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Facing burnout: Is it about workload or misaligned motivators?

This blog post was written by Kay Vessey, Head of Talent and Learning, H&H Agency.

Burnout isn’t always caused by a weighty workload. Sometimes it’s the result of a mismatch between what drives a person and what their role demands.

Burnout is described by the World Health Orgnisation as: “…a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” In this sense it can leave people feeling constantly drained, stressed and overwhelmed. But it isn’t always down to having too much to do or facing tough demands. Sometimes a healthy level of pressure can be good for us – pushing us to grow and get things done.

So what if burnout isn’t about being under pressure but how well our work matches what drives us?

PRINT® helps reveal the deeper truth: burnout often begins when our Unconscious Motivators® – the core desires that fulfil and energise our Best Self – are out of sync with the work we’re doing.

When effort stays high, but energy runs low

Burnout doesn’t come on overnight, and you can’t always see it coming. It can creep in quietly: a dull fatigue, a lack of joy in things you used to find exciting or a growing sense that your work takes more from you than it gives back.

You may still be performing well, but the spark is gone. That’s often a sign your motivators aren’t being met. The real drain comes when your work no longer connects with what gives you purpose and energy – PRINT® helps uncover what that is.

Each of us is driven by unique Unconscious Motivators®, the internal, unconscious needs that fuel fulfilment and engagement. When these are nourished, we feel resilient and inspired. When they’re ignored, even a manageable workload can leave us depleted and disengaged.

The hidden cost of misalignment

Picture someone who is driven by achievement and impact. They love seeing results, but their role requires patience and process. No matter how competent they are, they’ll eventually feel frustrated or flat.

Or think of someone motivated by connection and belonging, working in isolation or with minimal human interaction. They’ll tire far faster than someone who finds solitude energising.

Then there’s the perfectionist motivator, those who need to get things right. In a culture that prizes speed over quality, their passion for excellence can turn into anxiety.

In all these cases, burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s feedback from the subconscious: “Something important to me isn’t being satisfied.”

When hard work isn’t the answer

When motivation dips, it can be tempting to work harder, and hope things will click back into place. Yet if what’s really missing is alignment, no amount of extra effort will fill that gap. You can’t outwork a mismatch between your motivators and your environment.

Someone who thrives on freedom will struggle under tight control. A person who craves order will feel on edge in constant chaos. You might even have a role that looks ideal on paper yet still feels off balance, because it doesn’t energise you.

That’s why burnout isn’t always a workload problem – it’s often an alignment problem.

How PRINT® shines a light on the real cause

PRINT® can be a useful tool for helping you look beneath the surface to see if there are any hidden causes of burnout. Instead of assuming the fix is rest, fewer hours, or a new job, PRINT® helps you ask a better question:

“Which of my motivators aren’t being met, and how can I realign them?”

By identifying your Unconscious Motivators®, you gain clarity about:

What gives you energy and meaning.
What drains you, even when you’re performing well.
How your environment supports or suppresses your Best Self.

That self-reflection and understanding could turn burnout into something you can influence and control.

Small shifts, big difference

Rebalancing doesn’t always require a major change. Often, it’s a few small, intentional tweaks that realign your work with what your Unconscious Motivators® need. PRINT’s Feel It, Do It, Think It lenses can help guide the right adjustments.

If you’re a ‘Feel It’ type

You’re driven by emotion, connection, appreciation and the desire for things to feel right. Burnout often appears when interactions become transactional, the environment feels tense, or you’re not experiencing warmth or recognition.

Try small shifts like:

Creating more genuine human moments. Deeper check-ins, collaborative work, or quick conversations that restore connection.
Protecting emotional balance: tidy your space, set gentle boundaries, or spend time with people who steady the tone.
Bringing meaning into your day by supporting others or choosing tasks that feel purposeful.

These small moments help refuel your sense of harmony, appreciation and emotional ease.

If you’re a ‘Do It’ type

You want to get things done quickly, efficiently and with minimal fuss. Burnout often creeps in when you feel blocked, slowed down by process, or unable to see the impact of your efforts.

Try small shifts like:

Breaking long-term goals into visible wins so you can see progress building.
Asking for a little more autonomy in how you deliver results – showing that independence boosts your output.
Taking on tasks that give you momentum: making decisions, solving problems, or clearing obstacles.

These adjustments reignite your pace, sense of impact and “let’s get this done” energy.

If you’re a ‘Think It’ type

You’re energised by clarity, structure, precision and getting the details right. Burnout often surfaces when things feel chaotic, ambiguous or rushed.

Try small shifts like:

Creating pockets of order – plan your day, organise your workflow, or map out the steps before starting.
Asking for clearer expectations or criteria so you’re not working in the grey.
Giving yourself something mentally engaging: research, analysis, or improving a process.

These shifts help restore the sense of control, logic and precision that fuels your Best Self.

These aren’t dramatic moves, but they reconnect you with what truly energises you. And for many people, that’s where recovery and resilience really begins.

From burnout to balance

PRINT® can’t erase stress or remove workloads. But it helps you understand where your stress may be coming from and respond to it intelligently.

When you know what your Best Self needs, you can spot the early warning signs before exhaustion takes hold. And if you’re already there, running on autopilot or losing enthusiasm, your motivators can guide you back to balance.

You don’t have to overhaul your job or yourself. You just need to realign how you work with what drives you.

If you’d like to hear from more real-world examples of how paying closer attention to your motivators can improve performance and teamwork, then head over to discoveryourprint.co.uk.