The Charlotte burnout article we were almost too burned out to write
Work culture in the U.S. has gone through some major upheavals over a period of just five years, and a few new studies have pinpointed just how burned out many workers are feeling on the heels of that.
We’re more online and reachable than ever, many businesses are restructuring post-pandemic and significant economic fluctuations are just a few recent factors impacting today’s workforce.
A new study by Dnovo ranked Charlotte as the 4th-most burned-out city in the U.S., after Sacramento, Washington and Los Angeles.
That study, and several others, have pinpointed remote work as helpful in alleviating some of the experience of burnout — yet for plenty of other workers, doing their job remotely was never an option or the option has now been removed.
With remote work on their side or not, we wanted to know how Charlotteans across a range of professions experience and combat burnout in their own lives. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Tiya Caniel - visual artist
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
Yes, I do experience burnout at times. It can be difficult to detect sometimes because I love the work I do as a visual artist, and most of the time, it feels more like play than work. The truth is, my body and mind still become exhausted without consistent rest or breaks.
To manage my periods of burnout, I withdraw a bit by lessening my time in the studio and giving myself days off from obligations. During those times, I’m not taking meetings, only checking emails every couple of days, taking naps and taking time off from teaching art workshops and yoga classes. I take my time and move a lot slower, releasing the inner narratives I carry about the myth of urgency.
Are you able to create your own schedule/work remotely and if so, does the ability help you with burnout?
I do create my own work schedule, which allows me a lot of freedom to take time off whenever needed/desired. Being the boss of my own time definitely helps prevent burnout as long as I pay attention to the signs. It is easy to get into a habit of grinding and putting off rest for “another 30 minutes,” which inevitably turns into at least three more hours of work.
Jesse Elkins — MPH, Ph.D. candidate, business owner
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
I think workplace burnout is not black-and-white — I don’t think that you’re either “burned out” or “not burned out.” I think that it is a spectrum, and mild workplace burnout can be combated with other pieces of life that bring you joy, especially professionally.
For me, when I have workplace burnout in my main profession, I have Full Sun Fitness, where I get to host retreats and do personal training. That brings me so much joy and keeps me feeling creative and inspired. However, with more intense burnout, I don’t think you should combat it. I think it is a signal to take your energy elsewhere where you might thrive more.
Does the ability to work remotely help you with burnout?
Working from home has been the greatest professional gift I have ever received. My job is more project-based, and I work rather quickly, so that has allowed me a lot more autonomy in my life to do the things that I need and want to do day-to-day while still performing highly at work.
Kyo H. Nam - photographer, entrepreneur, author
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
When it comes to work burnout, I think taking a break is the best way to manage it. But at the same time, I’ve also found that pushing myself even harder and testing my limits can sometimes lead to growth and valuable experience. So for me, it usually comes down to choosing one of the two — either taking a full rest or going all in.
You own your own business and are able to create and manage your own schedule. Do you think that helps with your experience of burnout?
I’m not sure if having control over my schedule helps with burnout. Honestly, I feel like I experience it more when I’m managing everything on my own. And when my schedule is packed, I don’t really have time to feel burnt out. Ironically, I tend to feel it more when I have a balance — just enough work and just enough free time.
Ashley White - marketing director
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
When burnout creeps in, I pause and get honest with myself. I scale back where I can, prioritize movement that nourishes me and give myself permission to rest. It’s not about pushing through; it’s about recalibrating and listening to what my body and mind actually need.
Does the ability to work remotely help you with burnout?
The ability to work from home has brought a greater sense of balance and efficiency to my day. Without a daily commute, my mornings are more focused and less rushed, allowing me to start each day with clarity. The quiet of a home environment provides the space I need for deep, strategic work, and having my pets nearby adds a welcome sense of calm. It’s a setting that supports both productivity and well-being.
Chelsea Stallsmith - chief instructor and talent development lead
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
The hardest and most rewarding part about working in group fitness is making so many physical and emotional connections every day. I love the people I work with: the clients, the instructors, everyone, and it makes it hard to sometimes separate myself from work and find a balance of pouring back into myself. The most important thing I could do when feeling burnt out is to communicate to my support system at Barry’s and at home. I have a habit of bottling things up and dealing with it internally until someone reaches out to check in, and then I start to open up. … I also find getting out of my daily habits helps with feeling less burnt out.
Do you have the ability to work remotely? How does that impact your experience of burnout?
When I’m at home, sometimes I get locked in a mental space of accomplishing more and feeling productive. Since I work from home for part of my job (taking meetings with instructors and the leadership team, planning and preparing meeting materials, reviewing and discussing programs, etc.), I can feel anxious about not getting something done at all times. I find it hard to relax sometimes when I’m at home because I always think, “Could I be doing something that sets me or my team up for more success”? When I leave my house and go to the park to play pickleball or take my dog on a walk, all I think about in those moments are the tasks at hand.
Kathryn Keller - executive administrator
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
I go into the office twice a week and work remotely the other three days, and it’s honestly the best hybrid schedule. I look forward to in-office days, and it helps format a solid routine throughout the week. That in itself helps with burnout.
However, those two days when I sit in traffic (round trip almost two hours since I commute from Fort Mill), it is difficult. I also try to switch up what I am working on each day, when it’s applicable, to help with burnout.
Florin Beschea - associate professor
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
I think most important to keep burnout from getting to you is to have honest checks with yourself to make sure all is going according to how you want it to go in order to feel serene.
Give yourself down time (mandatory 15-30 minutes, no excuses). Then, say “no” more often, if that works for you. Keep work hours (I have mine in my signature). Don’t check emails evenings or weekends, if you can help it. I also happen to love my job, but it can still burn me out so I have to pay attention to all of this; besides, do a moving activity: yoga is my go-to. And do a hobby. Painting, plants, gardening, crochet or knitting, reading — [it] all helps.
If you had the ability to work remotely, do you think it would help you with burnout?
No, I think working remotely wouldn’t work for me because I have to be in the presence of people, students and colleagues. I feel I can get distracted more easily when I am on Zoom or at home, than I can when I am in class or in my office doing work.
Mallory Brinkman - yoga instructor, studio and social manager
Do you experience burnout, and how do you try to manage it?
For me, having a few avenues with work actually helps combat and avoid burnout … I can switch projects/clients and work on something that brings me a bit more joy! But there are days when it’s all too much, and shutting off notifications (huge for me since I work in social) and doing something I really enjoy and can focus on is my go-to.
I am a vinyl/record collector and absolutely love listening to music … Basically anything that allows my phone to be away from me will help me fight burnout. Also very intentionally spending time with my daughter is amazing for my well being, and it’s a goal to show her that you can be great and successful in work without it costing you your mental health.
Does the ability to work remotely help you with burnout?
Yes! It does. Just being able to walk outside or listen to music while I’m home is helpful. I also really live for my midday bath. If you’ve gotten an email or text from me between the hours of 11:30-2 I can assure you it was while I was taking a bath.
You said having a few avenues of work actually helps combat burnout. How do you manage that?In the beginning, I had way too many clients and was burning out hard and fast. Understanding that I didn’t need to say “yes” to everyone was a great lesson for me. My work was sloppier, too. “No” is a positive word, and once I understood that I began to shift my mindset around what freelancing looked like.
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