46: Why High-Achievers Wait Too Long to Rest

Burnout: Recognizing the Warning Signs and Red Flags

I'm seeing more clients go on leave from work due to stress than ever before. Just five years ago, it was rare for me to see this in my practice.

It's made me realize we need to talk about this. We especially need to learn how to recognize when it's truly time to take a break—before we run out of gas.

What I've noticed is that most people wait YEARS—until their mind and body literally stop working—before they finally step away. I remember my own breaking point when my young kids asked a simple, everyday question, and I had to physically hold my tongue to avoid losing it on them. That's when I knew something had to change.

We high-achievers often have a distorted belief that our worth is tied to our productivity, so we put everyone else's priorities first, while our needs come last. We assume that people might be angry at us for saying no, but that's rarely the reality (and if they are, they're actually the ones being selfish, not you).

Today's episode invites you to challenge your unconscious core beliefs, such as "I have to get things done at all costs," because it's simply not sustainable.

Nothing is worth your health, family, and friends.

What you'll discover today:

• Why so many high-achieving women in their 40s and 50s wait YEARS before taking stress leave, pushing themselves until they literally cannot continue.

• The key warning sign that you're teetering on the edge of burnout.

• Physical, mental, and emotional warning signals indicating you're close to, or already experiencing, burnout.

• How the mentality that our worth is tied to productivity is distorted thinking and a primary driver of burnout.

• Challenging questions to help you rewrite the unconscious thought that "getting things done is more important than my health".

• Why taking care of yourself is not selfish.

It takes work to shift this mindset, but you are your most precious resource, and it's a lesson we need to learn now to sustain our health beyond our forties and fifties.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Rising Stress Levels

01:19 Recognizing the Early & Late-Stage Signs of Burnout

02:37 The Importance of Self-Awareness

03:38 Medical and Lifestyle Factors of Burnout

04:51 The Reality of Stress Leave

08:46 Mindset Shifts for Burnout Recovery

18:21 Defining and Identifying Burnout

25:06 Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts

29:15 Prioritizing Rest and Recovery

32:22 Conclusion: Embracing Change

34:36 Invitation: Join the Overwhelm Cure Program

Invitation: Sign up for The Overwhelm Cure Program

If you're ready for change, I'd love for you to join me for the Overwhelm Cure Program starting in January 2026. It's a six-week online program, where you'll participate in regular exercises, and we'll come together each week to discuss ways to help you finally overcome feelings of overwhelm. We start in January!

https://www.kimberlyknull.com/overwhelm-cure-program

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