Maxzene Engelbrecht Wellness Counsellor · 19 October 2026 · 1 min read
Year-end in South Africa can feel like running on fumes. You might be sleeping, but you never feel rested. That isn’t a personal failure.
What the WHO actually says
The World Health Organization’s ICD-11 describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon: the result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is not classified as a medical condition. The WHO names three dimensions:
Exhaustion: feelings of energy depletion that rest doesn’t fix.
Distance: feeling increasingly mentally distant from your job, or negative and cynical about it.
Reduced effectiveness: feeling less able to do your work well.
Small things that help
Notice which of the three you feel most. Naming it is a start.
Protect one boundary this week, such as a set time you log off.
Talk to someone you trust, or a professional, if it has lasted weeks.
Which of the three do you notice most? Send this to a colleague who’s running on empty.
This post is for education only. It is not therapy, a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. In crisis: SADAG 0800 567 567.
