Exploring the role of reflective thinking in entrepreneurial burnout recovery

Abstract

This dissertation explores the role of reflective thinking in entrepreneurs’ experiences of burnout and movement toward recovery under sustained pressure. The study investigates how entrepreneurs experience burnout, how reflective thinking shapes the interpretation of stress and decision-making under pressure, and how reflective processes may support recovery experiences. Drawing on Paul and Elder’s critical thinking framework, supported by Sosu’s critical thinking dispositions and Kember’s model of reflection, and conceptualising burnout through Maslach and Leiter’s multidimensional model, the research adopts a qualitative design. Data were generated through twelve semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs, complemented by the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey (MBI-GS), and analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. The findings indicate that entrepreneurial burnout is a cumulative and structurally embedded phenomenon shaped by sustained pressure, blurred boundaries, and responsibility, and experienced as a multidimensional condition affecting emotional, cognitive, relational, and physical functioning. Sustained pressure progressively constrained reflective capacity, narrowing attention and reinforcing reactive patterns of reasoning. In contrast, recovery was associated with increased self-awareness, reflective questioning, identity re-evaluation, and the reconsideration of assumptions. Entrepreneurs who engaged in more intentional reflective processes demonstrated greater cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and resilience. The study suggests that reflective thinking is not, on its own, sufficient to prevent burnout. However, it appears to play an important role in recovery by facilitating recognition, reinterpretation, and more adaptive responses to stress. The findings highlight the value of reflective awareness within entrepreneurial contexts and suggest that entrepreneurial education and support initiatives may benefit from promoting reflective and self-regulatory practices that strengthen resilience and support long-term wellbeing.