Spoiler: It’s not waiting until you're crying into your inbox at 11pm.
Let’s be honest. If you’re reading this, you’re probably halfway through building the wall and picking up speed.
Burnout doesn’t usually arrive with a fanfare. It creeps in—like inbox clutter, or that “quick meeting” that somehow ate your whole afternoon. One day you’re feeling productive. The next, you’re googling “Can I fake my own disappearance and move to a lighthouse?”
Before you start drafting your lighthouse resignation letter, let’s talk about what to actually do before you hit the wall. The goal? Spot the signs early, take action, and save yourself from a full-blown crash and burn.
1. Stop Glorifying “Busy”
Being constantly busy isn’t a badge of honour. it’s a neon sign flashing unsustainable. If your to-do list needs its own postcode, something’s off. Busyness doesn’t equal productivity. (It usually just means your boundaries have gone on holiday without you).
2. Re-Evaluate Your To-Do List (yes, again)
Look at your current to-do list. Now squint at it like it owes you money. Ask yourself:
🔍 What’s genuinely essential?
✂️ What could be simplified?
🤖 What could be automated (yes, there’s a tool for that)?
🙋♀️ What could be delegated (to a team member, a VA, or someone who actually enjoys spreadsheets)?
You’re not meant to do everything. You’re meant to do the things that move you forward, not the admin faff that just keeps the hamster wheel spinning.
Hot tip: “Being the only one who knows how to do it” is not a long-term business strategy. It’s a shortcut to burnout.
3. Recognise The Warning Signs (the “Oh f**k” moments)
😴 You can’t remember the last time you felt properly rested
💢 You’re snapping at emails like they personally insulted you
🧠🐟 Your concentration has the lifespan of a fruit fly
🤖✖️ You’re doing tasks on autopilot — and making mistakes
Pro tip: If you’re reading an email, re-reading it, then forgetting why you opened it, your brain is waving a tiny white flag.
4. Tidy Up Your Tech Life
Clutter doesn’t just live on your desk. A messy inbox, chaotic calendar or ping-happy phone is just as draining. Notifications are not your friends, they’re tiny stress bombs.
Try this:
📬 Unsubscribe from newsletters you never read (yes, even the well-meaning productivity ones)
📥⏱️ Batch-check emails instead of pinging back like a human tennis ball
📬 Unfollow people who post about stuff you don’t or adds no value to you
🤖🧑💻 Use AI tools or a VA to keep the admin wolves at bay
5. Say No Way More Often (politely, but firmly)
Saying yes to everything is the express route to burnout. You don’t have to attend every meeting, answer every call, or take on every project just because you’re capable. Capable doesn’t mean available.
Try this phrase on for size:
“I’d love to help, but I’m at capacity this week.” (Short, polite, and no one can argue with maths).
6. Make Rest Non-Negotiable (not a reward)
Waiting until you’re exhausted to rest is like waiting until your car breaks down before you buy petrol. Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s fuel. And it needs to happen before you feel like crawling under your desk with a blanket.
Block out white space in your week. Actually schedule it in. Call it “strategic recovery time” if that makes it feel more professional.
The Bottom Line
Burnout doesn’t hit you out of nowhere. The signs are there blinking like a low battery warning. You just have to look up from your inbox long enough to notice them.
If you’re hurtling toward the wall at full speed, take this as your sign to pause, reassess, and reset. You’re no good to your business, your clients, or your cat if you’re running on fumes.
Need a hand getting some breathing room?
I’ve been where you are and know how long it can take to come back. So if you’re ready for some support, then I would love to help you.
Even if you just want to talk to someone, I’ll listen.