Latest / The Burnout Podcast with Fexingo: Workplace Exhaustion, Recovery, and Sustainable Careers / Burnout and the Loss of Your Workday Curiosity
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a moment in burnout that I don't think we talk about enough. It's when the questions stop. You used to ask why a process was failing, or what a customer was really trying to say, and suddenly you just... don't. Luna: Yes. You're running on empty so you just execute. You become a task robot. The curiosity just... evaporates. Lucas: And I think that's what we should dig into today. Because if you're listening and you recognise that feeling, it's not a personal failing. It's actually a documented psychological response to prolonged stress. And, luckily, it's also something you can rebuild. Luna: Before we go deep on that, I just want to say, if this conversation is hitting home — if you're in that fog and wondering if you're ever going to get your brain back — that's exactly why we do this show. The way it stays ad-free is listeners who find it useful, and if that's you, you can buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, it genuinely helps us keep doing this. And it's a small way to say this episode mattered to you. Luna: Exactly. And no pressure. Just, if you feel like it, that's the way. Lucas: Okay, so let's get into the loss of curiosity. The term I keep coming back to is learned helplessness. It was coined in the 1960s by Martin Seligman, and the classic experiment involved dogs who were given electric shocks they couldn't escape. After a while, they stopped trying to avoid the shocks, even when they could. Luna: That's brutal. But how does that translate to the office? Lucas: When you're chronically overwhelmed at work, every attempt you make to improve things — you suggest a better workflow, you ask a question in a meeting — and nothing changes, or you get shut down, or you just don't have the energy to follow through. Your brain learns that effort doesn't pay off. So you stop asking. Luna: It's like a protective mechanism. If you don't ask, you don't get disappointed. Lucas: Right. And then the curiosity goes silent. And that's what I want to focus on, because it's not just a side effect — it's a core symptom. There's actually a 2025 study from the University of Southern California that looked at this. They surveyed over 2,000 workers across industries, and they found that people with high burnout scores were significantly less likely to report curiosity at work. But here's the kicker: they also found that curiosity was one of the strongest predictors of engagement, even after controlling for workload. Luna: So it's like a chicken and egg thing. Burnout kills curiosity, but curiosity is what keeps you engaged. Lucas: Exactly. And the study suggested that curiosity is a skill you can rebuild, even in a stressful job. The researchers tested a simple intervention: they asked participants to set a weekly goal to ask one genuine question in a meeting or to a colleague — a question they didn't already know the answer to. After four weeks, those participants reported lower emotional exhaustion and higher job satisfaction, compared to a control group. Luna: One question a week. That's such a low bar. It almost feels too simple. Lucas: It is simple, but it's not easy. Because when you're burned out, even that one question feels like a mountain. You're so used to just trying to survive the week that stopping to ask 'why' feels like a luxury you can't afford. But that's exactly the point. That question is a small act of reclaiming your agency. Luna: I love that. It's like you're telling your brain, 'hey, we're not just a task machine anymore. We're curious again.' Lucas: And it doesn't have to be work-related either. I think there's something powerful about asking questions outside your domain. Like, you're in a meeting about quarterly numbers, and you ask, 'why did the customer churn rate spike in April?' That's a genuine question. But you could also ask your colleague, 'how did you approach that project?' Just to learn something. Luna: That's a good one. It's not about being the smartest person in the room. It's about being the most curious. Lucas: But let's be honest, it's hard to be curious when you're exhausted. So I want to talk about what actually happens in your brain when burnout sets in. There's research on this. Chronic stress affects the prefrontal cortex, which is the area responsible for flexible thinking and curiosity. It also impacts the hippocampus, which is involved in memory and learning. Luna: So it's not just psychological. It's physical. Your brain is literally changing. Lucas: Yeah. And that's why just 'trying harder' doesn't work. Your brain is in survival mode. But the good news is that the brain is plastic. By deliberately engaging in curiosity, even in small doses, you can start to build those neural pathways back. It's like a muscle. Luna: So what does that look like in practice? Like, if I'm a burned-out project manager, what's my tiny first step? Lucas: I'd say pick one recurring annoyance you have at work. Something that bugs you every week. And instead of just venting about it or ignoring it, ask yourself: 'why does this keep happening?' Then go find out the answer. Not to fix it — just to understand. Luna: That's great. Because you're not adding a new task to your to-do list. You're just satisfying your own curiosity, and that's a reward in itself. Lucas: Exactly. And you can start even smaller. There's a woman I read about, a customer service rep named Sarah, who was dealing with burnout. She told me that she started keeping a 'curiosity journal' at work. Every day she wrote down one thing she was curious about, even if it was something like 'why does the coffee machine always break on Mondays?' Luna: And did that help? Lucas: She said it reminded her that she was still a person with thoughts, not just a script. It was like a tiny rebellion against the monotony. And after a few weeks, she found herself actually asking questions in team meetings again — not to impress anyone, but because she was genuinely interested. Luna: I love that. It's like a gateway drug back to engagement. Lucas: Right. And that's the thing. Curiosity is not just a symptom of burnout — it's a potential cure. But we have to be careful not to pile on more pressure. If you're in the thick of burnout, the last thing you need is another self-improvement project. So the goal is to make curiosity feel like a treat, not a task. Luna: That's a key distinction. How do you do that? Lucas: You make it low-stakes. For example, when you're listening to a podcast or reading an article, jot down one question that comes to mind. You don't have to answer it. Just note it. That trains your brain to be in questioning mode without any performance pressure. Luna: That's like a mental stretch. You're not lifting weights, you're just touching your toes. Lucas: Exactly. And you can also try a 'curiosity swap' with a colleague. Instead of the usual 'how was your weekend?', ask 'what's something you've been wondering about lately?' That's not a work task, but it reconnects you to the act of wondering. Luna: That's a nice one. I might actually try that. Lucas: Now, I want to be clear. Rebuilding curiosity is not a substitute for addressing the root causes of burnout. If you're working 70-hour weeks with no support, no amount of curiosity journaling is going to fix that. But it can be a bridge to a better situation. It can remind you that you're capable of engaging with the world, and that can give you the energy to make bigger changes. Luna: So it's not a magic wand, but it's a step. Lucas: Right. And I think it's a step that's often overlooked. There's a lot of advice out there about setting boundaries, taking breaks, and managing energy. And all of that is important. But we rarely talk about the intellectual side of burnout. You don't just lose energy; you lose your spark. And that's worth paying attention to. Luna: Yeah. Because that spark is what makes work feel meaningful. Without it, you're just a cog. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what I want listeners to take away. If you're feeling that spark fade, it's not a sign of weakness. It's a normal response to an abnormal situation. But you can start to fan the flames again, one small question at a time. Luna: And you don't have to do it alone. Like, you can just start with yourself. Lucas: Yeah. So here's your homework, if you want it. This week, notice one moment where you have a genuine question at work — something you're actually curious about, no matter how trivial. And just let yourself linger on it for a minute. Don't push it away. That's it. Luna: I like that. It's a gentle start. Lucas: And if you do that, you're already on the path to reclaiming your curiosity. And maybe, just maybe, that's the first step to feeling like a human again at work.