Why Quiet Quitting Isn’t Just a Work Trend, But a Mental Health Signal
“Quiet Quitting” is often framed as a lack of motivation or commitment at work. A sign that people no longer care. A generational problem. A productivity issue.
But psychology tells a different story.
When we look beneath the headlines, quiet quitting often isn’t about laziness at all, it’s about mental health, nervous system overload, and emotional self-protection. In many cases, it’s not a refusal to work, but a signal that something inside the person has reached its limit.
What Quiet Quitting Really Means Psychologically
From a psychological perspective, quiet quitting is better understood as workplace disengagement; a reduction in emotional investment, initiative and discretionary effort.
Research in occupational psychology shows that disengagement commonly emerges when people experience chronic stress combined with reduced resources, such as lack of control, recognition, meaning or rest (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007).
Rather than a character flaw, disengagement is often an adaptive response; the psyche’s way of conserving energy when demands consistently exceed capacity.
Models such as the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model demonstrate that when people feel they are giving more than they receive (emotionally, cognitively, or relationally) motivation and engagement naturally decline (Siegrist, 1996).
In this sense, quiet quitting is communication. It’s the system saying; something isn’t sustainable here.
Burnout vs Boredom vs Emotional Shutdown
Not all disengagement is the same, and understanding the difference matters.
Burnout
Burnout is a recognised occupational phenomenon defined by three core features:
Emotional exhaustion
Cynicism or mental distance from work
Reduced sense of effectiveness
(World Health Organisation, ICD-11, 2019).
Research shows that emotional exhaustion is a strong predictor of withdrawal behaviours, including reduced initiative and minimal effort (Massachusetts & Leiter, 2016). This closely mirrors what many describe as quiet quitting.
Boredom
Boredom reflects under-stimulation rather than depletion. It may lead to disengagement but it’s typically accompanied by restlessness rather than exhaustion.
Emotional Exhaustion
In more severe cases, disengagement reflects emotional shutdown; a numbing or flattening response that emerges when stress feels inescapable. This is less about choice and more about survival.
Understanding which of these is at play can help determine what kind of support is needed.
How Nervous System Overload Shows Up at Work
Chronic workplace stress doesn’t just affect motivation, it affects the nervous system.
Prolonged exposure to high demands activates the body’s stress response. Over time, this leads to allostatic load - the cumulative wear and tear on the body and brain caused by ongoing stress (McEwen, 1998).
When stress cannot be resolved or escaped, the nervous system may shift from high alert into shutdown or collapse states, characterised by:
low energy
emotional withdrawal
reduced motivation
feeling disconnected or “flat”
(Porges, 2011).
From this perspective, quiet quitting isn’t a mindset problem, it’s a regulation problem. The system is overwhelmed and doing what it can to survive.
Why High-Functioning People Are Most at Risk
one of the biggest myths around quiet quitting is that is affects people who don’t care.
In reality, research suggests the opposite.
Studies consistently show that individuals who are:
Highly conscientious
Emotionally invested
Strongly identified with their work
High in responsibility and achievement
are more vulnerable to burnout and emotional exhaustion (Maslach et al., 2001; Swider & Zimmerman, 2010).
These individuals often:
Push through early warning signs
Feel guilt when disengaging
Internalise responsibility for systemic problems
By the time they “quietly quit” it’s often after a long period of trying very hard.
What to Do If You Recognise Yourself Here
If quiet quitting resonates, it’s worth pausing before jumping to solutions.
Research suggests that early recognition and reflection reduces the risk of full burnout, depression or abrupt exit from work (Salvagioni et al., 2017).
Helpful first steps include:
Noticing patterns of exhaustion cynicism or withdrawal
Reflection on effort vs reward in your role
Identifying where boundaries have eroded
Distinguishing temporary stress from chronic depletion
Importantly, pushing harder rarely resolves burnout. Recovery requires rest, recalibration and meaning, not more discipline.
When Therapy Can Help
Therapy isn’t just to cope with stress. It can be a place to think clearly.
Research shows that psychological interventions can reduce burnout symptoms and support:
Emotional regulation
Boundary setting
Values clarification
Differentiating burnout from depression
(Richardson & Rothstein, 2008; Ruotsalainen et al., 2015).
For many people, therapy provides space to explore questions like:
Is this role misaligned or am I depleted?
What do I actually need right now?
What would sustainable work look like for me?
At Smart Therapy, we see therapy as a reflective space. One that supports identity, nervous system regulation and intentional decision-making, not just endurance.
Quiet Quitting as a Signal, Not a Failure
Quiet quitting isn’t a moral failing or a generational flaw.
Often, it’s the nervous system doing it’s best to protect against long-term harm.
When understood properly, it can become an invitation to reassess values, boundaries, and sustainability, rather than a reason for shame.
Sometimes, doing less isn’t giving up. It’s listening.
