“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s a nice idea but a total myth. While, this phrase may stand true on its own, it’s not entirely operational. This type of mentality can lead to burnout, and the consequences can be both dire and hard to detect.

We have to start recognizing that it is easy to be consumed by passion for work and its completely okay to be consumed by it. Although, one can easily fall victim to burnout. WORK IS WORK. While it can be thrilling, passionate, engaging it is also coupled with exhaustion and been overwhelmed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently, included burnout in its International Classification of Diseases stating that it “refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context…a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed…” The WHO described Burnout as: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy.

So what is the solution to this problem? Dr. Ellison stresses that they can control this “always-on” mindset by being aware of when passion becomes a double-edged sword. “If you are so inspired to do what you do, then you’re not necessarily good at setting boundaries. We need to teach people that setting boundaries is OK. It’s not selfish. It’s actually selfless. It allows you to be more effective at what you do, and to better [help] those you wish to serve.”

At the end of the day, everyone wants to go home to our personal lives feeling inspired and fueled by a day of passionate engagement in purposeful work. This is clearly preferable to monotony and boredom, which can also cause burnout. But we have to be careful: When it feels like your passion for work — or that of your employees —has become all-consuming, it might be time to take — or to offer — a break.