Burnout isn’t just a buzzword for me—it’s a deeply personal journey that has shaped who I am today. My passion for burnout prevention is rooted in the experiences I’ve endured, the lessons I’ve learnt and the commitment I’ve made to ensure others don’t have to go through what I did.
My first encounter with burnout came in late 2014, during a period when my life seemed to be a perfect storm of stressors. We were living in Adelaide, far from any family support, and my husband at the time was constantly travelling for work. I was also working in a demanding job, whilst juggling the bulk of the responsibilities for our two primary school aged daughters.
I began to feel tired, my energy levels plummeted and something as simple as running—which had always been a joy—became an exhausting task. Then, one December evening, my heart started racing uncontrollably, and I found myself in the emergency department, terrified that something was seriously wrong.
The doctors told me everything was fine, but I knew deep down that I wasn’t well. My heart continued to race flat out for a week, and I was utterly drained. Walking up the stairs in my house left me breathless. I visited doctor after doctor, all of whom assured me nothing was wrong and that I was “fine”. Even a cardiologist dismissed my symptoms as “normal.” But I knew my body, and this wasn’t normal for me. Just weeks before I could run 7km (albeit tired) and now I couldn’t even manage the stairs.
The reality was that I was severely burnt out, something I had to discover and understand on my own. My adrenal glands were shot, and I was forced to go on medication and take the entire year of 2015 off work because I simply wasn’t fit to do anything. My condition was so debilitating that on Christmas Day 2014, instead of enjoying lunch with my daughters and family, I was in the emergency department once again, my heart racing on a week-long adrenaline rush from the smallest amount of stress.
It took moving back to Tasmania in 2016 and living with my parents to slowly regain my strength. I eased back into work with a part-time bookkeeping role, and by September 2016, I was finally able to return to full-time work. But the impact of burnout lingered—it affected me financially, stripped me of the joy I found in running and socialising, and most painfully, it kept me from being the parent I wanted to be to my two beautiful daughters.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of my battle with burnout. It hit me again in 2021, forcing me back on medication for my adrenal glands.
And then, in 2023, it struck once more. I was under a lot of pressure at work and ended up having to take 6 weeks off work due to continued colds, illness and finally a debilitating flu which left me unwell for weeks. I was exhausted, emotional and I felt completely drained. I had lost my enjoyment of life and I was feeling completely depleted in every area - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I was struggling to get out of bed and making the school lunches each morning was a herculean task. This was the catalyst for a profound life reboot.
You might wonder why it took three bouts of severe burnout for me to truly realise that I needed to make changes to my life.
The truth is, I didn’t realise that I was a large part of the problem. I thought that my thoughts, behaviours, worrying and constant striving were normal - I didn't know any other way. I assumed it was just stressful jobs, but then I reflected that nobody else seemed to be burning out.
Plus, after burning out in a number of different roles, I realised that there was one common denominator and I was looking at her in the mirror! If I wanted to change my life, I needed to do something different and really reflect on how I was living my life and carrying out my work.
It's extremely common for people to experience serial burnout. Why? Because we often get burnt out, take time off to recover and then go back to working and living exactly the same way that got us there in the first place!! Change is hard and it requires some big adjustments – that can be scary and difficult.
But for me, burnout had wreaked such havoc on my life that my body was in a constant state of stress, reacting to almost everything—even food—as if it were a threat. I got to the point where I could only eat a handful of foods and that’s no way to live. I was trapped in a “fight or flight” mode that was destroying my ability to enjoy life. My hair started to shed and break off – my body was screaming at me to make changes.
But through this painful journey, I learnt some critical lessons. I had to completely reassess my life and career, focusing on regulating my nervous system, setting boundaries and prioritising self-care. I became deeply introspective, working on my mindset as a recovering perfectionist and began practicing kindness towards myself. I started doing things I enjoyed and made a conscious decision to truly live my life, not just survive it.
This journey has been a rollercoaster, but it has brought me to a place of profound understanding and commitment. I’ve realised that change was necessary if I wanted a different outcome, and now, I’m devoted to helping others recognise the signs of burnout and make change before it’s too late.
Burnout is not something you have to endure alone, and it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a signal that something needs to change. My mission is to be a beacon of hope for those who feel overwhelmed and to provide the tools and support they need to prevent burnout from taking over their lives. I’m committed to never burning out again—and I’m here to help you do the same.
If this story resonates with you, and you're feeling the weight of burnout in your own life, you don’t have to face it alone. At Prospera Consulting, I offer burnout coaching for leaders and executives that’s grounded in personal experience and proven strategies to help you regain control of your life. Together, we’ll work to identify the stressors that are driving you to exhaustion, set boundaries that allow for real balance and create a plan to help you reclaim your energy and joy. Whether you’re seeking support to prevent burnout or to recover from it, my coaching is designed to provide the tools, guidance and compassion you need to thrive. Reach out today—your wellbeing is worth it.
Our commitment at Prospera Consulting is to propel our clients' careers and businesses to new heights by seamlessly blending executive expertise with a profound passion for holistic wellbeing.
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