Burnout isn’t new — 18th-century farm records show workers describing the same exhaustion

George Morland’s The Labourer’s Rest depicts the daily rhythms of rural labour in 18th-century England. (Artvee) Burnout isn’t new — 18th‑century farm records show workers describing the same exhaustion Published: July 19, 2026 10.23am EDT Share article Print article Nearly 40 per cent of Canadian workers say they feel burnt out often or always, according to a 2025 survey by Mental Health Research Canada and Canada Life. The term has become part of a broader lexicon of modern work, alongside quiet quitting, hustle culture and grindset and “taskmasking.” But burnout is older than this curre…