7 Proven Ways to Recover from Burnout

for High-Achieving Women

We've heard over and over again the term "burnout." But do we truly know what that means when it's overused so often?

If you went for a couple of weeks or months enduring late nights, long hours, and as a result, you're tired - that is just simply fatigue. This could potentially be "cured" with a vacation, or even just vegging on the couch for a day or two until you are refreshed. If you're extroverted, this could even look like going to a party or two. The key here is you need rest and the chance to recharge.

That said, if your lifestyle constantly has high expectations of you whether it be your career, your familial obligations, or anything else that consistently causes ongoing stress with no relief and little "control" over your circumstances.... That is what leads to burnout.

Eventually your environment has led you to feel little to no motivation for things that once sparked joy. You're often more cynical or numb about what is happening around you...and that's because the root cause of the issue are your lifestyle choices - not simply the stage or phase you are in.

Patterns of toxic productivity and the pressure to hold it all together is typically the driving factor to why so many high-achieving women are burned out.

That said, burnout is not permanent. With the right tools and strategies, you can recover. It just needs to be done intentionally and regularly to be effective. (Hence why a vacation is not going to fix it this time).

We've heard a million times that burnout is bad and that we need rest.

No shit.

It's time to dig a bit deeper for something that you can actually do on a daily basis.

This post will give you seven proven strategies on burnout recovery so you can stop feeling overwhelmed and get back to the version of you that feels like - well, you.

What Are the Signs of Burnout?

Before we get started, to first address burnout, we need to recognize the signs. Otherwise, we can't address what we are not aware of.

One key thing to remember is that sometimes, burnout is a slow burn. In fact, it usually is. There isn't a single event or dramatic occurrence that something in your life endures before burnout sets in. That's why you generally notice it when you're right in the thick of it.

That's why these common signs require you to look at your life from 30,000 feet to address how you got to where you are now:

• You're always exhausted.
  We all know that you can't catch up on sleep - even though most of us treat our bedtime routines like we can. A bad night of sleep or two is to be expected whether it's travel, work demands or even becoming a new parent. However, if you are consistently going to bed on time with enough hours of rest and still waking up fatigued, it may be time to address what's going on.

• Feeling detached.
  It's normal to have a day or even a season where you're just not up for the things that used to get you excited. But when that is becoming the norm for everything, it's time to take a pause and ask why.

• You're not motivated.
  All of us have something that we aspire to. If your dreams suddenly feel like too much work – or like there's no point, it's probably a red flag.

• It doesn't take much to irritate you. 
  Now for some of us (like myself) this is a tricky one. The key factor here is "more than usual." We all have our moods but if something you used to consider small is now making you see red, your short level of patience is trying to tell your body something.

• You can't concentrate. 
  Some of us can study in a highly chaotic environment while others prefer absolute quiet. But if you are in your ideal settings and still can't focus on a project, rereading the same sentence over and over, or your mind is wandering, it may not be the work. It's probably the workload.

• Everything is overwhelming. 
  This was my dead giveaway symptom. Things that I could easily knock out in an hour began taking days. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if it's a massive ask or a small task. When you're suffering from burnout, your capacity is a lot smaller than what it normally would be.

• Optimism has been replaced by cynicism. 
  If you've asked yourself, "why bother?" or "what's the point?" more frequently and especially for things that once brought you happiness, you're not just grumpy. This has become a default setting because you simply no longer have the energy to care as much. (Unfortunately, chronic stress has a way of doing that to you).

1. Acknowledge That You’re Burned Out

When you are the "strong" one in your crowd, you tend to not admit weakness. And most of the time that weakness means showing enough vulnerability to be honest about what you need. 

For many of us, it's a break. It's support. It's time for ourselves.

But we never get to that point because society tells us to "push through" all the time. 

If you're ever going to beat burnout, the first step is to acknowledge that you are.

It sounds so simple, yet many of us never get to the first step because we pride ourselves on being the reliable and capable pillar for so many others. 

Even worse, we delay the need for rest often lying to ourselves by saying things like: 

"I just need to get through this week." OR "It's just a busy season; it will slow down." 

Except...it never does, does it?

If you take nothing else from this post, accept this: Acknowledging burnout is not a sign that you are weak, it's a sign that you are aware. 

And only once you are aware of what needs to be done, can you begin to heal.

2. Stop Glorifying Busyness

It took me years to unlearn that being "busy" wasn't a flex. 

We all hear the "booked and busy" tales about success and what people have been able to achieve as a result. 

We don't hear that they work 80 hours a week on average and never see their family.

We don't hear that their career has taken off tremendously, but their dating life has suffered as a result. 

We don't hear that they rarely are able to partake in their hobbies and interests because they are consumed with so many other things on their plate. 

One of the biggest factors that contributes to burnout is the belief that your entire self-worth is based on how productive you are. 

You've built your entire identity on how much you can accomplish...which is why it feels extremely scary to slow down suddenly. It feels uncomfortable.

But the truth is, constantly being busy isn't sustainable long term. No matter how long you've been doing it.

Recovery from burnout takes more than productivity hacks which were just designed to help you maximize your time for others benefit. It's going to take a mindset shift. 

Ask yourself today, "What do I actually need?" instead of "What else can I get done?"

Rest is not something you earn after exhaustion. It’s something you need to function well in the first place. It's the only way you are going to make space for recovery.

3. Create Non-Negotiable Rest

For many overachievers, rest is something we feel that needs to be earned. There is always something to do, places to go, and people to meet.

But what if I told you that rest isn't simply just taking naps or going to bed early?

Rest looks different for everyone so it's important to know that all rest shouldn't be treated the same. In fact, when we talk about rest in this context, it's those activities that bring calm to your nervous system.

So, while watching TV and scrolling on social media may be a nice break for downtime, simply doing those things are not going to help you recover from burnout.

To intentionally rest is going to feel different.

For many of us, burnout recovery should prioritize these elements:

• Quality sleep, not quantity
  We're told repeatedly to get 8 hours of sleep but for many of us, it's not the amount that matters; it’s how restful it is. Sure, you can sleep for 8 hours but if you constantly wake up throughout the night, and are in an environment that's bright, noisy, or unstable – then it doesn't matter how much of it you get. It won't be effective.

• Quiet time
  Uninterrupted periods where you are left to just "be" is more impactful than you may think. If you are constantly in reaction mode it becomes very easy to make decisions based on what others want, and not necessarily what you may need.

• Go beyond four walls
  Time outside or being submerged in any form of nature can be therapeutic as it can ground you to the present moment. Today, it's easy for us to get in a routine where we go from our home to the car to the job, and back again without many breaks in between. Vitamin D can do wonders for your mood and even impact how well you sleep or rest.

15 to 30 minutes each day may not seem like a lot, but prioritizing intentional rest can significantly reduce your stress and improve your mental clarity.

You should frame rest as a non-negotiable aspect of your daily routine. If it becomes optional, it will never get done. And that is how burnout continues. 

4. Set Boundaries (Even If It Feels Uncomfortable)

The lack of boundaries is where burnout begins - and then consumes your life. Chances are, if you're overwhelmed and constantly battling exhaustion - there's a good chance you are saying yes to too many things or yes too often.

It's important to understand that burnout is rarely caused by just one thing alone. It's typically the accumulation of how many things you have said yes to over time.

Understanding and setting your boundaries can be one of the most powerful tools available to you when it comes to burnout recovery. It's also one of the most uncomfortable actions you will take first.

Best advice I can give you? Start off small:

Overachievers are used to always being available for every ask or request that we receive. But not everything deserves an immediate response or attention.

So, pause before you respond.

Your initial reaction may be one rooted in feeling responsible for things that are not your responsibility. It's perfectly acceptable to let someone know that you will "check and get back to them."

It's also okay to simply decline and say no. Especially if it doesn't align with what is a priority for you.

When we become aware of what causes our burnout, many of us think we must overhaul everything overnight. This is the worst thing that you can do because you will quickly get overwhelmed with that much change at once.

What matters is that you can begin sustainable practices that protect both your time and your energy.

5. Reevaluate Your Commitments

Many of us are going through life and interpreting how busy we are as a success metric. It's then no surprise that many of us leave feeling unfulfilled.

As you navigate burnout recovery, part of it is taking a step back and asking yourself:

What is on my plate because I feel obligated to do it?

Am I holding onto something that no longer serves my best interest?

Does this matter to me right now?

High-achieving women with Superwoman Syndrome often commit to things out of habit or expectation. Not because we are passionate about it, or because it's aligned. We just fear that we will disappoint others or let them down.

Everything on your plate is not a priority.

It's okay to give yourself permission to delegate responsibilities, postpone action items, or let them go entirely.

To recover from burnout, you must create the space in your life to do less. Not because you're doing less just because, but it's making room for what really matters.

6. Reconnect with What Fulfills You

I began to know I had a serious problem when things I used to enjoy began to feel draining. That's because burnout disconnects you from feeling joy.

You begin to feel like you're going through the motions, checking off items from your never-ending to-do list, and just getting things done with little to no fulfillment.

This is why it's very important to reconnect with what makes you happy as it's a critical part of your burnout recovery.

The challenging part? Depending on how long you've been suffering from burnout...you may have forgotten what brings you joy.

But this is the fun part. You can utilize the art of discovery to help you find your way back there again.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What used to bring me joy?

• When was the last time I was excited about something?

• What makes me happy outside of my achievements?

And this doesn't need to be complicated. Again, start off small. 

Take a walk without your phone. 

Start a creative hobby. 

Spend more time with the people who energize you. 

Small moments like these begin to build upon each other to create the momentum you need to spark the changes needed to live a more sustainable life.

7. Get Support

Most women who are reading this are just like me in that this final strategy is often the hardest: Ask for help. 

For most of us, the default setting is to do everything alone. 

However, just like everything else on this list, burnout recovery isn't something that you must do all by yourself. 

Getting the support you need will accelerate how fast you recover. And that support can look differently for everyone. 

Whether you work with a coach (or a strategist like me), talk to a therapist, or join a community, support will look differently depending on the person. 

For me, I need all three to actively recover from burnout. I needed to allow myself to be supported and I wasn't going to achieve that by consistently adding more to my plate. 

Why Burnout Happens (Especially for High-Achieving Women)

Burnout happens because of the patterns and habits we have, not the workload itself.

We often set unrealistic expectations on ourselves that contribute to people-pleasing, perfectionism, and poor boundaries (the deadly three P's). These lead to success but lay the foundation of chronic stress and exhaustion when it goes unchecked. (And chances are if you're reading this, then yep, it's already unchecked).

Recognizing these patterns before you get to the place of burnout is the key to stopping this from happening over and over again.

How to Recover from Burnout Fast (Realistically)

I'll be honest here and say that I personally don't believe burnout recovery is fast. There is a way to get relief quickly...but we are attempting to break months or even years (and in my case decades) of patterns that got us here in the first place.

This isn't an instant change. The only thing that is "instant" about it is the awareness of the patterns.

But that's a great first step. Because now that you recognize what needs to change, you can begin implementing small steps one day at a time.

This looks different for everybody, but the actions are the same:

• Reduce (and potentially eliminate) unnecessary stressors

• Prioritize rest by not thinking it's something to be earned

• Set small boundaries (even if it's saying no to one thing this week)

• Create space throughout your day for the things that matter to you

Burnout recovery isn't like a light switch where it's something you turn on and off. This here is a mindset shift.

And every change, no matter how small, will give you noticeable relief a lot quicker than you think.

Creating a Sustainable Life After Burnout

Recovery is just one part of the process when it comes to transforming your life into a more sustainable path.

This isn't a one and done project because the goal isn't to feel better temporarily. We want to build a life that prevents burnout from happening again.

What this means is that our initial thoughts, choices, and priorities should begin to reflect what we truly want from our lives. And I probably sound like a broken record, but this is going to look different for everyone.

To make the transition you will need to build boundaries into your daily routines, regularly assess your energy levels then adjust your behavior as needed, relieve yourself of unrealistic expectations, and prioritize alignment over what you feel currently obligated to.

A sustainable life doesn't require less, it just means you will be placing what matters most at the forefront.

Conclusion: You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck in Burnout

Burnout doesn't mean that you've failed. It just means that due to prolonged stress and unrealistic expectations it's built unsustainable patterns of overperformance. 

Celebrate the small win that if you're reading this, you're already searching for solutions and taking the first step toward making a change.

It starts with awareness and continues with slowly introducing small changes that feel more intentional and fulfilled. 

And the best part is, you don't have to do this alone.

If this resonated with you it's a sign that something in your life is ready to shift. 

👉🏾 Explore my podcast episodes for deeper conversations on burnout recovery, boundaries, and creating a more aligned life.

👉🏾 Learn more about how I can support you in moving from fatigue to fulfillment.