Eight Thought Patterns and Behaviours That Silently Lead to Burnout
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not caused by amount of work or things to do.
It’s a result of our ability to respond to stress and external demands, which is rooted in our emotional skills, values, and self-awareness.
I have found there are common thoughts and behaviors that slowly, and often unconsciously start the burnout cycle:
"I can steal time from my sleep."
You might feel like you're managing fine with less sleep, but consistently doing this leads to exhaustion and poor performance.
"I will just push through my exhaustion and force myself to get things done. I can do this."
Forcing yourself to power through brain fog or emotional overwhelm isn’t sustainable. Lack of clarity and constant pressure are red flags. Over time, it depletes both physical and mental reserves.
"Everyone is so busy and exhausted, struggling to get everything done."
It’s easy to normalize exhaustion when you believe everyone is in the same boat, but this mindset traps you in a cycle of burnout.
"I can skip self-care practice for now as I don’t have time for it."
Skipping meditation, journaling, or exercise may seem harmless for a while, but taking care of your mental and emotional wellbeing is essential to staying balanced and clear-headed.
"I’ll skip lunch today so I can get more done, maybe dinner too.”
Be aware when you start skipping breaks, lunches or neglecting mealtimes and healthy eating habits.
"It’s 11 pm and I need some time for myself! Maybe a short social media scroll, a chocolate bar or a drink before bed helps me feel good about myself today."
Late-night scrolling or unwinding, emotional eating or drinking feels like a quick fix to connect with yourself and feel good, but it often leaves you feeling worse the next day, further fueling the cycle.
"I need a hard workout to get more energy and get rid of this tension."
If you are already stressed out or exhausted, your body won’t won’t response to a hard workout like you wish but things backfire.
“I will never get everything done, everyone are just demanding more of me and I barely have time to breath.”
If your mood has shifted from finding everyday joy, gratitude and motivation to negative, intolerant and grumpy, it’s one of the first signs of burnout.
The first step to breaking free from repeating burnout patterns is recognizing when these thoughts and patterns creep in.
The next is to make the changes right there by addressing and changing the behaviors, for example:
Prioritize you wellbeing by going to bed earlier and get enough sleep.
Get your working habits and boundaries in place.
Put your phone away and get bored, or do things you truly enjoy, go out in nature, and spend time with people you love.
Connect with yourself, your emotions and self-reflect what is going on.
Reduce your to-dos by asking for help and support, reprioritize brutally.
You have to treat yourself like you would be sick. We need to learn to take our wellbeing seriously and put ourselves first.
Okay, I hope these insights are helping you to make the changes and get back in balance and your wonderful energy!
Much love, Jenni
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This fall, I will be talking and offering valuable information and classes about burnout, habit change, sleep, procrastination, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and all the tools you need to thrive.
The first episode will be published this week and it’s going to be so helpful to anyone who want Clarity and see what keeps them stuck personally, professionally or habitually.
And lastly, if you know you need more support to make the changes, I am here to help you or your team or organization to prevent burnout. Start by booking a 30-minute Clarity call with me.