Exploring the Many Meanings of “Burn In” and Why It Belongs to Everyone
by Michelle LukenWe’re all familiar with the concept of burnout - that deep, draining sense of depletion that comes from prolonged stress or misalignment. But, another concept has become increasingly used across disciplines: burn in.
Unlike burnout, which signals collapse, burn in is a term used to describe everything from the quiet strain that precedes burnout to the intentional practices that help us stay grounded, purposeful, and well.
Over the years, burn in has surfaced again and again - in articles, books, podcasts, clinical discussions, academic research, and professional development circles. The term carries multiple meanings, shaped by context, profession, and personal perspective. This broad and evolving use is a reminder that burn in is not just one idea. It’s a concept that belongs to the larger collective conversation around well-being, sustainability, and human potential.
From Burnout to Burn In: Shifting the Frame
In many spaces, burn in is offered as a companion to or reframing of burnout - an invitation to turn inward and reconnect with what sustains us:
In 2012, Dr. Roger Ladouceur, writing for Canadian Family Physician, notes that “a family physician who is experiencing feelings of exhaustion... should first ask himself what internal changes could be made.” He calls this reflective process “burn in.”
In the Journal of Medicine, two physicians describe how healthcare workers can “burn in, not burn out” by cultivating purpose and aligned action in their work.
A 2023 article on Call Centre Helper encourages organizations to focus on “burn-in” as a proactive practice of energy replenishment and stress mitigation.
In these interpretations, burn in is not a clinical diagnosis - it’s a metaphor for what it looks like to stay lit from within, even amidst challenge.
The Flicker Before the Flame Fades
Others describe burn in as the phase that comes just before burnout. A kind of hidden strain where outward productivity remains high, but inner reserves begin to fade:
Executive coach Annika Burke wrote about burn in as “the steady state before burn-out” - a time when we’re running on fumes but still keeping up appearances.
In a powerful reflection titled “Burn-In Before Burnout,” neuroscience-informed performance coach John (JT) Winston shares how burn in shows up subtly through shifts in physiology, motivation, and sleep, often masked by ambition or drive.
French author Monica Medeiros-Bouvier describes burn in as “the prelude to burnout,” marked by gradual fatigue, emotional dysregulation, and loss of meaning at work.
These insights help illuminate what many of us feel but may not name: a kind of slow burn, where we’re still functioning but not truly flourishing.
A Widely Used Phrase with Many Messengers
Burn in isn’t limited to any one industry. It’s a term that has been explored by teachers, therapists, healthcare professionals, executive coaches, researchers, and writers across the globe:
A 2022 article urges readers to “talk about teacher burn in” rather than focusing solely on burnout, encouraging systemic changes in how educators are supported.
The podcast Burn Out or Burn In, hosted by Sally Clarke, explores what sustainable leadership looks like from within.
Even academic institutions like the University of Pennsylvania have used the term in research. One example is “Burned-In, Not Burned Out,” which examines how urban educators sustain their work by shifting mindsets and anchoring to core values.
This collective use of burn in across disciplines, geographies, and professions reflects how deeply embedded the concept has become.
Beyond Wellness: Burn In as a Systems Perspective
Interestingly, the term burn in also exists in fields far removed from wellness:
In engineering, a “burn-in test” involves running a system at full capacity to uncover potential failures.
In sports and performance science, burn in can describe the physiological tipping point when the body is no longer adapting but merely coping - concepts explored in depth in Winston’s “Burn-In Before Burnout” post.
A 2021 article in Physics Today titled “The Physics of Burn-In and Burnout” applied the terms to both systems science and human behavior.
Across platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, YouTube, and academic journals, the phrase burn in continues to show up in a wide range of ways. It’s been used in published books, blog articles, and personal reflections, suggesting that burn in is not just a catchy slogan. It’s a term that has carried meaning in a variety of contexts since 2012, if not earlier.
Our Interpretation of Burn In
Given its widespread use, we recognize we’re not the first - and certainly not the only - ones to use this language. However, as occupational therapists, we view burn in through a unique and truly holistic lens.
At Embers, we believe that to burn in is to align - with intention - with who we are (being), what we do (doing), and who and what we are connected to (belonging).
We use the metaphor of fire to represent the extent of that alignment. When our flame is big and bright, we are strongly aligned - in being, doing, and belonging - with what matters to us. We are burning in.
When our flame is small, dim, and flickering, we are out of alignment and at risk of burning out.
Burn In, Not Out: An Invitation
We offer this interpretation of the burn in concept, while celebrating the many voices that are helping evolve the conversation. Because when more people name what’s happening within them, the closer we all get to healing, thriving, and living our most authentic lives.
So let’s keep tending the fire - together.
Burn in, not out.