Burning the candle at both ends, is an early 17th century French idiom (brusler la chandelle par les deux bouts) referring to a wasteful practice of candle use.  Over time the candle came to symbolize “one’s life force…too quickly, exhaust(ed)… by working too much,” (Grammarist, 2014).

The World Health Organization recently recognized workplace burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” (WHO, 2019).  During the Covid-19 pandemic, the chronic stress associated with workplace burnout has migrated from the office to the home.  A series of interviews conducted by Ware Malcomb revealed concerns about burnout and the need for remediation techniques to support the home-workforce. Consider these scenarios, hypothetical but grounded in recent events:

A recent study revealed that 75% of the U.S. workforce has experienced burnout, with 40% citing Covid-19 as a significant contributing factor, (Reynolds, 2020).

A suburban couple with school age children struggles to maintain their daily routine while working remotely in their mid-level jobs, managing online schoolwork and supporting an aging parent who lives with them. They find themselves working extended hours around the kids’ schedules and working harder to produce the same quality and quantity of output.

A recent college grad is living with two roommates in an urban apartment. Their common workspace is the kitchen table and the sofa. Their managers are supportive and mentoring, but there are still gaps in the workflow that result when team members await responses from team leaders. In addition, the roommates struggle with concerns about professional development, advancement and how much longer they can stand being cooped up in their place.

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