Chronic Fatigue or Burnout: What's the Difference

You wake up drained, by noon you're already spent, by evening there's nothing left for anything. Rest doesn't help, weekends go to sleep, and on Monday it all comes back. A familiar state — and the first question worth asking yourself: is this fatigue or already burnout?

The difference isn't in the words. Fatigue and burnout require different actions: in one case rest and routine help, in the other — a revision of the whole structure of life and often professional help.

There's also a third possibility: the cause may be physical. Constant weakness can be a consequence of sleep deprivation, nutrition, and sometimes conditions that a doctor identifies. It's reasonable to start there if fatigue has lasted for months.