“When you get tired, don’t quit. Take a day off.”
That’s the mantra I’ve been repeating to a few of my clients recovering from burnout.
It sounds simple, almost too simple. Yet it’s the missing skill so many of us never learn: the ability to pause before we break.
We all are told we need more accountability for getting things done. But it feels like what is actually a lot more relevant to our times - accountability to rest, recharge and recover properly. - The "stop button" kind of accountability we rarely ask for.
Burnout isn’t just physical.
It’s mental. It’s emotional.
And often, it shows up in your head long before your body gives in.
One client said to me recently:
- I just don’t want to see clients anymore. I start hating my work. I just want to quit and become a full-time housewife.
When we unpacked it further,
- Now that I think of it, I realize I did many stupid things. Sending a presentation to a client at 11pm even though next morning would be just fine. Agreeing to have a call at 9pm often because I didn’t want the client to go to someone else. Never asking for more flexible schedule, even though nobody told me I couldn’t. … And then I started hating it all and then I quit.
- Do you think having a bit more “human” schedule might have worked to prevent that?, I asked.
Your brain and body are not two separate machines. They’re a team. They evolved together to support each other function. They are 2 pieces of 1 thing - YOU.
When your body gets run down, your mind changes the story. Suddenly, you don’t just feel tired, you feel like you hate your job, your clients, maybe even your whole career.
That’s not truth, that’s survival mode ON.
I’ve noticed one thing, when climbing mountains. Push too hard, and I start hating the climb. But if I pause, 2-3 minutes to catch my breath, to take in the view - the joy comes rushing back.
Life is no different it seems.
So with that client, we’ve been building a schedule that lets her pursue her dream career without sacrificing herself this time. Together we’re creating rules for work hours, breaks, and client boundaries with THIS exercise (you can use it as well). And we’re practicing body-mind awareness, through body scanning, so she can hear the signals earlier, before her mind rewrites the story into “I hate this, I need to quit.”
Burnout is 100% preventable.
It’s not a sign you’re weak. It’s a sign you are human.
You’ve pushed past your body’s signals for too long.
The real skill of sustainable, fulfilling achievement is learning to rest before your mind forces you to stop.
Over to you dear reader,
How strong is your body-mind connection? And if you’re working on something hard right now, could it be that you don’t need to go hard on yourself to achieve AND enjoy?
