When you care deeply about your work, burnout can sneak in quietly. It might show up as fatigue, brain fog, or even a loss of identity. Dr. Arianna Molloy, a professor at Biola University and author of Healthy Calling, shares what burnout really looks like in purpose-driven careers and how small, restorative habits can help us stay grounded.
At Intelligent Labs, we’re all about helping people do meaningful work while staying healthy and balanced. Whether it’s better sleep, sharper focus, or stress support, we believe that small steps (and the right nutrients) can make a real difference.
Read on for our full Q&A with Dr. Molloy!
1. Burnout isn’t always obvious, especially when we care deeply about the work. What are some mental, emotional, or physical signs that someone might be burning out, like trouble focusing, poor sleep, or low energy?
First, let’s start with the basic definition of burnout. Burnout is a kind of physical, psychological, emotional, mental, and spiritual exhaustion typically brought about by prolonged stress. The effects of burnout are multifaceted and complex, and when it surfaces from particularly meaningful work, or work that feels like a calling, burnout moves from feeling of, “I don’t like what I’m doing anymore,” to “I don’t know who I am anymore.”
Signs of general burnout can include psychological paralysis, depression, anxiety, increased sick days, decreased motivation, and some shame. However, if work feels like a calling, it is all of these signs plus what social scientists call, “deep shame,” which includes a dissociation with life purpose, partnered with spiritual and relational burnout.
2. How can being deeply committed to a role actually increase the risk of burnout?
Research shows that those who identify their work as a calling have greater motivation and overall life satisfaction than their peers, can overcome economic shifts and organizational change better, and are major contributors to healthy and positive work climates. They are more resilient and can handle economic and organizational change better than their peers. They are willing to stick it out longer when things are hard, and they are often the ones leading others with a sense of perseverance and passion for the work they are doing.
So, why would a sense of calling in work lead to high risks of burnout? The data also shows there’s a dark side. When work feels deeply meaningful, with a kind of sacred responsibility, with opportunities to apply our passions and skill sets, and a clear sense of positively impacting others – it is much, much harder to say no. The reality is that more than any other peer group at work, those who feel called are also the most prone to workaholism, job idolization, organizational manipulation, and ultimately burnout.
3. What do you wish more people understood about burnout in purpose-driven careers? Any myths you’re constantly trying to bust?
We need to remember burnout is not a category. That’s one of the first things we can get wrong. Instead of thinking, “I am burned out,” or “I am not burned out,” a more helpful place to start would be to ask the question, “Where am I on the burnout spectrum?”
If you were to draw a line, with one end labeled, “healthy, meaningful work” and the other end labeled “burnout,” where would you place yourself today? Aim to find a weekly time to ask yourself this question and make adjustments before the impact gets too all-consuming.
4. When someone feels emotionally drained but still committed to their work, what are some ways they can recharge and feel like themselves again? Have you seen things like rest, movement, or nutrition play a helpful role?
Contrary to popular belief, we are not actually machines. Unlike varying approaches to “drive the car until the gas tank is 99% empty,” or “immediately pull over for gas when the car is at a quarter of a tank,” the same approach cannot actually be applied to ourselves.
Our bodies are telling us things. Our bodies are not the boss of us, nor are they irrelevant. Due to physical disability, injury, age, or social constraints, some of us don’t always get to choose what our bodies are able to do. But when it is possible, we should aim to live an integrative life, where we pay attention to what’s going on in our physical selves and recognize that our mental, emotional, and spiritual states are also deeply connected to our physical state.
One way we can practically do this is by implementing weekly, designated times of rest. It is hard to step away when we know we could help make things better. But it is in stepping away that we gain or regain perspective. It is in the intentional times of rest where we can reorient and refresh in a way that positively impacts our work. Physical rest can look like taking a nap on the couch or taking a walk in nature, adding some creative play to our day, or cooking a new, healthy meal.
If we are feeling time-starved, we can still choose to mark one day a week for mental, emotional, and spiritual rest. Aim to set aside the typical worries that occupy our minds, strategic thoughts of work, and even goals we are trying to achieve. For one day, set these aside and be in the moment.
5. Are there any small daily habits that you’ve seen help people stay grounded and avoid burnout? This could include mindset tools, physical routines, or even supportive supplements.
There are many immediate options we can start to incorporate into our daily and weekly lives. Two practices I’m currently implementing are microbreaks and margin moments.
Social scientists note that taking two 10–15-minute breaks, in our day – away from digital screens – can act like a reorienting nap. These microbreaks can look like taking a short walk, listening to music or a podcast, reading a book (not on your screen), sitting in nature, or talking with a friend. Try to schedule one between breakfast and lunch, and then another between lunch and dinner.
Second, identifying margin moments in our day is essential for our emotional and mental refueling. For example, the first 30 minutes of the day I make the conscious choice not to look at my phone. I don’t press any of the red dots (emails, texts, social media notifications) or read any content on my phone. During the day, I also choose not to go on my phone if I know I’ll be waiting 10 minutes or less between meetings.
Making use of margin moments has been a challenging and rewarding practice. It can feel awkward to start these habits. It isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely worth it!
6. What’s one thing leaders or managers could do to better support people who might be quietly burning out?
Great leaders see healthy communication as more than just a tool, but a way of life. We can learn a lot about what’s happening in the hearts and minds of others by paying attention to how they talk, what they say, and how they say it.
Communication is like a pulse check. Great leaders pay attention to how others are expressing themselves as it relates to work, life, and burnout. They create routine times to ask questions in a way that invites others to speak freely, offer different ideas, and gain clarity.
Great leaders also aim to model healthy boundaries and honor the different work capacities of the team. They find time to offer intentional feedback in a way that helps others feel supported and clear on their roles.
7. What’s something you wish more people said out loud about burnout that often gets left unsaid?
Pursuing healthy, meaningful work is an ongoing process. It is not a one-time experience. It is dynamic, changing over time. Part of this is related to the relational quality of purposeful work – we see and feel the impact of it on others.
There are certainly seasons where you have to push harder than others. But be wary that the season doesn’t become your whole life. One of the best ways to help stay ahead of the burnout is to take regular times of rest or pausing.
Rest and work are not separate. To work well, we must also rest well, which includes learning what actually feels like rest to us. For some, rest may be a time of physically slowing down, allowing for contemplation (e.g. a gentle walk in nature, yoga, getting a massage). For others, rest feels like play or creativity (e.g. painting, a day at the beach, dance class).
Rest is not a one-size fits all option. Take time to explore the way you rest best and consider rest an essential part of experiencing sustainable work.
Some excerpts were taken from Arianna Molloy’s book, Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work.
For more information, visit: ariannamolloy.com.
