Burnout Doesn’t Always Look Like Burnout

Why it’s so hard to recognise until it’s already taken hold.

I know burnout.
Not because I support leaders through it (which I do), but because I’ve lived it.

And the truth is, I didn’t fully realise I was burned out until after I’d clawed my way through it.

Burnout doesn’t always show up the way we expect — in a dramatic collapse or a full-blown breakdown. Sometimes, it’s quiet. It creeps in while you’re still hitting your deadlines, still showing up to meetings, still keeping things afloat. From the outside, it can look like you’ve got it together.

But inside, something starts to shift.

For me, it was the sense of heaviness.
The constant fog.
The quiet voice that kept asking, “Is this it?”
And the deep, unshakeable tiredness — the kind that no weekend off could fix.

 The Burnout Myth: It’s Not Just About Working Too Hard

There’s a common assumption that burnout only happens when you’re working too many hours or pushing too hard. But that’s not always true.

Burnout isn’t just about overwork — it’s about working in ways that are unsustainable for you.

It’s about misalignment.

You can be doing long hours and still feel energised when you’re working on something that matters to you, in an environment that supports your values, your voice, and your pace.

But when you’re operating in a system that constantly clashes with who you are — whether it’s unclear expectations, poor leadership, a lack of autonomy, or emotional disconnection — burnout can sneak in fast, even if the workload seems “manageable.”

Why It’s So Hard to See When You’re In It

Burnout distorts your perception.
You start to normalise the fatigue. You explain away the disconnection. You push through the fog because you think, “This is just a busy season.”

Until it becomes your normal.

And by the time you realise something’s wrong, you’re already deep in the spiral — operating in survival mode, unable to make clear decisions, and feeling like your spark has gone missing.

That’s what makes burnout so dangerous for leaders. We’re often the last to admit we’re not okay — and the first to push harder.

 What Helped Me Reset

I didn’t bounce back overnight. And I didn’t need a six-week sabbatical to begin healing either.

What helped me most was:

• Tiny pauses - even 5 minutes a day to step back and breathe
• Getting honest - with myself and with others about how I was feeling
• Making space - to reconnect with what and who mattered and let go of what didn’t
• Changing the pace - not quitting everything, but adjusting how I worked
  

This is why I created my Leadership Reset Toolkit — to give other leaders the circuit breaker I wish I had earlier. Not a bandaid, but a starting point to breathe, reflect, and lead differently.

You’re Not Broken — You’re Burned Out

If you’re reading this and something’s resonating, take it seriously.

You don’t need to wait for a breakdown to make a change.
And you don’t have to do it alone.

Burnout isn’t weakness.
It’s your system sending you a message:
“This way of working isn’t working for you anymore.”

Listen to that message.
Start with a reset.
And remember — you don’t need to fix everything. Just begin.

Want to try a small reset today?

Download my free 5-Minute Leadership Reset — a simple way to shift your state and reconnect with what matters.

Click here to get the free guide.