Stress and Burnout

Laurie Santos teaches psychology at Yale, and this podcast grew out of her course on the science of happiness. Episodes look at why so many of us do the opposite of what would make life better. Topics include loneliness, work-life balance, resilience and our habits with phones and screens. It is free on the major podcast apps.

Anne Helen Petersen wrote the books Can't Even and Out of Office and has written about burnout for years. In this essay she sees burnout at three levels: society, the workplace and the self. Her own way back meant finding things outside work to turn toward. This essay is free to read.

Emily Nagoski and her sister Amelia wrote Burnout together and call it the book they needed themselves. They write that what is in it may have saved Amelia's life, twice. Emily also writes a free email newsletter answering reader questions on burnout. Start here if you are tired in a way sleep does not fix.

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley collects science-based practices for a meaningful life on this free site. Stress resilience, mindfulness, compassion and gratitude are among its themes. Each practice is short and explained step by step, such as Finding Silver Linings for a bad day. You can browse by area, including the workplace.

This short fact sheet from the National Institute of Mental Health explains the difference between stress and anxiety. It lists everyday ways to cope, from exercise and sleep to reaching out to people who help. It also says when stress is a reason to talk to a professional. In a crisis, it points to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.