Learn what burnout is and how to prevent it to set yourself up for a healthy work environment. Job burnout is a special type of work-related stress: a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. It is a very prevalent problem in the helping professions. Burnout isn't a medical diagnosis. Some experts think that other conditions, such as depression, are behind burnout. Some research suggests that many people who experience symptoms of job burnout don't believe their jobs are the main cause. Whatever the cause, job burnout can affect your physical and mental health. Learning what burnout is, how to spot the symptoms in yourself and in colleagues, knowing what to do to correct and prevent burnout and to set yourself and your colleagues up for healthy and happy work environments will make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and exhausted or feeling successful and blessed to be able to help others.