Why High-Achieving Women Burnout (and how to break the cycle)

Success shouldn’t feel like drowning. Yet for so many high-achieving women, that’s exactly what it feels like–constantly treading water in an ocean of endless responsibilities, expectations, and commitments that never seem to end.

If you’re reading this while mentally running through your mile-long to-do list, feeling energetically depleted despite all your accomplishments, I see you. And, I’ve been there. Burnout among high-achieving women has reached epidemic proportions, and it’s time we talked about why–and more importantly, how to break free from this exhausting cycle.

Starting With: What is Burnout, Really?

Burnout isn’t just feeling tired after a long day. It’s that bone-deep exhaustion that comes from feeling energetically low while simultaneously being overwhelmed with everything you have to do–whether it’s work-related, home-related, or relationship-related.

Burnout is that sinking feeling of having too much on your plate and not knowing if you’ll ever get it all done. You look at your endless list of responsibilities and don’t even know where to start. The perfectionist voice in your head whispers that it all has to be done perfectly, but here’s the truth I’ve learned: it doesn’t have to be perfect to get it done.Sometimes all you need to do is just work on chewing it off in little bites.

Why Do So Many Women Experience Burnout? 

The biggest culprit behind burnout is not knowing how and when to say no. As women, we often are used to saying yes to everything. Yes, I can do that. I can help with that. For sure, I will be there. 

But here’s something that changed my perspective completely… 

And that’s that “no” is a complete sentence.

As women, we’re natural nurturers. We want to make sure everyone’s taken care of, everyone’s helped. But we forget that we can only do so much in a day, a week, an hour. We forget that when we say yes to everything, the list just grows and grows and grows.

Being a people pleaser feels good in the moment – we like helping, we like being needed. But over-committing is a one-way ticket to burnout city, and trust me, you don’t want to visit there.

Here’s How Burnout Hijacks Your Entire Life

When burnout takes hold, it doesn’t just affect your energy – it impacts every aspect of who you are.

Your mood takes the first hit. You don’t want to do anything. Depression creeps in, and you might experience mood swings that leave you feeling like you’re not even yourself anymore. And, there’s this overwhelming sense of hopelessness – what’s the point of trying when there’s always more to do?

Then, your energy becomes non-existent. You’re tired, but it’s more than tired. You just want to rest, to be, to not have to engage with anyone or anything. The thought of adding one more thing to your day feels impossible.

Inevitably, if you keep going on this way, your inner peace disappears completely. You feel overloaded, pulled in so many directions that you can’t find stillness anywhere. And that constant business blocks you from your inner peace. Because your inner peace comes from just being in the present moment and sitting still. When you’re burnt out, that becomes the hardest thing to do, even though it’s exactly what you need most.

Why High-Achieving Women Are Sitting Ducks for Burnout

We’re set up for this from childhood. As little girls, we’re told we can do it all – have the family, have the career, be everything to everyone. 

But you can’t do it all without support. You need people. Coworkers, an assistant, a hands-on partner who understands everything you’re doing.

One thing we don’t acknowledge enough is that the pressure is different for us. Generally speaking, men are expected to work, and that’s it. And while women are also expected to work, we are also expected to then come home and make dinner, do laundry, clean the house, put kids to bed, and somehow still have energy left over to be a loving partner. Which is an insane amount of responsibility for one person to take on when you really think about it. 

So, when we carry too much responsibility and have too many people depending on us, we tend to make zero time for ourselves. We see these unrealistic portrayals in movies and on social media – women who somehow have perfect careers, perfect families, perfect homes, and perfect lives. It’s too much pressure, and trying to achieve this impossible standard is exactly what causes burnout.

Most importantly, we forget to have fun. All this doing makes us become so serious about everything, we become so focused on achieving and doing, that we lose the lightness and joy that makes life worth living.

Sometimes You May Learn the Hard Way, (Like I Did)

I’ve experienced burnout twice in my life, and both times taught me crucial lessons about my limits and what really matters.

The first time I experienced true burnout was in my real estate career: I had multiple deals going on simultaneously and was being pulled in every direction. I ended up getting sick but still had to get those deals done. That’s when I realized I needed to learn my capacity limits. In real estate, you’re either up or you’re down – there’s never a happy medium. I learned to recognize when my plate was full and started referring clients to other agents for a commission kickback. It helped me break the cycle and taught me the importance of knowing what I can take on and what I can’t. Essentially, this was me learning for the first time that I HAD to learn to say no to some things. 

Then, there was the period of depression that followed my divorce: At the end of my marriage, I went into full-out depression, which I consider another form of burnout. I got to the point where I wasn’t getting out of bed, wasn’t taking care of myself, and was watching way too much TV. But then I had a moment one morning – standing in the mirror while brushing my teeth – where I told myself “enough is enough.” I literally said to my reflection, “Get your shit together. We got this.” That’s when I went inward and started working on my inner peace and self-development. 

Then, There’s the Adrenal Connection: When Your Body Waves the White Flag

Here’s something most women don’t realize until it’s too late: burnout can actually burn out your adrenal glands. When I discovered this in my own life, it was a game-changer.

I didn’t even know I had burnt my adrenals out until I had some standard blood work done. My doctor looked at me and said, “You just go all day until you fall over, don’t you?” When I said yes – that I literally don’t sit down at night because once I sit down, I get tired and I’m done – she told me I had adrenal fatigue.

It took me almost a year to get my energy back. A full year. 

You just don’t realize what your body knows that you don’t know. Your adrenal glands are crucial for keeping you energetic and maintaining high energy levels. And, when you’re burnt out, you’re essentially running on empty.

The recovery process taught me something profound. And that’s that if you’re not listening to your body’s whispers, it will eventually make you listen through illness, exhaustion, or complete shutdown. Which is what burnout really is. 

Three Ways I Restored My Energy and Sanity After Adrenal Burnout 

Recovery from adrenal burnout required a complete shift in how I approached self-care and movement.

1. I stopped burning myself out with exercise. 

I was doing CrossFit and boot camp, essentially burning out my adrenals even worse. Instead, I started taking gentle walks – lots of them. Morning walks, lunch walks, evening walks. I stopped forcing myself through intense workouts and honored what my body actually needed.

2. Yoga became non-negotiable. 

During this time, I became yoga certified and my yoga practice became a non-negotiable to me. I went three or four days a week, but not sculpt yoga or anything intense – just good old yin yoga, flowing through poses and breathing. It was pure self-care.

3. I learned to give myself a break. 

Rather than forging ahead at all costs. It became okay to go for a 20-minute walk instead of a 40-minute HIIT workout. This was revolutionary for someone who thought more was always better.

The Daily Practices That Keep Me Grounded Through Burnout

Now, I have non-negotiables that help me maintain my energy and inner peace, especially when I am approaching or in burnout. 

Journaling helps me clear my mind and process what’s happening in my life.

Meditation, even if it’s only for a few minutes, keeps me centered and connected to myself.

Movement and exercise – but the right kind. Walking in nature, gentle weightlifting, yoga. Movement that energizes rather than depletes.

Being in nature is huge for staying grounded. I often stare out at the tops of trees from my office window, especially in the morning. There’s something so peaceful about seeing the tops of trees – sometimes they’re swaying, sometimes they’re still, but it always grounds me.

Practicing saying no – I have mentioned this one so many times because it is the most important. It’s also difficult to learn and requires constant practice. Saying no is still a work in progress for me, but it’s essential for maintaining boundaries.

Filling Your Own Bucket 

Here’s something crucial that many of us forget: we can fill our own buckets. 

The people around us don’t have to do that for us. Whether it’s a nice gentle walk in the morning, a bath, or just standing in the shower washing the day off – whatever self-care looks like for you, make it happen.

I have a friend who takes showers at night specifically to “wash everything off from the day.” She says she feels so much lighter afterward. That’s her thing, and it’s amazing. Find your thing.

Create a New Definition of Success

Breaking the burnout cycle means redefining what success looks like when your wellbeing is prioritized. It means having the courage to live differently than societal expectations demand.

Done is better than perfect. This simple phrase has saved me countless times when perfectionism threatens to take over.

Rest is productive. Slowing down isn’t lazy – it’s necessary for sustainable success.

Boundaries are beautiful. Saying no to what doesn’t serve you means saying yes to what does. 

Your inner peace comes from being and sitting still. In our go-go-go culture, this feels revolutionary, but it’s actually fundamental to being human.

Don’t forget that you have permission to rest, to say no, and to prioritize your wellbeing. 

You can break the cycle. The exhaustion doesn’t have to be permanent. And you don’t have to do it all perfectly – you just have to start somewhere, one small bite at a time.

So, Are You Ready to Break Free from Burnout and Step Into Your Power?

If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed and are ready to reclaim your energy and inner peace, I want to share something special with you.

I know that you don’t need another commitment. Or one more meeting filling up your calendar.

What you do need is space—

• To exhale.
• To be seen.
• To be supported.
• To rise.

You need a sisterhood—a faith-filled community that lifts you higher, walks beside you, and reflects back the truth of who you really are.

I’m excited to be part of the Think and Grow Rich Women’s Collective: Confident and Called, a transformative 6-week program rooted in the timeless principles of Think and Grow Rich. This isn’t just another program—it’s a return to yourself with women who believe in your rise! ✨🩵

Over our first six weeks together, you’ll begin to reclaim the power of your thoughts, your words, and your choices. 

If this resonates with you, and you want to be part of a community like ours, working through these things together – click the button below to learn more. 

Love, Light, and Gratitude 🩵

– Kathleen