Print this page The Holiday Didn't Fix It! Rethinking Burnout

You took the break. You switched off. Maybe you even came back feeling better. So why, a few weeks later, are you tired, frustrated and wondering how you ended up here again? You're not alone. Across Sydney, in offices, shops, hospitals and schools, many of us feel the same way. Burnout rarely happens overnight. It builds slowly when the demands of work become greater than the energy, time and support we have. We try harder, get more organised or tell ourselves to be more resilient. But what if the problem isn't just you?

In this relaxed, friendly short course, you'll join people from various backgrounds and types of work to take a fresh look at burnout. Using a simple Me, We and Us approach, we'll explore what we can change ourselves, what happens between people and teams, and how workplaces shape our wellbeing. Through open conversations, shared stories and practical tools, you'll learn to spot the signs of burnout, understand the pressures in your own working life and find realistic ways forward. This isn't about coping better with too much. It's about letting go of self-blame and finding a healthier, more balanced way to work, together.

DELIVERY MODE

Online

COURSE OUTLINE

• When rest isn't enough – Why we can take a break, feel better and quickly find ourselves depleted again.
• How burnout creeps up on us – Understanding exhaustion, growing cynicism or disconnection from work, and changes in our sense of effectiveness.
• Beyond “just be more resilient” – Exploring why burnout is not simply an individual coping problem and how working conditions can contribute.
• ME: Understanding my experience – Recognising personal warning signs, pressures, resources, values and what is within our influence.
• WE: The people around us – Exploring how relationships, support, communication, belonging and team culture can increase or reduce pressure.
• US: The system we work within – Looking at workload, autonomy, resources, expectations, workplace culture and organisational conditions.
• Finding the levers for change – Separating what we can control, influence, negotiate or raise with others from what we cannot solve alone.
• Working differently, not just harder – Identifying realistic actions that support a healthier and more sustainable relationship with work.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Recognise common signs of burnout and understand how burnout can develop gradually over time.
• Identify workplace demands and resources that can contribute to or protect against burnout.
• Explore burnout through a Me–We–Us lens, considering individual, interpersonal and organisational influences on wellbeing.
• Distinguish between what they can control, influence or raise with others, reducing the expectation that individuals should solve workplace problems alone.
• Identify realistic opportunities for change that can support a healthier and more sustainable relationship with work.