A slow, work-related mental and emotional decline that happens when you’re underused and underchallenged—stuck in routine, unstimulating tasks (often admin-heavy), leading to intellectual boredom, professional stagnation, and unfulfillment. It’s often described as the opposite to burnout: instead of being overwhelmed by overload, you’re worn down by underutilisation of your skills and lack of meaningful growth.
'I'm not burning out, I'm rusting out'
See: Fitzsimons, S., & Smith, D. S. (2025). ‘I’m not burning out, I’m rusting out’: Investigating the causes of rustout in teacher educators in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1211.