Why recovering from burnout can be so hard

Severe burnout can be a difficult recovery process.

Here’s something I’ve noticed, time and again, about recovering from a completely empty tank:

When we finally start to refill our tanks, there is often an extended period of time when we are recovering…but we don’t feel better.

In other words:

We finally have a bit more time.
We’re finally resting.
We’re finally doing some useful self-care practices.

…And we don’t feel better.

As you can imagine, this is a tough time. It’s when I’ve started to feel quite anxious. It’s when my coaching clients sometimes start to panic:

Will I ever feel better? I’m doing all the right things!
Am I doomed to feel exhausted…forever?

This phase can last weeks. Occasionally — if the burnout was extreme — for months.

…

So, how do you recover from burnout?

All I can say to you is: keep going.

You will start to feel better, perhaps quite suddenly. When this happens, you will realize that your tank was slowly refilling before, but you were so tired that you couldn’t feel it. I’ve seen it happen over and over with my clients, and with myself.

(Of course, this is dependent on you actually taking steps to refill your tank. If you’re just doing the same ol’ things that burned you out to begin with, I can’t promise you’ll suddenly feel better one day.)

…

Using a life coach can be really beneficial for when you’re feeling like you need some help.

I know that when we are lost in the wilderness of exhaustion and burnout, everything can feel overwhelming.

So let me be a steadying guide: Keep going. It’s working.

Keep going, my friend.

Katie

p.s. If you’re stuck doing the same things and can’t see a way out of burnout and an empty tank, I’d recommend working with me 1:1.

The journey can seem completely overwhelming on your own — but with the help of an experienced coach who can suggest personalized, iterative steps — it’s a completely different, and much more doable process.

Learn more about working with me here.