11 Things Gen X Calls Work Ethic That Are Actually Just Burnout
Pretty sure they'll just keeping plugging right alone anyway, though.
Inside Creative House / Shutterstock Gen X values their reputation for being independent and tough more than just about anything else. So it's natural that in their professional lives, they tend to value pragmatism, independence, and loyalty above all else. Sticking to these values often motivates them to go above and beyond for their employers, sometimes to the expense of their personal well-being. As they continue to work as hard as they ever did now that they are in the throws of middle age, there are several things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout.
Physically and emotionally drained from working too hard and being constantly on edge for so many decades now, Gen X workers are becoming more detached from their colleagues, career goals, and aspirations — the opposite of what they were originally trying to accomplish by working so hard.
These are 11 things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout
1. Doing your best work even with a cynical attitude
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According to the American Psychological Association, rates of burnout have been steadily increasing as more employees return to the office and navigate new kinds of workplace stress. From physical symptoms like exhaustion, fatigue, and headaches, to emotional and social ones like isolation, anxiety, and resentment, burnout doesn’t simply pop up overnight — it grows under the surface of a worker who not only fails to look out for their own well-being, but makes excuses to overwork themselves.
One of the things Gen X calls work ethic that is actually just burnout is a cynical attitude about the value of the work they’re doing — a “head down” approach to getting their work done that’s often fueled by subtle distaste and resentment.
According to Michael P. Leiter, a burnout expert and clinical psychologist highlighted by the APA, cynicism isn’t just a sign of burnout that’s overlooked, it’s one that affects different industries in unique ways.
“This kind of cynicism is powerful because it undermines the people’s feelings about the value of their work, which can help motivate them during hard times,” Leiter said, adding that “as demands increase, organizations need to focus on maintaining balance, taking things off the plate when they add something new.”
2. Pushing yourself to work even when you can't concentrate
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Many Gen Xers who value independence and hard work, view the inability to concentrate or focus as something they can individually overcome in the name of being a professional. When they’re driven toward procrastination, they don’t view as a symptom of burnout, but rather a casual product of their environment or a lack of discipline.
However, a study from the Canadian Psychology journal found that battling brain fog and fatigue that negatively affects concentration and focus is actually a symptom of burnout, not something that can be simply overcome by self-discipline or a great work ethic.
In order to truly focus, be more productive, and combat brain fog, Gen X workers have to not only treat their burnout with intentional rest, they have to acknowledge that it exists in the first place.
3. Doing the hard work even when you don't enjoy it
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According to experts from the Mayo Clinic, many employees battling burnout tend to grow detached from their colleagues and work tasks that have become too strenuous. It’s one of the many things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout — making excuses for why they’ve outgrown enjoying their work with phrases like “not everyone likes their job” or “you just have to get through the day, that’s life.”
True work ethic is simply about the values associated with doing good work — which is inherently impossible if you’re overlooking your physical, mental, and emotional health, and ignoring the signs of burnout with excuses.
4. Working even when you're irritable
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There’s a number of reasons why irritability and anger are hallmark symptoms of burnout, according to psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter. From the physical strains of being exhausted, not getting enough sleep, and being consistently overworked to feeling resentful of a bad boss or workplace situation, irritability simply stems from unrecognized and unaddressed stress and anxiety.
Even if we’re still making excuses and grinding through our overbearing work schedules, there’s no ignoring the physical and emotional toll it can take — manifesting as angry outbursts, irritability with co-workers, and even frustration and depression at home.
5. Working solo
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Many workers, regardless of their age, are struggling with finding their place at work, bonding with co-workers, and mediating the chronic stress associated with their workload. According to a Glassdoor survey, nearly a quarter of all workers feel lonely most of the time, with over 45% of Gen Zers specifically struggling with feeling heard and appreciated by their older colleagues and bosses.
However, this experience of disconnect and detachment isn’t always a regular symptom and occurrence that workers should assign to their work ethic. For example, overcoming this loneliness can feel impossible when you’re actually burnt out, despite being somewhat impressionable when you’re simply talking about work ethic and intentionality.
6. Not taking time off
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Ironically enough, many workers experiencing burnout in their jobs are too anxious to take time off — scared about the work and responsibilities they’ll come back to if they spend even a little bit of time on themselves. While this can be a product of a bad boss, a strenuous job, or a complicated industry, it’s clearly just feeding into a cycle of burnout for struggling employees.
Many of the things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout are incredibly misunderstood — crafted as positive endeavors and productivity by workplace norms that surely don’t look out for employees’ best interests.
By taking on guilt about not working hard enough or crafting goals simply around overworking ourselves for the betterment of employers, employees overlook their own personal needs — setting their boundaries, values, and goals on the back burner.
7. Working even when you're not motivated
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Having no motivation to work but still coming to the office, doing the job, and even overworking yourself with long hours and a bunch of responsibilities isn’t a true sign of great work ethic — you’re just putting yourself at risk to be exhausted and burnt out.
According to career expert Tim Denning, burnout symptoms are often similar to traditional signs of laziness — not having any motivation, growing less production, needing more rest, and even isolating from co-workers and avoiding social interactions — sparking feelings of embarrassment or guilt in struggling workers.
Rather than consider the ways in which they’re overlooking their own need for rest and breaks, they overwork themselves and make excuses for these symptoms to prove to their bosses that they’re “not lazy.” However, having no motivation at work because of burnout and finding ways to further stress yourself out by making yourself overcome it is one of the things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout.
8. Separating your personal identity from your work
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Many people experiencing burnout don’t even have the energy to invest in their personal time, identity, or relationships when they finally make it home from work, so it’s not entirely surprising that it’s easy for them to grow detached from that sense of personhood and humanity in the office. This detachment is one of the things Gen X calls work ethic that are actually just burnout — although they may try to make a case that their “head down, work hard” approach requires a kind of detachment from what makes them human.
Of course, great bosses, leaders, and peers never encourage their employees to overlook their own humanity for the sake of productivity, income, or work responsibilities. Instead, they use it to better structure restful routines, healthy connections, and knowledge around taking care of their well-being, rather than ignoring it.
9. Working hard even on little or no sleep
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If you have so much work or stress that you can't get in more than a few hours of sleep most nights, that can be an alarming sign of burnout, rather than an embodiment of a great work ethic. Of course, it’s important to work hard, work late, or be an overachiever from time-to-time, but the best, most productive, and healthy employees strike a balance.
They’re not overworking themselves so consistently that they can’t do anything but sleep when they’re home. They don’t wake up overly anxious about work in the morning or cut off relationships to make more time for hard work in the office.
10. Not wanting to waste time on getting feedback
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Even people with a strong work ethic feel occasionally uncomfortable or offended by feedback from their peers and bosses, but one of the signs of burnout that’s most overlooked is a consistent discomfort with feedback and constructive criticism. If you believe you’re doing everything you can — overworking yourself and spreading yourself thin for your job — only for your boss to want to 'waste your time' giving you what could really be valuable feedback, it could be a sign that you are truly burned out and overwhelmed.
If you have no more gas left in the tank, having someone suggest you could do something better — essentially adding to your workload, in a way — feels like a personal attack, even though it’s likely not intended to be. Not being willing to take the time to hear them out can cause more problems for you that those precious few minutes were worth.
11. Working so hard you can't keep up a normal routine
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From waking up without an alarm to having your morning coffee and maintaining a social life outside of work, slipping away from your normal routine because you’re too tired or focused on work should always be a red flag for employees.
While simply losing this routine can be a symptom of burnout itself — you’re too tired or anxious in the morning to brush your hair or sleep in — it can also feed into encroaching burnout, as people take more time to work in the office or late into the evenings.
While Gen X workers may be more likely to mislabel this phenomenon as a facet of their “work ethic” — a temporary shift in their routine to make up for missed work or to be productive during busy periods of the year — in reality, it’s just burnout.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.