Distribution of Human Activity and Professional Burnout

This article presents the results of a study of the relationship between areas of human activity and indicators of professional burnout. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the consideration of human activity as a task of distributing strength and attention throughout the day. The advantages of analysis within the direction of human activity are shown in comparison with analysis by spheres of life, reflected in the “wheel of life balance” by P. Mayer. The field for choosing a person’s activity is set in the following areas: work, family, friends, self-occupation, hobbies, social, sleep, rest, household chores. On this basis, a questionnaire of 11 questions was developed that revealed the specifics of a person’s activity throughout the day (week). To assess the severity of professional burnout, K. Maslach’s method was used. Using correlation analysis, based on data from 45 respondents, the relationships between areas of human activity and scales describing professional burnout were determined. Of the areas of activity considered, the study identified three types associated with professional burnout: activities that contribute to professional burnout, activities that level professional burnout, and activities of an ambivalent nature. The identified relationships illustrate the ambiguity of the results of a person’s expenditure of energy and can help in resolving issues with planning time and effort during the working day to maintain high working efficiency.