Today I offer a small practice for you to try, read on.
Burnout rarely appears overnight — and it doesn’t disappear that way either. It begins when we stop seeing alternatives, when our thinking becomes trapped.
Last week, I shared what doesn’t help when dealing with burnout. This week, let’s look at a SIMPLE PRACTICE:
- List your daily routines in three columns: Should, Need, Want
- Reflect: –What do you notice? Can you reframe any “shoulds” into “wants”? Which “should” tasks are essential, and which could move down your priority list? Can you make more room for what you want to do?
- Take small steps.Engage in one “want” activity today. Make micro-changes and take your time to acknowledge every small win. EVERY ONE OF THEM.
If you try this, I’d love to hear what you discovered. Feel free to comment or send a DM to share your experience — or to discuss your unique situation more deeply.
A study published in Frontiers of Psychology has found that a 10-session coaching intervention, reduced emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation (key burnout dimensions). Each person’s story is different, but here are some common areas I explore in MY COACHING MEETINGS:
1. Pause and Step Back. Distance brings perspective. Even a short break from your routine can reveal what’s working — and what’s not.
- Reflect: How do your roles and responsibilities align with your values?
- Reframe: Is everything draining, or is there another way to look at it? What could you do differently moving forward? We focus on creating alternatives.
2. Practice Self-Empathy.Quiet your inner critic.
Acknowledge frustration, fatigue, or uncertainty — without judgment. Giving yourself permission to feel creates space for renewal.
Celebrate every small act of self-kindness.
3. Schedule Your Worry.Unless a problem requires immediate attention, set aside time for it later.
Allow yourself to feel your emotions — but when worry intrudes at the wrong time, gently set it aside and return to it when planned.
What’s Next:
Next week, we’ll move from emotion-focused coping to action-focused coping — using behavioral activation to take meaningful, energizing steps forward.