The term “burnout” is used loosely to describe being worn out, exhausted, or frazzled. It actually refers to a specific work-stress-related syndrome that has a long history in the psychological research literature.

Psychologists began to pay attention in earnest to burnout as a distinctive syndrome in the mid-late 1970s. Three main facets characterizing the syndrome were identified: mental and physical exhaustion, feelings of depersonalization and cynicism, and reduced feelings of accomplishment and effectiveness.