02/03/2025
Finding Relief from Burnout:
Lessons from My Own Journey.
Burnout. It creeps into your life little by little, until one day, you wake up and feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. I know because Iâve been there. Running three businesses, managing a household, and being present for my familyâsomehow, it felt like I needed to be everywhere, doing everything, all at once. Sound familiar?
If youâre reading this, chances are youâre feeling stretched too thin, teetering on the edge of exhaustion. I want to share what Iâve learned from my own battle with burnout, in hopes that it helps you find the relief you desperately need.
Burnout Isnât Just Being Tired
If you think burnout is just a fancy word for being overworked, think again. Burnout is deeper. Itâs emotional and physical depletion, often coupled with a sense of detachment, frustration, or even hopelessness. For me, it started with small thingsâfeeling irritable over everything, losing focus, persistent guilt that I wasnât doing enough. Eventually, that spiraled into full-on exhaustion, where even simple things felt monumental.
The truth about burnout is that it doesnât just go away on its own. If you ignore it, it digs in deeper. Thatâs why acknowledging it is the first step.
Paying Attention to the Signs
One thing Iâve learned is that burnout has subtle warning signs long before it becomes overwhelming. Some of the red flags I noticed in myselfâand which you might relate toâinclude:
Constant fatigue: No amount of rest seemed to rejuvenate me.
Difficulty concentrating. Iâd start a task only to find my mind wandering.
Low patience: I realized I often snapped at my adult children over things that before didn't mean that much to me.
Feeling stuck: I couldnât shake off the sense of being trapped in my daily routine.
Itâs easy to brush these off as âjust having a bad day,â but when they start piling up, itâs time to hit pause and reassess.
How I Started to Rebuild:
The first thing I had to accept was that I couldnât pour from an empty cup. This wasnât an easy realization for meâIâve always prided myself on being the one everyone could count on. But burnout isnât a personal flaw; itâs a sign that something in your life is out of balance.
Here are the steps I took to start climbing out of the burnout pit. I share them because they might work for you too:
1. Be Honest with Yourself
Sit down and really ask yourself how youâre feeling. Write it out if it helps. For me, journaling highlighted patterns I hadnât consciously acknowledged, like saying âyesâ to everything and ignoring my own needs.
2. Reprioritize Ruthlessly
One of the best things I did for myself was brutally reevaluating where I was spending my energy. I asked, âWhat truly matters to me?â For example, I realized I was taking on tasks that werenât aligned with my priorities. Delegatingâeven when it felt uncomfortableâwas a game-changer.
3. Carve Out âNon-Negotiableâ Time
I began blocking out time for myself. Not for work, not for family obligations, but meâtime to walk, breathe, and be still. Even 15 minutes made a difference to reset my mindset and recover the parts of me that felt lost in chaos. I truly recommend the book Essentialism. This book focuses on what truly matters by eliminating non-essential tasks and commitments, enabling you to live and work with greater purpose and clarity.
4. Learn to Say No Without Guilt:
This was harder than I expected. Saying ânoâ felt selfish at first. I am a people-pleaser. But the truth is, your energy is finite. Learning to say no to the things that drain you allows you to say a more wholehearted âyesâ to the things that truly matter.
5. Rebuild from the Inside Out:
Burnout doesnât just require shifting your scheduleâit also means shifting the way you think and treat yourself. For me, a big part of recovering was learning to address my inner critic, the voice in my head that told me I wasnât doing enough. Being kinder to myself was transformational.
Small Changes Can Lead to Big Shifts:
If youâre dealing with burnout, you donât need to overhaul your entire life overnight. Big changes often start with small, consistent habits. Here are a few ideas that you can try today:
Pause and breathe: When you feel your stress rising, take 3-5 deep breaths to ground yourself.
Set boundaries. If your evenings or weekends are being overtaken by work, set limitsâand stick to them. I don't cook on the weekends. Saturday is my Mom and my "fun day". On Sunday I only work from 2-3 hours. Period.
Celebrate small wins: Did you get through your to-do list? Did you take time to rest? Acknowledge it; it all counts.
Connect: Share what youâre feeling with someone you trust. Burnout thrives in isolation, so donât retreat into your shell.
Youâre Not Alone!
Burnout can make you feel so isolated, like you're failing at things everyone else seems to handle effortlessly. But hereâs the realityâso many people are struggling just like you. You are not weak. Youâre human.
The most valuable thing Iâve learned is that burnout isnât permanent. Itâs a beacon, showing you thereâs something in your life that needs attention, care, and change. Itâs tough, yes, but itâs also an opportunity to rebuild something betterâsomething where you feel balanced, whole, and free again.
Take the First Step:
If youâre feeling overwhelmed, I want you to make one promise to yourself today. Take one actionable stepâwhether itâs journaling about how you feel, setting a boundary, or just quietly pausing to breathe. Even the smallest move can be the start of your recovery.
If youâre feeling overwhelmed, start small. Pick one actionâwhether itâs journaling how you feel, setting a boundary, or simply pausing to breathe. Each small step is a victory in itself and paves the way toward healing.
Burnout doesnât have to define your life. With intention and care for yourself, you can rediscover energy, balance, and joy. You deserve to feel whole againâso why wait?
