We often talk about burnout as though it’s simply a matter of working too hard — take a holiday, switch off your phone, get some sleep and come back refreshed. But what happens when the reason you can’t switch off is bigger than your workload? What happens when your salary is paying the rent, the bond, groceries, petrol, electricity, school fees and debt — and the idea of leaving an unhealthy workplace is simply not financially possible? A recent report highlighted just how trapped many South Africans feel. A SADAG employee survey of 963 people found that 75% struggled to stop thinking about work when they were off duty, while 61% said they wanted to leave their jobs but couldn’t afford to. Four in ten were also worried about losing their jobs. So, are we looking at a burnout crisis that is no longer just about the workplace, but about the cost of surviving in South Africa? Are
people working longer hours, answering WhatsApps after hours and checking emails on weekends simply because they are terrified of what happens if that income disappears? And at what point does
being financially secure come at the expense of your mental and physical wellbeing? Today, we want to ask: Are South Africans running on empty because our workplaces demand too much — or because the cost of living leaves us with no choice but to keep going?