#211 | Tips For Avoiding Burnout

In today’s world, burnout feels like a given this time of year, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to spot burnout early and keep it from taking over. These are tools I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) that help me stay grounded when life starts to feel a little too full. For me, burnout doesn’t always show up as total exhaustion it often starts with the small stuff: negative self-talk, feeling disconnected from my work, or constantly saying “I’ll rest later.” Over time, I realized those were warning signs. Once I learned to recognize them early, I could do something about it before things spiraled. Here’s some that I’ve learned:

Change your environment.
When everything feels heavy, I physically move. It sounds simple, but walking outside, sitting somewhere new, or even switching to a different room can completely reset my brain. A change of scenery helps me get out of my own head and back into the present moment.

Brain dump it all.
If my thoughts start to swirl, I grab a notebook and write everything down, no editing, no order, just everything taking up space in my brain. Once it’s on paper, it’s easier to see what actually needs my attention and what’s just noise. I star everything that has to be done by me and I try to outsource the rest.

Ask for help and set boundaries that stick.
I used to think asking for help meant I wasn’t capable, but I’ve realized it’s the only way to make it through life and work. Whether it’s looping in a coworker on a project or texting a friend for advice, clear communication (and a little humility) goes a long way. I’ve also learned to separate what truly needs me from what can be delegated or just dropped altogether. Saying no used to feel uncomfortable, but now I see it as saying yes to the stuff that actually matters.

We don’t have to do it all, and we definitely don’t have to do it alone. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor it’s a sign that we’ve been giving too much without refilling our own tank. With a few small shifts and tools that make life lighter, we can stay steady and sane even when things get hectic. Because like the saying says at the end of the day, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Timestamps:

13:01 Symptoms of burnout to watch out for

15:42 The biggest red flag for burnout

19:38 What lists to make to figure out what led to the burnout

24:54 What to do next to help solve the problem

27:14 How to work through your lists

33:00 Scripts to help you ask for help

36:06 What clear instruction you need to include

Links:

Kim’s LinkedIn Nano Course: Tips for Avoiding Burnout

Recording Tool: Loom

Books:

The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer

Free Time by Jenny Blake

If You Enjoyed Today’s Episode:

1.) You should check out this episode From Burnt Out To Lit Up With Daisy Auger-Dominguez

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