A good explanation of this is the Job Demands Model of Burnout: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11920243_The_job_demands-resources_model_of_burnout/fil

A good explanation of this is the Job Demands Model of Burnout: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11920243_The_job_demands-resources_model_of_burnout/file/9fcfd5062e0a181c1d.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11920243_The_job_dem... In summary, you will suffer from burnout if you have high job demands (i.e. high workload) and low resources (i.e. support from management, etc.) Having suffered from severe burnout (and subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome), I can definitely say that boredom at work and lack of motivation in work is a large factor in triggering burnout. Emotional conflicts at home/work also contribute to burnout. In my case it was a combination of these factors that resulted in burnout/CFS. In my own case the burnout was actually useful, as it prompted me to leave boring crappy contract jobs and concentrate on building my own business.