Success & burnout: 5 ways to reduce stress for high achievers

If you made it to this article, my guess is you feel like you’re burning the candle at both ends. On the outside, you’re accomplishing big things - running a business, crushing it at work, getting your steps in, being a good friend, partner, sibling, child, etc. … but perhaps you feel like the more you chase after your goals, the more your mental & physical health takes a toll. You find yourself craving more rest, more relaxation, more time to just be.

I get it… I’ve been there once, too. It seems like mental & emotional burnout has become the norm in our culture. Hustling, getting sh*t done, and working 12 hour days has almost become a badge of honor. But is this really the best way to achieve your goals? What happens when you finally get to that goal? Will you even be able to enjoy it, or will the nature of hustle culture tell you that you need to keep going, keep achieving?

My belief is that you don’t have to put your wellbeing on hold just to get what you want. Wealth, success, a thriving career - you can have it all, and you don’t have to sacrifice your health just to get there.

I truly believe that when you succeed from a place of feeling nourished, you can accomplish so much more than you ever thought possible.

If you’re ready to let go of mental burnout and bring more balance to your routine, I’ve got a few strategies to get you started. Below are 5 ways to reduce stress & burnout now, so that you can feel good on the inside while you’re out there achieving your goals.

1) Slow it down.

If your body is in overdrive, you have to find a way to balance out all that anxious energy with something nourishing. For example, many high achievers tend to enjoy high impact workouts, but all this intense movement could be adding more anxiety to an already-anxious mind, and putting more stress onto an already-stressed body. Experiment with forms of movement that offset all that high energy and bring a sense of calmness to your mind & body. Usually, this includes things like yoga, walking, pilates, or lifting weights.

2) Prioritize rest.

Stress takes a serious toll on your mental & physical health. Exercise is important, but if you’re running on an empty gas tank, it’s best to go refuel. Guilting yourself into a workout class is only making your mind & body more stressed, so understand that it’s okay to skip a workout if you’re exhausted. In fact, it’s probably the best thing you can do for your body. You did not fail because you skipped a workout, especially if you did so to take care of your mental health.

5) Let go of the “all or nothing” mindset.

Have you ever fallen into this trap? You feel like if you can’t give it 100%, you should just give up altogether? This is so common and one of the #1 things holding people back from living a healthy lifestyle. The truth is, wellness is about meeting yourself where you’re at & being able to adapt when things get chaotic.

If fitness and nutrition is too much to focus on right now, try taking it back to the simple things in wellness. Drink water, eat balanced meals, get enough sleep. Or, instead of trying to squeeze in a workout class everyday, focus on movement that requires little to no additional time commitment, like a standing desk, biking to work, or taking the stairs.

Learn to be okay with micro moments of self care. A 15 minute walk and 1 nourishing meal a day is so much better than giving up and doing nothing at all.

3) Set boundaries & communicate them.

Are you working through lunch without even realizing it? Are you taking on more work than you originally signed up for? Are you letting people stretch you too thin? These are all tell-tale signs that it’s time to set some boundaries.

At the end of the day, your peace of mind is your responsibility. It’s up to you to have the hard conversations & tell the people around you what you need (your boss, your partner, your team). It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of self respect. Be brave enough to demand more for yourself. You deserve it!

4) Allow people to support you.

Don’t be fooled by what you see on Instagram… successful people have a ton of help! Do a quick reflection on the areas in your life that are causing mental or emotional burnout. Are you holding onto control of things that you can outsource or delegate? Can you lean on your friends & family? Can you invest in support? Do some reflection on any resistance you might feel around getting the help you need.

Remember, pouring from an empty cup isn’t serving anyone - not you, not your family, not your clients. Letting go and allowing people to step in will make you a better partner, a better mom, a better business woman, and a better friend. Get comfortable building up your support network and leaning on other people.

The most important thing when it comes to burnout…

…is to give yourself a break. Let go of comparison. Let go of self judgment. Let yourself off the hook for all the things you think you should be doing. Figure out what you can do with what you’ve got, and start there. It’s so easy to tell ourselves that 10 minutes a day isn’t enough, but I promise you, it can make all the difference.

Healing mental burnout is tough, but not in the way people might think. It doesn’t require doing more, it requires getting comfortable doing less. It requires feeling worthy of balance & self care, and respecting yourself enough to prioritize it.

As we transition into fall, I encourage you to slow things down & take self care breaks wherever you can. Take a few minutes to re-evaluate your situation, and dedicate any extra energy you might have into things that will make your life easier long-term: getting support, setting boundaries, and having important conversations.

Until then, be okay with any tiny moments of nourishment you can get.

I’m rooting for you.

-Alex