This post will explain exactly why you can love your job, and still burn out. You will also learn why people who work very rewarding jobs still leave even though they still love the work. Let’s dive in!
But before we get started, you might want to recap the workplace factors that cause burnout first. Part one is linked here, and part two here.
The real reasons why people leave jobs that they love
You might think that loving your job would be enough to protect you from burnout when work gets super stressful. You might also think that loving your job would be enough to stop you from leaving when things get tough.
The truth is that people don’t leave their jobs because they don’t enjoy the work. They also don’t leave because they don’t find the work satisfying. They leave because of these reasons:
The things that motivate people to stay in their job include:
Here’s the kicker. The things that motivate you at work (ie. the parts that make you love it) exist on a spectrum completely independently of the things that don’t.
What does this mean? Let’s break it down.
This means is that you can love your job, but still burn out in the presence of the reasons listed above. It also means that both love for your work and dissatisfaction with your work co-exist. That is to say, they are present at the same time.
The things listed above are described in the burnout literature as being like pebbles that grind people down. They can be tolerated, but only in small doses. Over time, the impact of these factors in the context of workplace stress can build up to outweigh the personal satisfaction and value you get from your work, and this can lead to burnout.
Furthermore, when you experience work stress and burnout, you’re more likely to leave your job- even if you love it.
Medicine as an example of a career where you can love the job, but still burn out
Let’s look at medicine as an example. Without a doubt the job itself is incredibly satisfying and rewarding. No doctor finishes a day of work without knowing they have made a positive impact to someone’s life (I know this because I am a doctor of 16 years myself now!).
But, this satisfaction alone is not enough to protect from burnout. It’s also not enough to stop clinicians leaving their jobs even if they love it. They might love spending time with patients, but it’s the working conditions that are driving them away. The list of things that cause doctors to become stressed is long. Things like rota issues, getting a parking space, IT access, getting your annual leave/study leave (in fact, getting any sort of break!), being forced to rotate and move geographical location every few months, very long hours, tough shifts… these are the things that eventually grind clinicians down to the point that they leave healthcare. According to a recent survey carried out by the UK’s medical regulator, 16% of doctors said they had taken hard steps to leave UK practice, compared with 7% in 2021. The reason? Burnout.
The example given above is specific to medicine, but burnout can happen in any job that is rewarding (but still stressful).
This includes jobs such as nursing, teaching, social work, caring, psychology, working for the emergency services and any public sector work. The list is not exhaustive.
What does this mean if you work a stressful job that you love?
Hopefully now you understand why you can love your job, but still burn out. Therefore, you cannot rely on loving your job alone to stop burnout.
It also means that you might end up leaving your job because of stress and burnout. Sadly this can happen even though you still love it.
To help protect yourself against this, here are your next steps:
- Familiarise yourself with the work factors that cause burnout (linked above, but you can also click here to get started!). Next, identify the things that are grinding you down at work.
- Then, see which pieces of advice, or exercises, linked in the previous post will help you to take control of your stress at work.
If you want to read more about the science behind this, then this article on “The Motivation-Hygiene Theory” is a great place to start.
I’d love to know- is loving your job enough when the work is stressful? What factors have affected your decision to leave a stressful job?