5 Tips for Beating Burnout
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 1
- 10 min read
Written by Rachel Tamilio, Soul Coach
As a Soul Coach, Rachel Tamilio has a deep commitment to helping women realize and reclaim their power to live fulfilling, happy lives. She is a published writer, cancer survivor, and in 2022, launched the Off the Deep End Podcast, which features guests who share compelling stories of setbacks transformed into comebacks.

Burnout has gained unprecedented popularity. From TED speakers to lead magnets, LinkedIn posts, and blogs, you do not have to look far before you see it. In fact, in the last week, three out of the four business owners I met in a virtual one-on-one networking call alluded to, or directly mentioned, burnout. What is burnout, and is it possible to prevent what appears to be inevitable in the overstimulated, “crazy busy,” noisy culture where most of us live?

Unpacking the pain
Burnout is more than a trending topic to me. It is something I experienced years ago.
I would love to tell you that I course-corrected and everything improved after I took steps to rebalance my life, but that was not what happened. Life deteriorated further before it improved.
At 30 years old, I was diagnosed with stage 2 BX Hodgkins lymphoma and spent 2005 going through the torturous process of chemotherapy and radiation, with many procedures in between. Mercifully, I not only survived the horrific ordeal, but I also learned to thrive and gained a great deal of respect for root cause analysis and a holistic approach to health since then. There is a happy ending in this story, but first, I need to share the middle of it with you.
As part of my inner work and healing journey, I composed what I refer to as a blueprint or template for helping identify the mindset shifts and questions that may help beat burnout before it begins. I use it myself and work with my clients. Before I get to that, allow me to address a few myths around this topic.
What burnout is not
2 popular myths
1. Contrary to popular opinion, burnout is not a condition or syndrome
Burnout, like many alleged conditions, is an outward manifestation of inner imbalance. When someone begins to experience all the signs of being burnt out, the body is in a desperate state, the nervous system is shot, and the body is making a loud statement:
“I will no longer be ignored. It is time to act. Ready or not, I am trying to save your life.”
My first health coach used a brilliant metaphor, comparing the body signals to a smoke alarm. We keep smoke alarms in our homes to warn us of something that could cause imminent harm.
The alarm is designed to give us time to take action. It sounds like it gives us time to get to safety and call for help.
Why do we approach health differently? Headaches and fatigue are signs and alarms. They warn us that something is amiss.
Burnout is a smoke alarm. It is the ultimate signal that something is out of balance. It is the body’s cry for help. In American culture, when the proverbial smoke alarm starts going off, the common response is to disconnect, go numb, and silence the alarm.
We reach for the energy drinks, other stimulants to get through another exhausting day, sneak cat naps where possible, and pop pills for aches, pain, and depression. I did all of that until I could no longer.
Here are some sobering statistics about how “powering through” stress and burnout is affecting Americans:
The use of antidepressants is increasing, particularly among young people. The rate of antidepressant use among people aged 12–25 years has increased by 66.3% between 2016 and 2022. (Pediatrics, 2024)
The data reveal that younger generations face significantly higher rates of burnout, with 81% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 83% of 25 to 34-year-olds reporting burnout, compared to only 49% of those aged 55 and older.
Of course, this does not affect Americans alone. Here is a quote from Mental Health UK
“When asked to imagine the likely impact of high levels of stress on someone’s life, two-thirds of people said it would affect sleep (64%), while nearly half highlighted diet (45%) or self-confidence (44%). Relationships would also be impacted, with 40% saying high levels of stress would affect relationships with friends and family, and 34% saying they would affect relationships with a partner.”
Perhaps what is most concerning about the epidemic of burnout is that it has an impact, not only on the person suffering from the symptoms, but it also negatively affects everyone connected to them.
An employee who feels burnt out is not going to be anyone’s favorite coworker. They are less likely to be kind and considerate of customers and clients. They go home, tired and stressed and have nothing left for a partner, spouse, or their children. Burnout sufferers are less likely to nourish themselves with the healthy, non-processed food that their bodies desperately need.
How many people order healthy and nourishing food when they are too tired and unmotivated to cook at home? As a former DoorDash driver, I can tell you that in a 6 or 7 hour shift, making between 30-40 deliveries, I was lucky to see two orders for anything remotely healthy. There is no judgement here. I did that and worse many times. (This was long before healthier meal subscriptions were an option.)
In addition to the lack of nutrients and excess of stimulants, there is a high probability that someone experiencing burnout is also not sleeping well at night. They might be exhausted in the daytime, but unable to get restorative rest when they need to. The trifecta of malnourishment, sleep deprivation and emotional stress will inevitably take its toll and, if left unchecked, the health will deteriorate at a rapid rate.
2. The second myth about burnout is that it usually happens to older people
I was young when I experienced burnout, and I thought that I was an exception to this rule. However, it turns out that I am a statistic. According to a snap poll, 25 % of Americans will experience burnout by the age of 30.
According to that same poll,
The top three concerns that young adults say they worry about the most are:
Work
Finances
Mental health
What led to my burnout?
It was not until long after cancer treatment and building my physical health that I began to do the inner work of facing and healing the wounds that had plagued me for most of my youth and early into adulthood. I met spiritual advisors, therapists, health coaches, life coaches, and mentors.
Yes, I was overextended between my full-time job and volunteering for nearly every waking hour in between. There were less obvious reasons why I crashed and burned, however, and in my work with clients, I have seen similar patterns.
When I had an experience with burnout, I did not know about chakras or Chinese medicine at the time. I had not studied meridian pathways. The word chakra was not in my vocabulary. Once I did learn about them, I could not help but connect the dots in my own life.
The throat chakra, having to do with one’s self-expression, felt choked. The heart chakra, where the respiratory system/lungs live, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is where the body manages stress. My chest often felt tight and my heart rhythm was erratic. Where was my cancer?
What they found was a 13-centimeter mass in the mediastinum, on the chest wall, pulling down on my aorta. The mass also snaked around my windpipe. It explained the smoker’s cough and voice, and it seemed that the literal manifestation of the emotional distress I had been quietly suffering.
I do not suggest that burnout leads to cancer in all cases. I do believe that the body cannot help but ultimately manifest what is happening at the soul level. This is why I am passionate about both the inner work and the innate intelligence of the body being vital for one’s optimal health.
As part of my healing journey, I detailed what my inner state was like at the time. Perhaps you may recognize some of these in your own life.
Inner chaos
False guilt/hero complex
I felt it was my responsibility to save others (in my family) from taking on more than they could handle. I was an on-call help desk technician when the computers went down, one of the office administrators, the director of the children’s ministry, and the women’s ministry. I enjoyed most of those functions, but I took on too much. I unwittingly enabled a vicious cycle by doing so.
Lack of relational boundaries
Every conversation and visit with the family revolved around the work we all did in the church and radio ministry. It was all-consuming and, I felt, unhealthy.
Fear of what others thought
I feared that if I said I needed more time for myself and became unavailable, I would be seen as weak or uncaring.
Identity crisis
I did not know who I was unless I was busy helping someone else. I enjoyed feeling needed, but sometimes I was one with the need, and I felt I had nowhere to go with it.
Escapism/avoidance
Incessant work and volunteering gave me more than a sense of purpose. It gave me an excuse to and an escape route from sitting with some crucial questions like:
For someone who was constantly in a church and grew up “in the church,” why did I feel spiritually disconnected?
Does the faith of my childhood upbringing resonate with me now?
What do I inspire or encourage people to think about faith when they see me and how I live? As long as I was busy, I did not have the opportunity to do the deep reflection I needed to do.
I would never wish what I have been through on anyone, but I did learn a lot about self-care and personal development because of it. This is my template for helping you prevent burnout.
Guideposts for avoiding burnout
1. Give yourself permission to say no
It is true. No is a complete sentence. If you feel the need to soften or cushion your no's, it is perfectly fine to do so. There is no need to be harsh. The crucial piece of this guidepost is that you recognize that your need is as valid as anyone else's. If your partner or spouse needs or wants something more than you can give or want at that moment, say so. If you fear doing so, this speaks volumes.
What does it mean?
Are you afraid of what they might think of you? Do you feel unsafe?
Do you think they will abandon you?
How secure are you in this relationship if you are afraid to speak your mind?
2. Recognize that self-care is not selfish
Women, in particular, often have difficulty putting themselves first. We are nurturers. We instinctively ensure that everyone else around us has their needs met before we tend to our own. Sometimes we need a reminder that if we do not take care of ourselves, we will not be able to care for anyone else.
Perhaps you do not require three hours at a spa, but you do need an hour of quiet in the morning before you tend to any other tasks or engage in any conversation.
What else does self-care look like for you?
3. Remind yourself that boundaries are loving
Boundaries are not supposed to be weapons or ultimatums. They are both acts of self-care, but when done well, they also protect and nurture the relationships you have in your life. Without healthy boundaries, resentment can set in and hurt your relationships.
What relationships in your life require boundaries and in what way? How will you create, communicate, and implement them?
4. Do the inner work
What if I had someone working with me, helping me see where and why my life was so out of balance, before I ended up burnt out? Could I have prevented my health crisis? I believe so.
That said, I urge you to be intentional about uncovering anything that may be standing in your way of emotional freedom. There are some questions to ask yourself:
What are the wounds, frustrations, and unanswered questions plaguing you?
What are the secret traumas or challenges you face but have not dared to express to anyone?
5. Identify and mind your non-negotiables
Lastly, but most importantly, as part of your self-care and inner work, get clear about what your personal non-negotiables are. What do you need to be the best, highest version of yourself?
Identify what those are and guard them with all of your heart.
For example, if you need to decompress in solitude for a few hours at the end of your day or week, do so. If you have a hobby that helps you unwind, (I recommend you find one!) Make sure you have time to indulge at that time. It is a part of your self-care. If you run a business and need extra space between seeing customers and clients to recover your energy, take it. Schedule it.
Identify what your must-haves are and schedule, plan, and flex around everything else to ensure that you have those.
Conclusion
You have limited resources, time, and energy. Use them wisely, so that you can live fully.
If you are blessed to be healthy and strong, the greatest gift you can give your loved ones is to protect that state as best as you can.
Finally, consider working with a coach or mentor to support you and gently nudge you forward so that you can design a life that will leave you feeling fulfilled and joyful, not drained and empty.
Humanity needs the gifts and light you bring, as only you can give them. When you burn brightly, you help everyone around you shine.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of coaching with me or you want to schedule a Breakthrough Session, click here.
Visit my website for more info!
Read more from Rachel Tamilio
Rachel Tamilio, Soul Coach
Rachel Tamilio has a track record of pushing through obstacles and turning them into trampolines that propel her forward to serve people ready to level up their lives, experience more freedom and fulfillment, and increase their energy. Helping people identify their unique purpose and unapologetically step into life aligned with their beliefs and values is what Tamilio has been doing since she survived her health crisis at the age of 30. She is a proud member of the American Writers and Artists Institute and launched a podcast and a blog to empower and inspire people to claim and experience their best health, abundance, and joy. One of her fundamental beliefs is that you have more power, promise, and potential than you can imagine.