12 Professions Most Prone to Burnout – How It Affects Mental Health, Relationships, and Family Life

Burnout can significantly affect not only professionals in their work environments but also in their personal lives, impacting their relationships, family dynamics, and overall well-being.

In my time working as a mental health professional, I’ve seen how burnout can seep into all areas of life.

Below are the top 12 professions most prone to burnout, including age examples to illustrate how burnout affects people at different life stages.

1. Chefs and Food Service Workers

Burnout Rate: 50-60%
Example: Sarah, 32, a chef in Melbourne, has worked in busy kitchens for a decade. After years of 12-hour shifts in high-pressure environments, she found herself emotionally detached. The long hours left her too exhausted to engage with her partner, causing strain in their relationship. Sarah noticed that her patience had worn thin, and her partner began to feel neglected as they spent less and less quality time together.

Burnout in chefs often creates challenges at home, where partners may take on more responsibilities, leading to resentment and emotional disconnect.

2. Teachers

Burnout Rate: 45-55%
Example: Fiona, 41, a high school teacher in Brisbane, has spent 15 years teaching and loves helping her students. However, as the demands of managing a classroom, grading, and administrative tasks grew, she found herself becoming short-tempered with her children and emotionally unavailable for her partner. Her once tight-knit family began to feel the strain of her constant exhaustion.

Teachers like Fiona often bring their work-related stress home, causing tension in family life, where partners and children may feel overlooked.

3. Veterinarians & Veterinary Nurses

Burnout Rate: 40-60%
Example: Josh, 38, a veterinarian in Sydney, has been practicing for over 14 years. Dealing with pet emergencies and euthanasia on a regular basis has worn him down emotionally. He began to withdraw from his wife and children, feeling numb after tough days at the clinic. Josh’s emotional detachment caused strain in his marriage, as his wife started feeling disconnected from him.

Veterinary professionals like Josh often experience emotional fatigue that spills over into family life, making it hard to engage emotionally with loved ones.

4. Doctors (Physicians)

Burnout Rate: 40-50%
Example: Dr. Sam, 45, is an emergency room doctor in Perth. After working 10-hour shifts, dealing with life-and-death situations, Sam would come home emotionally drained. His wife noticed that he no longer had the energy to engage with their two children, and over time, their communication suffered. Sam’s emotional and physical exhaustion left his family feeling unsupported.

Doctors like Sam often struggle to balance the high demands of their jobs with the emotional needs of their families, leading to relationship strain.

5. Mental Health Professionals (Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers)

Burnout Rate: 39-54%
Example: Olivia, 36, a social worker in Adelaide, spends her days listening to her clients’ traumatic stories. The weight of managing their emotional pain began to affect her own mental health. At home, her partner felt that Olivia had nothing left to give emotionally. Olivia’s burnout made it difficult for her to be present for her family, and over time, her relationship started to deteriorate.

Mental health professionals like Olivia are prone to compassion fatigue, which can lead to emotional numbness, affecting personal relationships and family dynamics.

6. Nurses (ICU and ER nurses in particular)

Burnout Rate: 30-50%
Example: Lucy, 29, is an ICU nurse in Melbourne. Working long, emotionally taxing shifts left her with little energy for her personal life. Lucy found herself disengaged from her partner, often falling asleep soon after returning home. Her partner began to feel neglected, and their relationship suffered as Lucy’s emotional availability dwindled.

Burnout in nurses often leads to emotional withdrawal, leaving partners and children feeling emotionally isolated and unsupported.

7. Air Traffic Controllers

Burnout Rate: 28-46%
Example: Michael, 43, an air traffic controller in Brisbane, faces intense pressure daily as he manages flight safety. After long shifts filled with high-stakes decisions, he comes home mentally exhausted. His partner noticed that Michael often appeared irritable and distant, which caused growing tension in their relationship.

Burnout among air traffic controllers often leads to irritability and emotional exhaustion, affecting their ability to maintain healthy personal relationships.

8. IT Professionals and Software Developers

Burnout Rate: 35-45%
Example: Emma, 34, a software developer in Sydney, finds herself constantly on call, working long hours to meet tight deadlines. The pressure to deliver, combined with the expectation to troubleshoot at all hours, left her emotionally drained. Emma’s relationship with her partner began to deteriorate as she prioritised work over their time together, creating tension in their home life.

Burnout in IT professionals often results in a work-life imbalance, where partners feel overlooked as the individual becomes consumed by their work.

9. Journalists

Burnout Rate: 35-45%
Example: Kate, 28, is a journalist in Canberra who regularly covers traumatic events. The emotional strain of reporting on tragedies, coupled with tight deadlines, left her feeling emotionally disconnected from her partner. Kate found it hard to be present at home, and her partner began to feel unsupported as she withdrew emotionally.

Burnout in journalists can lead to emotional detachment from loved ones, causing distance and misunderstandings in relationships.

10. Surgeons

Burnout Rate: 30-38%
Example: Dr. Ahmed, 50, a surgeon in Perth, spends long hours in the operating theatre. The immense responsibility of performing life-saving surgeries has left him emotionally and physically exhausted. At home, Dr. Ahmed’s partner felt neglected as he spent most of his time recovering from work. Over time, their relationship grew more distant as the stress of his job took a toll on their connection.

Burnout among surgeons can lead to emotional exhaustion that affects their ability to be present in their personal relationships.

11. Law Enforcement Officers

Burnout Rate: 30-40%
Example: Daniel, 39, a police officer in Sydney, regularly faces dangerous situations. The stress and trauma of his job caused him to emotionally withdraw from his partner and children. Daniel’s partner felt increasingly isolated as he struggled to communicate after difficult days at work.

Burnout in law enforcement officers often leads to emotional numbing, making it difficult for them to maintain close, supportive relationships with their families.

12. Firefighters

Burnout Rate: 30-40%
Example: Sarah, 35, a firefighter in Brisbane, has been responding to emergencies for over a decade. The physical and emotional toll of the job began to affect her relationship with her partner. Sarah’s partner noticed that after long shifts, she was too emotionally exhausted to engage, and the distance between them grew.

Burnout in firefighters often results in emotional fatigue, causing strain on their personal relationships as they struggle to balance the demands of the job with the needs of their loved ones.

Finding a Burnout-Trained Therapist

Burnout doesn’t just affect the individual—it impacts every aspect of their life, including their relationships, family dynamics, and overall well-being. Recognising the signs of burnout early and seeking help can make a significant difference.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about burnout therapy, we have a number of burnout-trained therapists who can help – give us a call on 1300 830 552 or send an email enquiry to be matched with a therapist near you.