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How to recover from burnout – stories from 4 real people
Written byLiz Connor
Reviewed byHeeral Patel
Stress can sneak up on anyone. On World Mental Health Day, we asked solopreneurs, parents and busy people to share the burnout lessons everyone should know
Summary
1What's your gut telling you?
Your body can often send you signs that you need to slow down or you’re about to burnout. Look out for early warning signs like...
2Create mindfulness strategies to help
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, make sure to take a breather. Try doing 20 minutes of meditation or mindfulness each day...
3Set healthy boundaries
Whether that’s at work or with your loved ones, learning to communicate your boundaries clearly can help you to define...
Ever since the World Health Organisation classified burnout an ‘occupational phenomenon’ back in 2019, the term has become a staple part of our everyday language around mental health.
Described as a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, up to nine in 10 of us are at risk, and no more so than in the workplace, where an ‘always-on’ culture, increasing workloads and a tricky economic climate have all contributed to its rise.
But the debilitating cycle of busy periods, burnout and recovery isn’t just confined to our cluttered desks and overflowing inboxes: it can also be driven by family responsibilities, financial stress and the struggle to maintain an active social life.
In a world that often glorifies being busy, it can be really hard to recognise when things are tipping out of balance. That’s why we asked four people to share their personal experiences with burnout, including the warning signs they missed and the steps they took to get better.
Listen to your gut, says transformational life coach Andrea Morrison
The body often sends subtle signals when it’s overworked or stressed, urging you to slow down and take care of yourself.
For transformational life coach Andrea Morrison, those signals became impossible to ignore after she reached burnout while juggling life as a mum of three with a career as a barrister.
“During a busy period at work, my immune system was shot and I had been diagnosed with pneumonia,” Andrea recalls. “Looking back, I remember wishing for a minor accident, like a broken leg or arm, just so I could have a rest. I was stuck in a career that filled me with insecurity and stress, but I’d worked so hard I felt I couldn’t leave.”
It wasn’t until Andrea started experiencing debilitating panic attacks that she realised she had reached her personal breaking point. “I knew things had to change,” she says.
She took a sabbatical and focused on slowing down. “Before burnout, I never took my health seriously. I ran on coffee and ate conveniently,” she admits. “Taking time off meant I could focus on my physical health through exercise and nutrition, which was amazing for me.”
Burnout taught Andrea some valuable lessons. “The main thing I’ve learned is to trust my gut. So often our bodies are screaming at us and we ignore them, so I now take the time to listen.”
What we learned: Alongside affecting our mental health, burnout can show up in physical symptoms like anxiety, fatigue and coughs and colds. Paying attention to these early warning signs can help us to recognise when it's time to take a step back.
Be mindful of burnout, says graphic designer Jenny Fox
It can be difficult to navigate the world when you live in a neurotypical society and feel the pressures of work, life and everything in between differently to others. Graphic designer Jenny Fox is a prime example of this, having experienced multiple burnouts before even understanding what executive dysfunction and the effort to appear neurotypical truly meant.
"Pre-diagnosis, I felt that I should be able to function like others do, and I didn’t realise just how exhausting that was for me, especially without any accommodations in place," she explains.
Getting her ADHD diagnosis was a turning point, helping Jenny understand why she was more prone to feeling overwhelmed and why she needed regular moments of downtime to recharge.
"I was able to accept that I’m human and not invincible. My life is particularly busy with minimal support, so burnout is an ongoing risk for me," she shares. "I’ve become better at setting boundaries, aiming to get enough sleep, eating by a certain time, limiting screen use and getting extra support in my business.”
Learning to work with her ADHD tendencies, rather than against them, has made a huge difference in Jenny's life. "Now I build extra structure and time into my day for rest and small dopamine lifts.”
What we learned: By making small adjustments to your lifestyle, you may be able to create a structured and balanced routine that doesn’t leave you feeling drained or running on empty. Speak to your doctor if you think you might have ADHD or any other mental health condition so you can get the best support for you.
Mindfulness strategies can help, says leadership consultant Andrew McNeill
The things that lead to burnout are not always entirely within our control, especially when we have responsibilities such as mortgages, bills or family members to care for.
Andrew McNeill, a leadership consultant at LX Leaders, reached a breaking point while working for the central government on the Olympic Games and providing for his family. “I wasn’t sleeping and I couldn’t concentrate – probably because I was exhausted. I had the sense that things were unraveling and they were out of my control,” he recalls.
After being signed off from work, Andrew decided to try a short mindfulness course on the recommendation from a friend. “I thought that if my thoughts were overwhelming me, then perhaps developing a different relationship to my thoughts might be helpful. Practicing 20 minutes per day turned out to be a complete game changer.”
About six months after discovering mindfulness breathing exercises, Andrew moved into a more senior role with significantly more responsibility. “Weirdly, I was thriving. The amount of pressure I was under was much higher, but the only thing that changed was that I brought mindfulness into my daily life.”
What we learned: Most of us don’t have the luxury of quitting our jobs when we feel our reserves running low, but as Andrew proves, with the right strategies in place, we can find ways to look after ourselves, even in high-pressure periods. Make sure you speak to a loved one or a professional if you’re struggling.
Learn to set healthy boundaries, says PR account manager Sarah Stella Edwards
Sarah Stella Edward’s journey with burnout began after securing a new job, which turned out to be a toxic environment. “I would take on far too much work, and that's when things started to slip,” she says. Left unchecked, those late nights with mounting stress soon started to take their toll.
During a work trip around Christmas, the Be Yellow PR manager reached breaking point and confided in HR about her struggles. “I cried to them about how much I was struggling mentally and that I wasn’t sleeping,” she recalls. But when she returned to the office, she was placed on a performance review, pushing her to quit soon after.
The next few months were a blur for Sarah. “I was sleeping for 15 hours a day and had absolutely no interest in seeing people or doing anything that used to bring me joy,” she shares. It wasn’t until after receiving an ADHD diagnosis that she realised she’d been in burnout cycles her whole adult life.
To recover from burnout, Sarah focused on rest and setting boundaries. “Resting felt like the only way I was getting myself back on my feet,” she admits. “I’ve realised that saying yes to everything isn’t a great thing to do. People pleasing inevitably leads to burnout, and I don’t want to go there again.”
She also made changes in her career, seeking a more flexible, remote role. “I know now that I can’t perform the same every day, and that’s okay,” she says.
What we learned: Sarah’s experience shows that understanding the importance of healthy boundaries, and learning to communicate them clearly and assertively, can help you to define your limits to yourself and others.
The final say
When it comes to burnout, it’s important to recognise that asking for support or taking a step back doesn’t mean we’ve failed. It’s all a necessary part of resetting the routines and patterns that lead us to burnout in the first place.
And while recovery can be a challenge in itself, it gives us the opportunity to set new boundaries, prioritise self-care and explore mindfulness practices so we can strike a better balance going forward.
If any of the issues discussed in the article affect you, please speak to a healthcare professional. This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Curated by experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.
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