How to Avoid Burnout

Did you know that, according to Forbes, less than 25% of people stick with their New Year’s resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8% actually accomplish them? (1)

Today I’m going to share five reasons why you might be burning out. In this article, I’ll share the insider knowledge I’ve gained from working with clients just like you for over ten years.  And more importantly, I’ll show you how to avoid these pitfalls so you can stay on track and achieve your goals. I’ll also cover the key warning signs to watch out for.

Reason #1: You're Burning Out Because You're Trying Harder

Effort is essential for success, but many high-achieving leaders believe that working HARDER will guarantee the outcomes they want. The problem? We've glorified "working harder" to the point where unreasonable expectations have become normalized. As a leader, maybe you feel like you need to be available nights and weekends. Maybe you're sacrificing sleep, family time, or personal well-being. Maybe you feel constant pressure to prove your worth by pushing even harder.

A 2024 Harvard Business Review article by burnout researcher Kandi Wiens highlights that "burnout has become the new baseline in many work environments" and that the "sheer number of people experiencing burnout” is higher than ever. (2)

In his book You2 - A High-Velocity Formula for Multiplying your Personal Effectiveness in Quantum Leaps, organizational change expert Price Pritchett PhD tells the story of a small fly at a window:

"There’s a small fly burning out the last of its short life’s energies in a futile attempt to fly through the glass of the windowpane. The whining wings tell the poignant story of the fly’s strategy - try harder.

But it’s not working.

This fly is doomed. It will die there on the windowsill. Across the room, ten steps away, the door is open. [...] The breakthrough possibility is there. It would be so easy." (3)

Warning signs you're "the fly at the window" include:

• You keep repeating the same behaviors, hoping for different results.
• You feel more and more stressed, trapped, and overwhelmed, just trying to survive.

How to avoid burnout?
Breaking free requires a shift in your thinking. Your habitual mental programming - your paradigm - may be keeping you boxed in. To move forward, it's essential to step out of survival mode, clarify your goals, and adopt new strategies and approaches to achieve them. This starts with a breakthrough in mindset.

An experienced coach or mentor can guide you through this transformation, so that you can find the open door instead of endlessly flying into the glass.

Reason #2: You're Burning Out Because You're Overextended

Building on the "just work harder" mindset, if you’re juggling more demands than you can reasonably handle, you’re at serious risk of burnout. Maybe you’re trying to prove yourself at work, you’re in a high-pressure environment, or you just don’t have enough support. When you’re overextended, the relentless pressure to meet high-performance standards can lead to exhaustion and frustration.

Warning signs you're overextended might be:

• Missing deadlines or producing lower-quality work.
• Feeling frustrated, irritable, or perpetually tired.
• Maybe you have trouble sleeping, even when you’re exhausted.     

How to avoid burnout?
Taking 100% responsibility for your choices is key. Start by identifying what you need to be most effective and advocating for yourself. For example, when I worked as a corporate executive and was also a full-time working parent, I had to manage myself carefully to meet high standards at work while being present for my kids - all without feeling stretched in a million directions.

At several points, I hit burnout. What helped me recover and avoid burnout, was identifying my top priorities at work and home, and focusing exclusively on them. This also meant letting go of things I initially thought were priorities but really weren’t.

Organizational psychologist Dr Benjamin Hardy stresses the importance of letting go of "lesser goals" (4). By focusing on the significant goals that align with the future you want and staying vigilant about eliminating distractions, you can make meaningful progress without burning out.

Reason #3: You're Burning Out Because of Information Overload

As a leader in today’s fast-paced world, you’re constantly bombarded with information. Many of my clients - corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners - complain about the unmanageable volume of emails and messages, often with the expectation of immediate responses.

Cal Newport,  a best-selling author of Deep Work and A World Without Email,  describes a phenomenon he calls the “Hyperactive Hive Mind” - the nonstop, back-and-forth communication that defines today’s work environment. (5)

This constant stream of information leads to what’s called "context shifting." When you’re focused on a task and then switch your attention to something else - like a message about a different project - your brain has to adjust to a completely new way of thinking. The more you switch between tasks, the harder it becomes to stay productive and focused. Your brain isn’t designed for constant context shifting, which is why information overload can quickly lead to burnout.

Warning signs of information overload include:

• Difficulty focusing.
• Feeling mentally drained.
• Reduced productivity.
• Dreading your inbox or wanting to keep your camera off during video meetings. 

How to avoid burnout from information overload?

The first step I recommend to my clients is to make one small change: stop checking your cell phone as soon as you wake up. Don’t let the outside world bombard you before you’ve grounded yourself and clarified your priorities for the day.

Next, carve out specific blocks of time during your day for focused activities - whether that’s checking emails or working on projects that require deep concentration. By creating structure around your time, you can limit distractions and avoid the mental fatigue that comes with information overload.

Reason #4: You're Burning Out Because of Poor Boundaries

Successful, high-achieving leaders often think they need to be available at all hours, leading to blurred lines between work and personal life. You might also take on additional responsibilities without fully considering what you can reasonably handle.

Boundaries in both your work and personal life are often invisible. Unlike physical boundaries, such as property lines marked by fences, trees, or roads, personal boundaries are more nebulous, making them harder to define and protect. The challenge is that poor boundaries can lead to burnout if you've agreed to more than you can manage.

Warning signs of poor boundaries include:

• Regretting or resenting activities, projects, or even behaviors from others.
• Feeling overwhelmed by commitments you’ve taken on 

How to avoid burnout from poor boundaries?
The first step is to acknowledge your boundaries. As Brene Brown puts it, "A boundary is simply what's OK and what's not OK." (6) Before you agree to something, run it through your personal filter of what’s OK and what’s not OK. This takes self-reflection and courage on your part. Set clear expectations with others and protect your time and energy to avoid burnout.

Reason #5: You're Burning Out Because of People-Pleasing

You might want to be liked by everyone, or you may fear disappointing others or care too much about what others think. These people-pleasing behaviors can quickly lead to burnout and exhaustion. As a leader, you may feel compelled to take on more responsibilities yourself, step in on behalf of others, or spend too much time mentoring and listening to others’ problems. Maybe you routinely say “yes” to things that don’t benefit you, just to avoid conflict.

Leadership expert Sally, Helgesen, in her book How Women Rise -  Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back From Your Next Raise, Promotion or Job, describes this as “the disease to please,” a behavior particularly prevalent among women. (7)

Warning signs you're a people-pleaser include:

• Difficulty saying "no."
• Constantly seeking validation from others.
• Prioritizing others' needs over your own, often at the cost of your own well-being. 

How to avoid burnout from people-pleasing?
Start by recognizing that taking care of yourself is a priority. Self-care includes setting boundaries and saying "no," even if it makes you uncomfortable or it means disappointing others. Warren Buffett once said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

When you start caring for and respecting yourself more, others will respect you too.

And those are the five reasons why you might be burning out.

Get support to avoid these pitfalls.

If you’re a successful, high-achieving leader who wants to avoid these common pitfalls and keep moving forward to achieve your goals, I’d love to help. I’m offering a complimentary strategy session to explore how you can achieve more without sacrificing your well-being. Don't delay, schedule your consulation today.

(1) Prossack, Ashira.  "This Year Don't Set New Year's Resolutions." Forbes. December 31, 2018.  Accessed on 2/17/25 https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashiraprossack1/2018/12/31/goals-not-resolutions/

(2) Wiens, Kandi. "How Burnout Became the New Normal - And How to Push Back Against It." Harvard Business Review. April 23, 2024. Accessed on 2/17/25 https://hbr.org/2024/04/how-burnout-became-normal-and-how-to-push-back-against-it

(3) Pritchett PhD, Price. You2 - A High-Velocity Formula for Multiplying your Personal Effectiveness in Quantum Leaps. Pritchett.

(4) Lewis Howes School of Greatness Podcast. "Dr. Benjamin Hardy: The Secret to Avoiding Burnout and Reshaping Your Identity." October 27, 2021. Accessed on 2/17/25 https://lewishowes.com/podcast/the-secret-to-avoiding-burnout-reshaping-your-identity-with-dr-benjamin-hardy/#listen

(5)  In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen Podcast. Cal Newport: How to eliminate distractions and stay focused. May 28, 2024. Accessed on 2/17/25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCDgLqd53ew&t=625s

(6) First Aid Arts. "Boundaries with Brene Brown." June 9, 2018. Accessed on 2/17/25 https://vimeo.com/274228723

(7) Helgesen, Sally. (2018). How Women Rise -  Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back From Your Next Raise, Promotion or Job. Hachette.