I'm completely burned out from my job right now and looking for books that deal with this topic. Not necessarily just non-fiction - I'm open to novels too, where you can see yourself in the story. What have you guys read lately that actually helped you?
What really helped me wasn't so much a specific book, but more like having a routine of doing something with my hands - it's a good distraction and at the same time helps clear your head. To your recommendations: "Burnout" by Kristina Hänel is very concrete and not overly dry in the psychological sense, and if you're looking for a novel, "Die Mittagsfrau" by Julia Franck could be interesting, it deals with exhaustion and loss of self. But honestly, it's also worth looking for a therapist in parallel with reading a book, or at least talking to your GP - sometimes it takes more than just reading to really get out of it.
I know that feeling when you just can't anymore. With me it wasn't directly because of a job, but I had a phase where I constantly felt overwhelmed and noticeably went downhill. What helped me back then weren't so much the classic self-help books, but rather stuff where I recognized myself as a person. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl is relatively short and not hard to read - it's less about burnout management and more about finding meaning, but that was personally liberating for me. And honestly, a good book just to switch off also helped, not necessarily one about the problem itself.
If you want something more practical, I've heard that a lot of people do well with "Burnout - The Cost of Living" by Matthias Burisch, but I have no idea how current that still is. As for novels, I can't really tell you much there, I honestly had to pass on that one - it probably depends on what direction your taste goes. But what I think is important: also pay attention to whether you actually need a book right now or more of a break. Sometimes reading itself becomes pressure when you're already this exhausted.
For me, it wasn't really one single book that helped, but rather a combination of something practical and something to take my mind off things. "The Body Keeps the Score" by van der Kolk explained the biological reasons why you feel so worn out - that kind of made sense of everything. Besides that, I spent a lot of time with novels that just take you into someone else's head instead of constantly obsessing over your own problems. The combination of understanding plus mental breaks did more for me personally than just "positive thinking" self-help books.
If you notice that reading alone isn't enough, try being outside while you read - in a park or garden - instead of staying indoors. For me, this mix of taking in information and fresh air did way more than just consuming the theory.
Otherwise: some people swear by "Burnout: Das Ausbrennen von innen" by Schaufeli, but honestly, lighter stuff like essays or even autobiographical comics about mental health are less draining when you're already at your limit. Sometimes you just need something that isn't so cognitively demanding.
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