Burnout is not simple fatigue: it is deep psychological distress linked to work, spreading in Morocco as elsewhere.
Understanding Burnout
Burnout is a syndrome of professional exhaustion, recognized by the WHO as a phenomenon related to work. It involves three dimensions:
- Emotional exhaustion
- Depersonalization(distance or cynicism toward work)
- Reduced personal accomplishment
It results from chronic stress, often due to excessive workload, toxic environments, or unrealistic expectations.
Some Figures
- In Europe, 50 to 60%of work absences are linked to occupational stress.
- Burnout costs 3–4% of GDPin industrialized countries.
- In Morocco, 43% of womenreport severe fatigue tied to the double burden of work and family.
Signs and Consequences
Common symptoms include: sleep disorders, anxiety, physical pain, loss of motivation and meaning, isolation, guilt. Work, meant to provide identity and security, turns into a source of suffering.
What Can Be Done?
Recognizing signals (persistent fatigue, irritability, loss of purpose, guilt), speaking out, and seeking help are essential. Managers must also be trained to prevent, listen, and support. Professional mental health care helps gradually restore balance.
Voices from the Field: 6 Real Stories
Laila — Exhaustion Behind the Mask of Success
An engineer and executive, Laila wanted to excel everywhere: at work, at home, in others’ eyes. But self-demand and midnight emails isolated her. Her marriage faltered, her daughters felt neglected. With a psychologist, she learned to say no, to delegate, to breathe. Today, she moves step by step toward recovery.
Sami — The Project Manager Who Collapsed
Sami, 39, an engineer in a bank, juggled multiple projects with no support. Chronic fatigue, eating disorders, and insomnia led him to collapse. After a leave and therapy, he learned to set limits, though the journey remains incomplete.
Dina — The Young Engineer Humiliated
At 30, Dina endured an authoritarian, harsh boss. Every call triggered paralyzing panic. With no support, she quit abruptly, losing her rights. Therapy helped her rebuild and redirect her career.
Imane — The Silent Burnout Behind the Screen
A bank employee, Imane worked in the shadows, with no recognition or prospects. Monotony, neck pain, repeated sick leaves led to sanctions and isolation. Therapy and an internal transfer allowed her to restart, though bitterness lingers.
Manal — When Success Becomes a Trap
An HR manager in a multinational, Manal piled on responsibilities, travel, performance. Physical troubles, isolation, and marital collapse forced her to quit. She found another job and is rebuilding balance: “You never fully heal from burnout, you learn to live with it.”
Aya — The Perfectionist Who Fell
A finance director and young mother, Aya worked relentlessly, at the cost of insomnia, migraines, anemia. Consumed by guilt and pushed to return too quickly, she collapsed. With family support and therapy, she left her company to freelance. Today, she learns to delegate and breathe.
Conclusion
Burnout is a silent scourge that destroys personal and professional lives. Yet these stories show recovery is possible through therapy, boundary-setting, and sometimes radical career shifts. Prevention, both individual and organizational, remains key to ensuring work does not deplete the human being.