Burnout

Burnout is defined as a syndrome of chronic exhaustion and a cynical attitude towards work that is caused by one's professional life. Examining what causes job burnout is crucial for the prevention of the syndrome and its consequences – including impaired well-being, job performance, and productivity. The study of personality is relevant in this area of research, because personality has been consistently related to burnout. Beyond the objective nature of the work, employees tend to perceive the work environment favorably or unfavorably depending on their personality characteristics. Personality factors also interact with job demands and resources in predicting burnout. Recent research has indicated that burnout symptoms may vary from day to day, depending on the prevalence of daily work characteristics and daily emotional states. This opens the door to new research that sheds light on the process of burnout, and on possible interventions that may prevent burnout.