Issue 31: Dyslexic Burnout: An Occupational Therapist Perspective | Stephanie

Imagine finishing work every day feeling completely exhausted, even though your colleagues seem to have plenty of energy left for family, hobbies and socialising. You may start to wonder if you’re simply not coping as well as everyone else. For many dyslexic adults, this isn’t a lack of resilience. It’s the result of years of carrying an invisible cognitive load.

Understanding The Hidden Cost Of Dyslexia

Imagine finishing work every day feeling completely exhausted, even though your colleagues seem to have plenty of energy left for family, hobbies and socialising. You may start to wonder if you’re simply not coping as well as everyone else. For many dyslexic adults, this isn’t a lack of resilience. It’s the result of years of carrying an invisible cognitive load.

Although there is currently no formal definition of dyslexic burnout, I view it through an Occupational Therapy lens. Occupational Therapists consider how people spend their time across work, education, self-care, leisure, rest and sleep. We refer to these as occupations, which are the everyday activities that give our lives purpose and meaning. When one area begins to dominate, particularly when someone is expending significant mental energy simply to keep up with everyday demands, occupational balance can be disrupted. If this continues over time without adequate opportunities for recovery, it may contribute to burnout.

Qualitative research published in 2022 explored the employment experience of Australian adults with dyslexia using the Job Demands-Resources model of burnout. The research found that participants described constant cognitive effort, mental exhaustion, discrimination, limited workplace support and fatigue. Together, these factors increased their vulnerability to burnout. However, the study also highlighted that dyslexia does not have to be a barrier to success. When workplaces understand dyslexia and provide appropriate support, adults with dyslexia can thrive.

These findings align with the key principles of Occupational Therapy. Rather than focusing solely on the individual, we consider the interaction between the person, their environment and the occupations they perform. Burnout is rarely caused by one factor alone. It often develops when the demands placed on a person consistently exceed the resources available to support them.

When workplaces understand dyslexia and provide appropriate support, adults with dyslexia can thrive.

For many dyslexic adults, this may mean spending significantly more mental energy completing tasks that others take for granted. Reading lengthy reports, writing emails, organising workloads, remembering verbal instructions or masking difficulties throughout the working day all require additional cognitive effort. Over time, that hidden effort can reduce the energy available for other meaningful occupations, such as spending time with family, exercising, socialising or simply resting.

Dyslexia is far more than difficulties with reading and writing.

The more informed employers, educators, families and professionals are about dyslexia, the better they can support individuals to participate fully in everyday life. Dyslexia is far more than difficulties with reading and writing. Understanding both the person’s strengths and the areas they find challenging allows them to advocate for their needs, access reasonable adjustments and reduce unnecessary cognitive load. Supporting occupational balance in this way may help reduce the risk of burnout while enabling individuals to reach their full potential.

Looking back, I can now recognise that many of the challenges I experienced were not caused by dyslexia itself, but by the sustained effort of trying to meet expectations in environments that did not support the way I think and process information.

When Hidden Effort Becomes Burnout

Burnout rarely happens overnight.

Burnout rarely happens overnight. It often develops gradually, as the hidden effort of managing everyday demands begins to outweigh the time and energy available for recovery. From an Occupational Therapy perspective, the early signs are often seen in changes to a person’s occupational participation. Activities that once brought enjoyment, connection or rest gradually become more difficult to engage in, and energy becomes increasingly consumed by the demands of work and everyday life.

You may notice these changes in yourself or in someone you care about. Perhaps there is no longer enough energy to cook after work, hobbies that once brought enjoyment are abandoned, social plans are cancelled, household tasks begin to pile up, patience with others becomes shorter, or the motivation to exercise disappears. As Occupational Therapists, we are interested in much more than a person’s ability to work. We also consider whether they have the time and energy to participate in the occupations that give life meaning. When burnout develops, these meaningful occupations are often the first to disappear.

The signs of burnout are not only seen in the occupations people stop doing. They are also reflected in physical, cognitive and emotional well-being. People may report fatigue that is not relieved by rest, frequent headaches and muscle tension, poor sleep and feeling completely drained after what others may consider an ordinary working day. This is not because they are less capable. It is often the result of the brain working harder to compensate throughout the day. The sustained cognitive effort required to read, write, organise information, remember instructions and monitor mistakes places significant demands on both the mind and the body.

Cognitively, burnout may present as brain fog, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, slower processing, increased spelling or reading errors and difficulties making decisions. Some may worry that their dyslexia is getting worse. In reality, burnout can reduce the cognitive resources available to compensate for dyslexic difficulties, making everyday tasks feel more challenging than usual.

The emotional impact should not be overlooked. Irritability, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed and loss of confidence are common experiences. Years of masking difficulties, striving to meet expectations and fearing mistakes can create a significant emotional burden. Over time, constantly compensating for hidden challenges can become as exhausting as the practical demands themselves.

Over time, constantly compensating for hidden challenges can become as exhausting as the practical demands themselves.

From an Occupational Therapy perspective, these signs are not viewed in isolation. They are indicators that the balance between a person’s ability, the demands of their environment and the occupations they need and want to do may no longer be sustainable. Recognising these signs creates an opportunity to make changes before burnout becomes overwhelming.

Protecting Yourself from Dyslexic Burnout

Although burnout can feel overwhelming, it is not inevitable. Many of the factors that contribute to dyslexic burnout can be reduced through greater self-awareness, supportive environments and practical adaptations. Occupational Therapists recognise that improving wellbeing is not about asking people to work harder. It is about finding ways to reduce unnecessary cognitive effort, protect energy and create a better balance between occupations that are essential for daily life and those that bring purpose, enjoyment and rest.

The first step is recognising that energy is a limited resource. Dyslexic adults often expend considerably more mental effort completing everyday tasks than others realise. Becoming aware of what drains your energy and what helps restore it allows you to make informed choices about how you structure your day.

Occupational balance looks different for everyone, but we all need opportunities to engage in occupations that restore our energy as well as those that demand it. Work should not consume all our available energy. Take time to reflect on which tasks require the greatest mental effort and identify the times of day when your concentration is at its best. Remember that nobody performs at 100% all day. What your best looks like on a Monday may be very different from what it looks like on a Friday. Building regular breaks into your day, particularly opportunities to move your body, rest your mind or step away from cognitively demanding tasks, can help protect your wellbeing.