Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion typically brought on by chronic stress in the workplace. Burnout has three features: Exhaustion: feeling emotionally drained, fatigued, and overwhelmed Cynicism: psychological distancing and a negative outlook towards your role, colleagues, and/or the person/people you are caring for. Inefficacy: reduced feelings of personal accomplishment and reduced performance. Many studies have found that burnout and depression are highly related and the two share symptoms, such as fatigue or loss of energy, sleep problems, and difficulty with thinking, concentrating, or making decisions. You may find it difficult to determine whether you are burnt out or if you are experiencing clinical depression, also called a major depressive episode.