The number of people coming to me looking to be more resilient to burnout has been steadily rising over the past year. And that’s not surprising, as The Burnout Report 2025 found that a third of adults have experienced extreme or high levels of pressure and stress always or often over the past year.
Burnout – what is it?
It’s quite different to being tired or even exhausted. I’d describe it as being at your lowest ebb. You’re physically unable to find the energy for daily life but also mentally low. You might struggle to get out of bed and do basic tasks and self-care. You might have lost perspective on situations and feel like they will never end. You feel like giving up. It’s a lot. The stats on burnout recovery indicate that this can take up to three years so it’s really crucial to take steps to change direction before you end up in a place of burnout.
How does resilience coaching prevent burnout?
Because the coaching process is about putting the focus back on you. It’s going to shed light on the things you’re thinking and doing that are making your situation worse. It’s going to help you see where you might want to make different choices – and build the confidence to do that. And it’s going to help you with energy management, boundaries and prioritising your own needs.You can possibly recover from burnout without doing those things. But unless you make changes with boundaries etc you’re going to end up right back in burnout in the years to come .
A burnout tip you can use today
Start paying attention to your body more. Your nervous system is where the first red flags of burnout will appear. The problem is that most of us override this because we have a deadline, we’re dominated by anxiety or critical narratives telling us listening to the body is weak – or our ego or perfectionist demands that we push through regardless. Notice how you feel in certain environments – is your heart beat regular or elevated? Do you feel jittery and full of adrenaline or calm? Are you sleeping? Do you suddenly have more joint pain? What’s changed for you physically over the past six months?
Now, start doing things differently
Once you have information that burnout is a risk it’s time to make some different decisions. People on this path usually tell me that they can’t do anything differently. They can’t leave the job because of financial constraints. They can’t not do unpaid overtime or they will risk their job. They can’t ask their partner to take on more of the physical or emotional labour because they’ll just say no. This resistance is typical of someone on the edge of burnout. Everything feels impossible. And perhaps there just isn’t the energy to try. Or to deal with the consequences of trying. There’s a defeatist mindset here that is very understandable but isn’t helping. It may be that certain changes aren’t possible right now. But an instant ‘I can’t” isn’t a well thought through answer, it’s just a fearful response. So here are two questions to ask yourself if you know it’s time to start doing things differently:
Get curious about what could change by asking yourself “how can I do this differently.” Not, “how can I solve this problem right now,” just “how can I do this differently?” One small change is all you need to make for now.
And..
Move from scarcity to abundant thinking with “what DO I have and what CAN I do” (instead of the opposite).
Self-compassion is also key
I know how ashamed we can feel when we’re even close to something like burnout. I’ve been there – twice! – and sometimes my inner critic questions how I can dare to give other people advice on avoiding burnout when I haven’t always managed it myself. But, outside of the training I’ve done, I guess my personal experience IS the reason I can do it. I know the shame it carries. I know the fear and anxiety and hopelessness. And I know how it made me feel like I was weak, a failure and not good enough compared to others. If that resonates with you then please know that your biggest asset right now is self-compassion. If you can’t do anything else, start with that. It will calm your nervous system, calm your mind and make you feel more at home in yourself again.
If you are in a place where burnout is a fear – or feels like an inevitability – get in touch. I’ve helped many people avoid burnout, and recover from it, and I can help you too. Book an intro call here.
