What often makes burnout so difficult is not simply the volume of work, but the meaning the work has acquired. When effort no longer feels connected to a worthwhile outcome, the hours become harder to tolerate. When progress never feels sufficient, or when the cost of your effort seems unseen, even manageable tasks can begin to feel pointless.

As long as someone is still considering every possible outcome, they do not have to risk choosing one. As long as they are refining the plan, they do not have to begin.