As someone about a year into a sabbatical to recover from burnout, I tend to agree.
I had a series of expectations about the role of the break I was about to take, and how it would serve as a recharge to enable me to jump back in. Instead, it’s been a gradual process of waking up to the systemic reasons that led to the burnout, many of which had nothing to do with the (legitimately stressful) work environment I was in.
It’s hard to summarize this in a comment, and I’m currently working on an outline for an extensive series of blog posts exploring these realizations in depth. But a few of the big things were (and I should emphasize that the following points just scratch the surface):
1. I am not my thoughts or feelings. It’s surprising how far this one will take you
2. If work is your support system, your life exists on shaky ground
3. Personal struggles become work struggles and vice versa. You can’t draw a clean box around grief and loss, or pretend that work stress can stay at work
4. There were major gaps in my life in terms of social connections, time spent in nature, finding artistic outlets, etc.
5. Focusing on real self-care/improvement as one’s primary purpose in life open doors internally and externally
As I transition back to work, it won’t involve picking up where I left off, but something completely different and oriented around these deeper realizations about myself and helping other people find the same insights for themselves.
These things are nearly impossible to see while in the midst of a burnout state.