The link between imposter syndrome and burnout

A key factor why Impostor Syndrome and burnout overlap is that Impostor Syndrome shows up in a similar way to the third dimension of burnout - the feeling of professional inefficacy.

When you are experiencing burnout, you never feel you are doing enough. You feel like the ineffective person on the team. This is very similar to the definition of imposter syndrome.

With IS, people develop tactics to compensate for or mask their impostorism, such as taking on too much work to win approval or avoiding promotion because they fear exposure.

Research shows GenZ workers are most likely to struggle with both imposter syndrome and burnout.

Junior staff that launched their careers during the pandemic were unable to observe colleagues in person and adjust to workplace dynamics. They did not receive moments of feedback and reassurance that are vital to building professional confidence. However, older generations are suffering too.

• On an individual level, imposter syndrome can be tackled by rewiring the brain's response to stress.
• Workers should be encouraged to build cognitive boundaries around their work.