How to talk to your boss about burnout
Updated
Book a private 20-minute meeting, describe what's happening in work terms (what's slipping and why), and bring one or two specific changes you're asking for. You don't have to share health details: saying the workload is affecting your work is enough to start. Not sure it's burnout? Read about burnout at work.
What to do
- Prepare the facts. Write down your projects, your hours, and two or three concrete signs: missed deadlines, mistakes, evenings worked. Facts keep the talk about work, not about you.
- Name the cause. Pick the main driver: too much work, an unclear role, time pressure, or lack of support. Gallup lists these among the five main causes of burnout, and a manager can act on each of them.
- Bring a specific ask. Pause one project, move a deadline, get help on one task, or take a week off. One clear ask is easier to accept than a general wish for things to change.
- Choose the moment. Ask for a private slot early in the week, not right after a crisis or in a hallway. In writing: Can we take 20 minutes to talk about my workload?
- Agree on a check-in. End with what changes and a date to review, two to four weeks out. Send a short recap email the same day.
- Know the formal options. If you need time away, HR can explain leave and support programs. In the US, the Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for reasons that include a serious health condition; rules vary by state and country.
What to say
Say this at the start of the meeting:
Thanks for making time. I want to be upfront: for the last couple of months I've been stretched too thin, and it's starting to show in my work. I missed the deadline on the vendor review and I'm working most evenings. I'd like to pause the onboarding project for a month so I can get the core work back on track. Can we agree on that, and check in again in three weeks?
Avoid
- Opening with a long list of complaints instead of the impact and the ask.
- Blaming your boss or coworkers, when the topic is the workload, not people.
- Leaving the meeting without a next step and a date.
Questions
Should I use the word burnout?
You can, but you don't have to. Describing the impact on your work and the change you need is often clearer, and keeps the focus on what your boss can fix.
What if my boss dismisses it?
Put your request in a short email with the facts and the ask, so there is a record. If nothing changes, talk to HR or your boss's manager, and start looking at other options.
Is burnout a medical condition?
The WHO defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, and classifies it as an occupational phenomenon, not as a medical condition.