Study: When Will American Workers Burn Out in 2024?

We recently surveyed 3,000 American workers to pinpoint when the average worker succumbs to burnout. The surprising results are illustrated in the map below.

Key Findings

• Average Burnout Day for American Workers: The survey found that the average American worker reaches burnout by July 10th each year, just 191 days into the year.
• Variation Among Professions: Legal professionals experience burnout much earlier, by June 12th, due to long working hours. In contrast, real estate agents encounter burnout around August 22nd, potentially buoyed by the excitement of summer home sales and deal closures.
• Regional Differences: Workers in Vermont face burnout the earliest, by May 7th. On the other hand, Rhode Island workers reach this state much later, around September 17th.

Implications of the Study

• Redefining Work-Life Balance: The study highlights an urgent need for rethinking work-life balance in an age where digital connectivity makes workers perpetually available.
• Mental Health Concerns: The early onset of burnout signals a growing mental health crisis among workers, with potential long-term impacts on both individual well-being and overall workforce productivity.
• Awareness and Prevention Strategies: Increased awareness of the symptoms and early signs of burnout can lead to better prevention strategies in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of mental health days and work-life separation.
• Sector-Specific Strategies: Different burnout timelines across professions suggest the need for tailored approaches to manage work stress in various sectors.
• Geographical Influences: The regional variances in burnout times point towards the influence of local work cultures and lifestyles, suggesting that solutions may need to be customized based on geographical and cultural contexts.
• Importance of Productivity Tools: The study highlights the need for practical productivity tools and software to streamline work processes, reduce unnecessary stress, and simplify employee tasks. The right tools can significantly lessen the burden of administrative tasks, allowing workers to focus on meaningful work and potentially delay or prevent the onset of burnout.

Methodology

Online panel survey of 3,000 adults based on age, gender, and geography. Internal data sources are used to obtain population data sets. We used a two-step process to ensure representativeness through stratified sampling and post-stratification weighting.