At the end of May, the World Health Organization declared burnout is now a legitimate medical diagnosis. Doctors can diagnose someone with burnout if they meet the following symptoms:
1. feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
2. increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
3. reduced professional efficacy

Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long. I’m convinced Anne Helen Petersen said it best in her BuzzFeed article, “It’s not a temporary affliction: It’s the millennial condition. It’s our base temperature. It’s our background music. It’s the way things are. It’s our lives.” And, I will add that many people own this suffering is if it is a badge of honor—an essential part of the proof that we gave it our all.

If you have ever felt burnout, you know you have given it your all but at what price? The price paid was a blow to your health. Was it disease or sickness? Was it mental or physical, or both? The control of work-life balance resides with you. A glass of water can only hold so much; continuing to pour more water into an already filled glass will only result in a big mess. What does your glass look like?

With Gratitude,
Beth