Workplace burnout is a challenge for far too many employees. It’s now officially recognized by the World Health Organization, and many studies have shown it to be on the increase for several years.

In our research, we’ve had two interesting findings related to burnout. First, remote work does not appear to be more associated with burnout. In fact, factors such as debilitating work commutes and dispiriting physical office environments can be much more challenging for sustaining engagement at work. Second, it can sometimes be more difficult for remote employees to identify that they are moving towards burnout. This is because of the merging of work and non-work environments. When there is a lack of delineation between the two, it can be more difficult to determine if work is the key factor at play or if other factors are more important.

All of this leads us to a truism that we mention often at BillionMinds – that for work to work, your life has to work. We have found that employees who start from a strong foundation of wellbeing, and ensure that work takes its proper place as part of a fulfilling broader life, are less prone to burnout and more likely to be sustainably effective in the workplace.