A shaky job market, distressing headlines, being asked to do more with less — these are a few factors contributing to a rising sense of burnout and chaos fatigue (i.e., the mental and emotional stress caused by the relentless pace of turbulent world events) among professionals.
In a recent Glassdoor Community poll, we asked, “Do you feel like events in the news are draining your energy at work?” An overwhelming (and overwhelmed) majority — 78% of professionals — said yes.
- The writing was on the wall: Our recent data shows that reviews mentioning burnout have increased 32% year-over-year as of Q1 2025.
Why it matters: How we feel inevitably impacts how we work. In a separate poll, 64% of professionals said that their productivity was affected by the tidal wave of breaking news, with 34% answering “yes, constantly.”
When your work world shifts, having the right tools to adapt becomes essential. We tapped Adam Grant, Glassdoor’s Chief Worklife Expert, for advice.
How to deal: If you're struggling to cope with "chaos fatigue," Grant offers some solid strategies to avoid emotional spiraling. While many have a to-do list, he suggests trying a to-don’t list — keeping a tally of behaviors to avoid.
His three don’ts:
- Avoid doomscrolling.
- Don’t watch TV aimlessly.
- Avoid engaging with the news multiple times a day.
In addition, he suggests two approaches for emotional regulation:
- Distraction - shifting your attention to small wins and silver linings
- Reframing - shifting your perspective on the chaos and challenges that you’re facing.
Turning to one’s manager for guidance on how to avoid burnout may be helpful, too, Grant suggests. “Seeking advice is one of the easiest ways to turn a manager into your advocate.”
What managers can do: Burnout is personal, but it has deep professional and organizational implications.
“Too many leaders treat burnout as a personal issue to manage instead of an organizational problem to solve. If multiple people are exhausted, it’s not in their heads — it’s in your culture and structure.”
- Adam Grant
His advice for those who want to build a healthy company culture amidst the chaos:
- Reduce demands. Stop burdening people with overwhelming workloads, unrealistic expectations, conflicting roles, and unclear responsibilities.
- Increase control. Give people the skills they need to handle challenges—and the permission they need to set boundaries and take breaks.
- Create psychological safety. If people can’t talk about burnout, you can’t prevent burnout.
One more thing: Not all company cultures are created equal. If you’re a job seeker (or joy seeker) in pursuit of a better worklife, we’ve compiled our top 10 best-rated companies for great work-life balance, selected from our 2025 Best Places to Work list. Check them out.