You wake up feeling drained. Work feels like a slog. Every task seems pointless. You wonder: Am I burned out? Do I need a break? Or do I need a whole new career?

Burnout is real, and it can sneak up on you if you’re not careful. I’ve been there. I once pushed myself so hard that I ended up in the hospital. My toxic relationship with work nearly broke me, and I didn’t even realize it was happening at the time. So I know first-hand that it isn’t obvious to know if you’re heading towards a burnout. But I’ve also experienced career boredom that can feel like burning out. A lack of growth, autonomy, and purpose can be just as exhausting as overwork. And the way you fix boredom differs radically from how you heal burnout. Two distinct problems, with very different approaches to dealing with them.

So, how do you tell the difference?

Burnout vs. Boredom: What’s Actually Draining You?

Burnout and boredom look similar at first glance. Both leave you disengaged, exhausted, and frustrated. But their root causes (and their solutions!) are very different, so you need to understand which of the two problems you’re trying to solve for.

If You’re Burned Out, You Need to Rest and Recover.

Burnout results from chronic stress, too many demands, and too little control. If you’re burned out, you need to pause and heal before you can make meaningful career decisions.

Set Boundaries: If you can, cut back on excessive workload or unrealistic expectations.
Prioritize Recovery: Sleep, exercise, and rest aren’t luxuries but necessities.
Reassess Your Role: Is this a temporary overload, or is your job fundamentally unsustainable?

If You’re Bored, You Need to Reignite.

Boredom sets in when you’re not challenged enough, when you’ve outgrown your role but haven’t moved forward. If this is you, no amount of rest will fix it. Instead, you need to bring a new energy, face new challenges, and find new ways to engage.

Expand Your Role: Take on new projects, responsibilities, or skills to shake things up.
Shift Your Perspective: Could your job be more interesting with a new challenge or angle?
Create a Career Experiment: If you’re disengaged, test out small pivots—mentorship, speaking, learning a new skill—before making a major change.

The Bottom Line: Know What You Actually Need

If you’re burned out, you need rest, recovery, and better boundaries. If you’re bored, you need growth, challenge, and a new sense of purpose.

Misdiagnosing boredom as burnout leads to quitting too soon. Misdiagnosing burnout as boredom makes you push harder when what you actually need is a break, driving you even closer to full burnout.

The key is knowing what’s really behind your exhaustion, so you can take the proper next step.

Quotation that I’ve been pondering

You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression “work smarter, not harder”, but what if true innovation comes from stepping away from work altogether?

“The clever man may work smarter, not harder, they say, but the creative man doesn’t work at all.”

Alex Pang’s quote challenges us to rethink productivity. Creativity isn’t about grinding away; it’s about giving our minds the space to wander, connect ideas, and see what others miss.

When you allow your work to become play, amazing things can happen.

Journal prompt

“Do I feel overwhelmed by too many demands, or drained from a lack of challenge? What’s one tweak I could make to either recover or to re-engage?”

How I Can Help

When you’re ready to take control of your work life and make work something that works for you, I’ve got you covered! Here’s how I can help:

Join the free 5-Day Foundation-Building Challenge. Start building the essential pillars of your career foundation with this free, step-by-step challenge. It’s a great way to gain clarity, align your values, and take actionable steps toward meaningful change.
Book a Free Discovery Call. Let’s explore where you are, where you want to go, and how I can help you get there. This no-obligation call is the perfect first step to see if my coaching is the right fit for you.
Schedule a Career Strategy Call. Need focused guidance on a specific career challenge? Book a one-on-one coaching session, and let’s work through it together to create actionable solutions. I can help you get un-stuck!