This article analyzes occupational fatigue in professionals from the perspective of the Princonser Method. Based on universal principles and laws, the causes and dynamics of this phenomenon are identified through the method’s analytical matrix. Solutions aimed at emotional and cognitive sustainability for professionals are proposed, highlighting the importance of universal principles and the laws of interaction between energy and matter. Finally, a universal law applicable to the design of sustainable work systems is identified.

Materials and method

Elements of the Princonser method

The Princonser Method is based on universal principles and laws that explain the interaction between energy and matter in all systems. These principles include the universal essence, inseparability, conservation, destruction, and the laws of dependence, interaction, integration, disintegration, temporality, and intemporality.

Princonser analytical matrix

The analytical matrix is structured into ten steps, each associated with a foundational element of the method. The arguments developed in each step are integrated into this article to offer a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of occupational fatigue.

Problem identification

Argumentation with the principle of destruction

Occupational fatigue arises when unstable work systems, burdened with excessive demands and lack of support, deteriorate, releasing negative energy in the form of stress and exhaustion. This process of workplace destruction is reflected in the professionals’ inability to maintain the balance between their job demands and personal well-being. Therefore, work systems that do not consider the sustainability of human resources tend to generate destructive dynamics that harm mental health. Organizations with inflexible schedules and no mandatory breaks experience high rates of emotional burnout among employees.

Argumentation with the law of disintegration

In unstable work environments, work overload (matter) transforms into negative energy, such as stress and anxiety, which affects the professional’s well-being. This disintegration process reduces the system's capacity to maintain productivity and emotional balance. Thus, the disintegration of unstable labor systems may lead to higher turnover and lower quality of work. An employee in a job lacking clarity of responsibilities experiences stress (energy) that deteriorates performance and motivates them to seek other job opportunities.

Argumentation with the law of temporality

In labor systems, organizational regulations and structures have a temporary nature, as they must constantly adapt to new economic and social demands. This temporality allows outdated work structures to disintegrate, releasing principles and practices that can be applied in new contexts. Therefore, recognizing the temporality of labor structures facilitates their evolution toward more sustainable and human-centered models. Companies that adopted remote work policies during the pandemic temporarily redesigned their models, releasing principles that became integrated into new labor standards.

Solution to the problem

Argumentation with the principle of conservation

Occupational fatigue reflects a cycle in which emotional and cognitive exhaustion (energy) is translated into tangible problems such as work errors or low productivity (matter), and vice versa. This cycle shows how mental exhaustion, when manifested in job performance, reinforces the perception of incompetence, thus amplifying emotional fatigue. Therefore, occupational fatigue persists as a continuous cycle where the transformation of energy into matter and matter into energy hinders the recovery of professionals. A university professor who works extra hours preparing classes (energy) may develop fatigue that eventually manifests as work absences (matter).

Argumentation with the law of integration

In the context of occupational fatigue, professionals' emotional energy is integrated into their work performance, becoming tangible results such as productivity or innovation. This integration process shows that positive emotional energy, when transformed into tangible labor outcomes, contributes to the system’s stability and effectiveness. Therefore, the balanced transformation of emotional energy into tangible results is key to sustaining labor systems. A team in a healthy work environment reflects a high integration of positive emotional energy into successful projects and goal achievement.

Argumentation with the law of intemporality

In business law, legal principles (energy) derived from temporary norms transcend their initial context and influence the creation of new regulatory systems. This capacity for transcendence allows general principles of business law to be integrated into global regulations and international treaties. Therefore, the legal energy of business law ensures its universal relevance by being integrated into broader normative systems and adapting to global contexts. An example is how the principles of commercial arbitration transcend national laws and become part of international treaties, such as UNCITRAL arbitration agreements.

Identification of the law

Argumentation with the universal essence

Occupational fatigue, as a phenomenon, consists of material elements (schedules, tasks, work environments) and energetic elements (mental processes, emotions, motivation), confirming it as a manifestation of the universal essence. The interaction between matter (tangible factors like workload) and energy (the professional's cognitive and emotional capacity) is essential to understanding how mental exhaustion develops. Thus, occupational fatigue can be understood as a system where the proportional interaction between energy and matter determines its impact on mental and emotional well-being. A concrete example is a doctor facing long work shifts (matter) and ongoing emotional strain (energy), leading to chronic stress and burnout syndrome.

Argumentation with the principle of inseparability

In occupational fatigue, material elements (such as accumulated tasks) and energetic ones (such as mental effort) are inseparable, as one cannot manifest without the other. This inseparability explains why tangible workload is directly related to mental exhaustion, as both factors coexist and constantly reinforce each other. Therefore, addressing occupational fatigue requires an integrated vision that considers both workload and strategies to manage professionals’ mental well-being. For example, a software developer experiences occupational fatigue when handling large projects (matter) without proper breaks to recharge mental capacity (energy).

Argumentation with the law of dependence

In occupational fatigue, professionals’ emotional well-being (energy) depends directly on their tangible workload (matter). This proportional dependence shows that an imbalance in workload directly affects the professional’s cognitive and emotional capacities. Therefore, labor systems must ensure a balance between job demands and the emotional resources available to prevent fatigue. In the healthcare industry, long shifts and high expectations directly impact doctors’ emotional and physical performance.

Argumentation with the law of interaction

In occupational fatigue, emotional and cognitive energy (energy) constantly interacts with labor demands (matter), generating a dynamic process that can be positive or negative depending on the balance. This interaction shows that a constant increase in workload without adequate breaks disrupts the proportional balance, leading to mental deterioration. Thus, the interaction between emotional energy and tangible workload must remain balanced to prevent the onset of occupational fatigue. A manager handling multiple projects simultaneously experiences mental exhaustion (energy) that translates into a decline in the quality of workplace decisions (matter).

Statement of the law

Law of energy–work balance

In labor systems, the functional balance between professional energy (cognitive and emotional) and work matter (tangible workload) determines the stability and sustainability of professional well-being. This balance is maintained through the proportional transformation of energy into matter and vice versa, integrating both tangible and emotional results into the labor system.

Mathematical representation of the law

  1. Stable proportionality

E = kM

Where k reflects the stable balance between professional energy and work matter.

  1. Reciprocal transformation

ΔE ∝ ΔM

Changes in professional energy (ΔE) are directly proportional to changes in work matter (ΔM).

  1. Dynamic functional balance

E + M = U

The sum of labor energy and matter at any given time equals the total unity of the labor system (U).

Conclusion

This analysis, grounded in the Princonser method, demonstrates that occupational fatigue in professionals is the manifestation of a functional imbalance between cognitive-emotional energy and tangible work matter. This phenomenon reflects a disruption in the proportionality that governs all systems in the universe, as established by the universal essence and its derived laws.

The application of the analytical matrix made it possible to identify that occupational fatigue arises in unstable systems where disintegration, temporality, and lack of integration prevail. In contrast, the solution lies in restoring balance through the conservation and integration of positive emotional energy into sustainable work structures, as seen in contexts that promote mental well-being and productive efficiency.

The formulation of the Law of energy–work balance synthesizes this universal knowledge applied to the professional realm, establishing that the stability of well-being in work environments depends on the reciprocal and proportional transformation between professional energy and workload. As this law is consistent with the universal essence, it constitutes a scientific tool for redesigning labor systems from a comprehensive and sustainable perspective.

Thus, this article contributes to the academic field by offering a deep understanding of the phenomenon of occupational fatigue and proposes a solution based on universal foundations that can be replicated in various organizational contexts, strengthening the link between science, philosophy, and everyday life.