3 Saints who knew how to handle burnout

Burnout might feel like a modern affliction — brought on by emails, deadlines, and digital overload — but the struggle to find rest and meaning in the face of exhaustion isn’t new. Long before the term was coined, saints grappled with the same human limits we face today: mental fatigue, emotional dryness, and the deep ache of feeling overwhelmed.

Here are three saints who didn’t just survive burnout — they found grace in the middle of it. Their stories offer more than inspiration: they offer a way through.

To the outside world, she seemed sheltered: a young Carmelite nun who never left her convent and died at just 24. But St. Thérèse experienced intense inner pressure to be perfect for God, to never fail in love or sacrifice. In her final year, as her tuberculosis worsened, she struggled with darkness, doubt, and spiritual dryness. She described feeling as though she were in “a tunnel with no light.”

Her response wasn’t to force more effort — but to fall deeper into trust. She wrote: “Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude.” Her “Little Way” — offering small actions with great love — emerged not from strength but from recognizing her limits.

Today, when burnout tempts us to push harder or shut down entirely, Thérèse reminds us that great things can begin with surrender, not striving.

Before his conversion, Ignatius was a soldier chasing glory. After a cannonball shattered his leg, he found himself immobilized — physically and spiritually. Later, while living in a cave and practicing severe penances, he pushed himself to extremes, fasting to the point of near death. He later admitted it was spiritual pride disguised as zeal.

Through that crisis, Ignatius discovered discernment: the need to listen carefully to what brings peace versus what depletes us. His famous Spiritual Exercises were born from a deep understanding of emotional burnout and the need to rest in God’s will, not our own ambition.

His advice is simple but revolutionary: Pay attention to what drains you and what brings joy. Not every good opportunity is your calling.

Labre tried — and failed — to join several religious orders. His health was poor, his personality didn’t quite fit monastic life, and his attempts left him discouraged and rootless. Instead of forcing a path that wasn’t his, he became a pilgrim, living simply and often sleeping in churches.

He was misunderstood, even pitied. But those who knew him saw a gentle, prayerful soul who had found peace living outside society’s definitions of success. Today, he might be labeled “unproductive” — but in the eyes of heaven, he was deeply fruitful.

Labre’s life tells us that sometimes burnout comes from forcing ourselves into roles we weren’t made for. His example invites us to honor our own unique path, even when it looks unusual.

A note about Benedict Joseph Labre: The future Benedict XVI was born on his birthday and thus had a special devotion to him, though admitting he is "one of the most unusual saints."

Burnout isn’t failure. These saints knew exhaustion. But they also knew how to listen — to their bodies, their hearts, and to God.

They remind us that burnout can be a turning point, not an endpoint. Not everything has to be fixed. Some things just need to be offered.