Graeme Cowan
I’ll never forget the morning I froze during a client presentation at Kearney, the global management consulting firm, where I was a vice president. Mid-sentence, my mind went completely blank.
I’d been putting on a mask each day, trying to be positive and to stay on top of everything. But that morning, I felt anxious and exhausted at the same time. The mask had finally cracked.
Here’s what I’ve learned since: it’s very difficult to care about your job when you’re severely burnt out. Burnout is real, but it’s not a character flaw. And it’s eminently solvable if you take small, consistent steps in the right direction.
Firstly, you’re far from alone. Gallup research shows only 14 per cent of Australian workers are truly engaged at work. The phenomenon has a name now – “quiet quitting” – but it’s really just disengagement.
Recent Wiley research reveals that 47 per cent of managers describe their work stress as severe, along with 36 per cent of employees. We’re running on empty. But here’s the critical thing: burnout is something both you and your manager contribute to – and both of you can help solve.
Why this is happening to you
You’ll spend roughly 90,000 hours of your life working. When those hours feel hollow, it affects everything – your health, your relationships, your sense of identity. There’s a performance paradox: you can still be hitting your KPIs, getting good reviews, looking successful, but you’re running on fumes.
Your disengagement is trying to tell you something. The question is: are you willing to listen?
This often happens when you’re not using your top five strengths each day. Disengagement also creeps in when you can’t be your authentic self at work, and when you don’t feel you’re growing with your team.
The gap between who you are and what your work demands creates that hollow feeling. Before you update your LinkedIn profile, try these three approaches.
Boost your mood: am I OK?
We’re often good at asking others this question but terrible at asking ourselves. Sometimes the job isn’t the problem – you’re depleted and need recovery, not a career change.
Start with one simple habit: for example, commit to a 15-minute walk each day. Mayo Clinic research shows a brisk 30-minute walk can improve our mood for up to 12 hours. American Psychological Association research shows that when leaders champion sustainable work practices, 91 per cent of employees are motivated to perform at their best, compared to just 38 per cent when leaders don’t.
Start with yourself. If you’re noticing deeper warning signs – sleep disruption, withdrawing from relationships, chronic cynicism – consider professional support.
Use your top five strengths
Gallup research shows people who use their top five strengths each day are six times more likely to be engaged at work, and 300 per cent more likely to report high life satisfaction.
Track your energy for one week. What tasks make you lose track of time? What drains you? Then talk with your manager: “I’ve noticed I’m most effective when doing X. Could we look at restructuring my role to include more of this?”
Can you delegate the 20 per cent of tasks that deplete you? Can you advocate for projects that play to your strengths?
Have the conversation you’re avoiding
Most disengagement comes from things we’re not saying – unexpressed needs, unclear expectations, unnecessary tensions. Consider three conversations:
- With your manager: “I’m noticing I’m less engaged than I want to be. Can we talk about what’s shifted?” This isn’t complaining—it’s career management.
- With yourself: Reflect honestly: what would need to change for you to feel energised again?
- With a trusted peer or mentor: Sometimes an outside perspective reveals patterns you can’t see.
If you can’t have these conversations safely in your workplace, that’s critical information. The culture may be the problem, not you.
Disengagement isn’t the end of your career story. It’s often the beginning of a more authentic chapter. Some people I’ve worked with discovered their role could evolve – three conversations later, they were re-engaged.
Others realised they’d outgrown the role, but these practices helped them exit cleverly. Still others discovered they weren’t disengaged from work – they were depleted as humans. Six months of self-care later, same job, different experience.
Your disengagement is trying to tell you something. The question is: are you willing to listen?
Start with one small step tomorrow.
Graeme Cowan is a leadership resilience and successful team speaker, Founding Board Director of R U OK?, and host of The Caring CEO podcast.
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