The Signs of Burnout:
A Complete Guide for High-Achieving Women
Here's something I don't say enough: I'm a certified meditation instructor. I've taught this for years. I know firsthand the miracles a regular practice brings.
A few years ago, my own life got chaotic. I let my meditation practice falter. Not die, falter. Am I ashamed? A little embarrassed, maybe. Ashamed? No. Because that falter taught me exactly what I now tell every client: I know precisely how I feel when I'm not taking care of myself, more angry, more judgmental, less focused. And I know how I feel when I am, more alive, more compassionate, more clear.
If a burnout coach can burn out, so can you. Neither of us should be ashamed of it. We just need to know the signs, so we can catch it faster next time.
The physical signs your body sends first
Ever wonder why you tend to get sick right when you're the most crazy busy? You're also very likely crazy stressed, and that's not a coincidence. When you're stressed, your body redirects blood away from the systems you don't need to fight or flee, including your immune system. The more you push yourself, the more that virus wins.
Exhaustion that doesn't lift with rest
Brain fog or losing your train of thought mid-sentence
Getting sick more often than usual
Feeling "wired but tired" even when you finally have time to relax
The three signs almost everyone misses
The "Hair on Fire" Reaction
My partner has a name for it: hair on fire. The stress where you want to throw something, even if you never do. Where your own reactions start to scare you a little.
The Harsher Inner Voice
If someone else called you lazy or not good enough, you wouldn't accept it. So why is it acceptable when the voice is your own? Your brain believes what you tell it, consciously or not.
Still Functioning, Quietly Drowning
You're still showing up, still the reliable one. Underneath the competence, you're running on fumes, pushing through because slowing down never felt like an option.
The people-pleasing sign nobody talks about
Ladies, be honest: do you say "yes" when your heart wants to say "no"? Do you feel the need to explain yourself when you do say no? Do you feel guilty afterward, replaying whether you should have said yes instead?
If you answered yes to either, you are not alone. Self-care isn't selfish. It's necessary. But it's hard to get there when saying no still feels like a small betrayal.
Burnout or just stress? Here's how I tell the difference
Stress comes and goes. Burnout lingers. If the exhaustion feels chronic, and a weekend off doesn't touch it, that's not a rough week. That's burnout, and it's recoverable.
What I'd tell you if we were talking right now
The point is never to be perfect. It's to never give up. When you notice you've fallen off track, don't spiral. Ask yourself why, and what you learned.
Acknowledge how far you've come, and pick back up where you left off.