. The chapters on Perfectionism and Positive Psychology are particularly helpful, as are the screening questionnaires.
As is reiterated many times, screening questions are there to give you an indication of where you are at, but should not be relied on for "diagnosing" anything, and should be considered part of an investigation to uncover what is going on for you particularly. As with so many ailments these days, we are reminded that we need to be helping our doctors understand what is going on for us, and bringing them possible answers to our issues by doing some of the detective work ourselves, rather than relying wholly on them. Knowing that you are not feeling good, means ruling out physical illness or injury, rather than leaping to "obvious" conclusions about mental state.
I was hoping to be able to share this with my GP, but it is verbose and imprecise, and I fear that in many places it would be difficult to understand if you weren't already familiar with the subject.
For all the supposed mindfulness that went into this book, it's a pretty inaccessible book as far as self-help goes. Thankfully I have a huge vocabulary and an interest in psychology, because if I didn't, I would have quit this book near the start. Its tone and vocabulary places its intended audience firmly in the range of highly literate professional business people, and medical workers. Although the text of the book acknowledges that stay at home parents of disabled children and/or the elderly, those in care profession, and working mothers, all run the risk of burnout, this is not the primary focus of the book. I also found that, despite myself and my typical love of puns, I could not feel fond of the cringey dad-jokes.
Being padded out by anecdotes written by people who are actually used to writing for a broad audience, does make it a little easier to read, but it isn't great that we get helpful suggestions from wealthy and influential people to "take on less" when we are feeling run down, as though that is something that those on precarious income are able to do; thankfully this subject is tackled later in the book but you'd be forgiven for giving up before you get to that bit.
For a book that claims to clarify what IS and IS NOT burnout, it still manages to hedge, and stay fairly imprecise in some of its descriptions. It doesn't help that what they are describing is focused primarily through a lens of the competitive Capitalist business environment, and that it is a disorder that hasn't yet made it into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Thankfully the treatment programs outlined in this book are backed up by sound science, as they are methods that are used generally to treat any number of stress disorders and anxiety. They specify that any plan of action needs to be tailored to the individual.
The most pertinent point that I think has been well unpacked in the book, is the predisposition of Perfectionists to overextending themselves to the point of psychological, physical and spiritual exhaustion. The chapters on Perfectionism and Positive Psychology are particularly helpful, as are the screening questionnaires.
As is reiterated many times, screening questions are there to give you an indication of where you are at, but should not be relied on for "diagnosing" anything, and should be considered part of an investigation to uncover what is going on for you particularly. As with so many ailments these days, we are reminded that we need to be helping our doctors understand what is going on for us, and bringing them possible answers to our issues by doing some of the detective work ourselves, rather than relying wholly on them. Knowing that you are not feeling good, means ruling out physical illness or injury, rather than leaping to "obvious" conclusions about mental state.
I was hoping to be able to share this with my GP, but it is verbose and imprecise, and I fear that in many places it would be difficult to understand if you weren't already familiar with the subject.
June 17, 2022
I think this book is a must read for any person looking to work in any of the many 'people professions,' but also for anyone who is driven and passionate about the work they do. This book teaches that sometimes our passion for our work can be our ultimate downfall. The reason for the 4 stars rather then 5 is that the book is offensively practical and I focused and sometimes misses the mark on identify toxic ideas in our society which had lead to such high prevalances in burnout in modern work places. Somehow a book about burnout failed to mention the autocratic and dictatorial aspects of our current economic paradigm in our workplaces. But the book does offer good quality advice on dealing with burnout when it strikes
January 9, 2022
As an obsessive perfectionist struggling with the modern day death of the 9-5 work life, I found this book very informative and eye opening. Burnout is becoming more and more common in this increasingly busy world (topped with an icing of pandemic and the associate repercussions) and this book is recommended whether you’re tired yourself, managing people or know someone who would benefit.
August 25, 2021
People experiencing burnout may not be inclined to set aside time to read a book on the subject. But, in this case, it is worth the time and effort. This is not another facile self-help book. It is a lucidly written and well researched account of an issue which has not been sufficiently on the radar. Of course, one of the reasons for this is the lack of recognition of the problem, let alone the consequences.
Gaining insight into the way in which burnout manifests itself (in so many different ways) is fundamental. Then dealing with it in particular circumstances is challenging and rewarding. This book tackles both matters in a refreshing manner, illustrated by many vignettes.
The authors are very experienced professionals and really know what they are talking about. That is a necessary but insufficient condition for success. Fortunately they are also able to communicate with the reader in a way that eschews a focus on arcane theory (but is clearly based on sound research) and allows her or him to embrace the ideas on display in a way which make personal sense.
The hidden consequences of burnout - personal, social, economic and dare I say political - are significant. This book makes a valuable contribution to understanding the issues and shedding light on practical solutions.
George Zdenkowski
Gaining insight into the way in which burnout manifests itself (in so many different ways) is fundamental. Then dealing with it in particular circumstances is challenging and rewarding. This book tackles both matters in a refreshing manner, illustrated by many vignettes.
The authors are very experienced professionals and really know what they are talking about. That is a necessary but insufficient condition for success. Fortunately they are also able to communicate with the reader in a way that eschews a focus on arcane theory (but is clearly based on sound research) and allows her or him to embrace the ideas on display in a way which make personal sense.
The hidden consequences of burnout - personal, social, economic and dare I say political - are significant. This book makes a valuable contribution to understanding the issues and shedding light on practical solutions.
George Zdenkowski
April 28, 2024
Review soon
April 16, 2023
2.5 stars. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, though a solid introduction to the topic. The sections on neurological impacts of burnout, and the identification of particular personality types as predisposed to burnout, were interesting insights. Part 3 ‘pathways to recovery’ felt a bit rushed in comparison to the first two parts of the book, and the advice on work-related stressors basically limited to “talk to your manager”.
August 28, 2021
This was a really informative book. A great mix of explanation and helpfulness. It covers details of what burnout is, what can cause it and various strategies to overcome it. Anecdotal stories are also interspersed throughout.
The authors draw on theirs and other studies and have provided easy to use checklists to assist the reader to consider their own circumstances.
Discussion in the book noted that the onset of burnout and strategies to overcome it are not a one size fits all approach nor an overnight fix. As well as looking to the work environment and external stressors, the authors also discuss the need for us to consider our personality types, especially in relation to perfectionism tendencies.
The authors draw on theirs and other studies and have provided easy to use checklists to assist the reader to consider their own circumstances.
Discussion in the book noted that the onset of burnout and strategies to overcome it are not a one size fits all approach nor an overnight fix. As well as looking to the work environment and external stressors, the authors also discuss the need for us to consider our personality types, especially in relation to perfectionism tendencies.
February 5, 2022
Really informative book on burnout - how to identify it, but more importantly a lot of strategies and resources to help manage and address burnout. A great topic to understand more about, no matter whether or not you are experiencing burnout yourself.
October 1, 2021
If you want to understand burnout, it’s causes and symptoms read this book.
July 30, 2021
This is a clear, easy to read, guide to identifying burnout and mechanisms for bringing oneself back from the brink. It spells out the differences between burnout and depression, the risk factors, personality types that put one at risk and much more.
May 17, 2022
As someone who was burning out but is currently on extended leave, this book was hard to read. Hard because it made me aware of how much I was suffering and I started feeling the tightness of chest thinking about work as a trigger for my burn out and having to return to work next year. I will be buying this book (borrowed this copy from my library) as a reference next year. I have already recommended it to others who I know are burning out as they are in the same role as me and facing the same pressures.
Want to read
July 22, 2021Interview with the author: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs...
June 23, 2022
Burnout is currently impacting me (GP, covid, major IT restructure) and a huge number of my colleagues locally. I'm doing ok and have made a lot of changes to nip it in the bud but thought I'd read this to see what else I could pick up.
It's basically a paper written up into book length format, somewhat dry and when concentration and difficulty retaining info are aspects of burnout, it can be quite easy to fade out! I listened to this and wonder if reading the actual book may have been better. However, despite the inherent uncertainty around the area, lack of clear answers and the strength of the research, it does a reasonable job of selling the case.
I felt particularly seen in the Perfectionist chapter. The happy perfectionist inside freely acknowledged the various aspects that need to change to make life easier and then promptly put them aside as not acceptable! Ah, insight. Worth reading for those in the business or experiencing it themselves.
It's basically a paper written up into book length format, somewhat dry and when concentration and difficulty retaining info are aspects of burnout, it can be quite easy to fade out! I listened to this and wonder if reading the actual book may have been better. However, despite the inherent uncertainty around the area, lack of clear answers and the strength of the research, it does a reasonable job of selling the case.
I felt particularly seen in the Perfectionist chapter. The happy perfectionist inside freely acknowledged the various aspects that need to change to make life easier and then promptly put them aside as not acceptable! Ah, insight. Worth reading for those in the business or experiencing it themselves.
November 30, 2022
I found this really informative & user friendly. Yes, it took me a while to read and I did put it down in the middle and came back to it months later, but it’s perfect for that! With chapters that can be clearly navigated and dipped in and out of, there is plenty of useful discussion and food for thought for workers and managers alike. The chapters on perfectionism were of particular interest to me (I have some work to do here!) and the screening tests and recommended resources in the appendices are a great starting point for those wishing to investigate the concept of burnout and it’s related attributes further. Part science, part anecdote, part self-help guide; I think this is an excellent overview and launching point for anyone wanting to explore what burnout may look and feel like.
December 6, 2023
Probably the only book on burnout worth reading? Evidence based, not another american-centric book, includes the issue of carers-burnout also. But focused on professionals/executives for the most part (i.e. people who burnout due to a combination of being perfectionists and in high pressure environments, high-level professionals such as doctors and CEOS. very few stories about burnout due to lack of career progression, boredom, etc.)
I found the writing accessible in contrast to another review, and think it's suitable for introducing to a psychologist or doctor, especially via the diagnostic questionnaires included in the back of the book.
It also includes the data from the research study this book is based on, including data on coping strategies and how helpful burnout-sufferers rated them.
I found the writing accessible in contrast to another review, and think it's suitable for introducing to a psychologist or doctor, especially via the diagnostic questionnaires included in the back of the book.
It also includes the data from the research study this book is based on, including data on coping strategies and how helpful burnout-sufferers rated them.
July 1, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. Loved the practicality of applying individual circumstances via questionnaires. I also really liked the transparency of detailing while in many instances medical professions can ho through their traditional screening processes, sometimes there is more to it. Empowering each individual to investigate for themselves was a great concept within the book. All the while admitting its not about self-diagnosis but rather further understanding of change for each individual reader.
May 25, 2023
3.5*
I’m glad that Parker, Tavella, and Eyers kept explaining the ‘we all remember X theory/study’ as I definitely didn’t remember/know the majority of them. Other than that, this was mostly pretty accessible. There’s some pretty useful information about recognising signs of burnout before it happens (but while it’s looming), as well as how to deal with burnout afterwards and protecting from future issues too.
I’m glad that Parker, Tavella, and Eyers kept explaining the ‘we all remember X theory/study’ as I definitely didn’t remember/know the majority of them. Other than that, this was mostly pretty accessible. There’s some pretty useful information about recognising signs of burnout before it happens (but while it’s looming), as well as how to deal with burnout afterwards and protecting from future issues too.
January 29, 2023
great insight to a psychological phenomenon that currently doesn’t have extensive research regarding what it is and how to avoid/deplete symptoms/completely reverse it.
I thought the chapters about how burnout occurs- biologically and psychologically were brilliant. i think it’s a great book to entice new and upcoming research into burnout.
I thought the chapters about how burnout occurs- biologically and psychologically were brilliant. i think it’s a great book to entice new and upcoming research into burnout.
August 11, 2021
This book would have been invaluable when I burned out. I'm going to recommend it to my youmger son who I think will be prone to burnout.
June 19, 2022
Read as audiobook
June 26, 2022
Fairly dry reading but ultimately clinically useful and relatable for a phenomenon that continues to gain recognition.
July 7, 2022
Interesting
August 9, 2023
Got about half way though as an audio book but did not finish. Will go back to it sometime.
November 3, 2023
A good overview, though I found the suggestions for recovery a bit underwhelming and sometimes depressing.
December 24, 2023
A great introduction. I especially liked the Appendix questionnaire’s that help get insight to where your at.
February 21, 2024
A very informative book, really helpful.
Read
July 6, 2025Did have some really interesting stuff about the history of burnout and diagnosis. I learnt that I’m very perfectionistic.
I hadn’t realised I was 100% perfectionist. The description of a type A personality definitely registered.
The stuff about fixing burnout though was mostly exactly the same as everything I’ve read before about well-being, no new information there.
I hadn’t realised I was 100% perfectionist. The description of a type A personality definitely registered.
The stuff about fixing burnout though was mostly exactly the same as everything I’ve read before about well-being, no new information there.
July 29, 2021
Great read. At last there is recognition and a body of research that adds to our understanding of this 21st century condition. This goes far beyond diagnosis; it is a guide to managing and avoiding the exhaustion that pervades workplaces and family dynamics.
February 12, 2023
read, gave-up-on
August 24, 2023
I liked it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews