Data suggest career burnout is becoming a public health crisis

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A recent study compiled by Harvard University and Massachusetts medical organizations finds 95 percent of human resource leaders say burnout is sabotaging workplace retention, often because of overly heavy workloads.

The problem is especially acute in the health care fields. 

Burnout is a factor in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished sense of personal accomplishment. Those mental health problems can result in an increase in suicides, said Kansas City psychologist Dr. Linda Moore, an expert in professional burnout.

Moore authored the book Your Personal Stress Analysis. Symptoms of burnout are essentially the same, regardless of career, said Moore, who has seen a shift in corporate culture while on the lecture circuit.

"I encountered companies that created meditation rooms and exercise rooms for their employees," Moore said. "That sort of wellness thrust, in recent years, is picking back up again."

Moore believes it is important to find a life balance and to reduce time with electronics.

"We're also seeing a huge move toward learning to meditate, learning to take time out, getting off our devices, trying to unplug a little," Moore said. "Something is changing, hopefully."

Moore says she sees more people willing to back away from their jobs, or even change careers, to improve their mental health.