Healthy Halloween platter and October Wellness It’s Halloween month! I’m already stocking up on decorations and costumes for the younger boys (the oldest is too cool for school these days and would definitely not wear a halloween costume) and...
Burnout & Resilience – A Fresh Perspective from Within
Burnout & Resilience: A Fresh Perspective from Within
By Sarie Taylor
The Burnout Epidemic – and why it can hit harder after Summer
Burnout has been steadily rising across the UK, with rates climbing from 51% in 2022 to 65% in the summer of 2024. And while the stats alone could be worrying, they don’t tell the full story, especially for those of us juggling the relentless demands of work and parenting.
With the summer holidays now behind us, many working parents have just come through a period of heightened tension. Meeting work deadlines while managing childcare became a real juggling act, and keeping everyone entertained for six weeks was no small feat. The pressure was massive, and it’s no wonder so many of us felt like we were running on empty even before it all began!
But here’s what I’ve learned through both personal experience and years of coaching: we don’t need to keep pushing through. In fact, it’s often the pushing and overthinking that deepens the exhaustion and increases the stress levels.
Let’s Simplify Burnout
We’ve overcomplicated mental health. We’ve made burnout something to “fix” with more tools, strategies, and routines. But the truth is: simplicity is key.
Burnout isn’t just about long hours or too many tasks—it’s emotional depletion. It’s a foggy mind, a heavy heart, and a body that feels like it’s dragging itself through each day.
Yes, external factors like workload, running the home, and parenting stress play a role. But there’s another layer—how we experience our thoughts and feelings in the moment.
Overthinking: The Silent Energy Drain
When we’re overwhelmed, our thoughts spin. We try to plan our way out of exhaustion with endless “what ifs,” but it only adds more noise. I call this emotional planning – when we try to solve problems from a low mood or anxious headspace. It rarely works, and it’s actually so unnecessary. We don’t actually need to emotionally plan for anything.
On the other hand, practical planning – the kind that flows from a settled, clear mind—is where real wisdom and creativity live. That’s when we naturally find solutions without the mental gymnastics.
And here’s the thing: no amount of worrying helps. Ever. When we’re caught in thought loops, we’re not present – we’re mentally in the past or the future. And neither of those places actually exists.
You Can’t Think Your Way to Wellbeing
We often believe that if we just think harder, we’ll figure everything out. But that’s like shaking a snow globe and expecting the snow to settle.
Our minds are the same. When we allow them to quiet – when we stop trying to “fix” everything – we access what I call our innate wellbeing. It’s always there, like the calm ocean beneath the waves.
This is especially important during high-stress times, like the summer holidays. We don’t need to be superhuman. We just need to see our thinking for what it is: temporary, transient, and not always helpful.
The Inside-Out Understanding
Our experience of burnout is shaped not by what’s happening around us, but by how we interpret it through thought. When we see that our thoughts create our reality, we can respond differently.
It doesn’t mean we don’t get stressed or tired—we’re human! But we don’t have to believe every stressful thought that passes through. We can meet ourselves and others with more compassion, especially during the chaotic days of work, parenting, and school holidays.
You’re Not Broken – You’re Human
At the heart of everything I teach is this simple truth:
You are not broken.
You do not need fixing.
Your wellbeing is already within you.
You are doing your best, and that is always enough!
Even in the middle of school holiday chaos, overflowing inboxes, or sleepless nights, clarity and resilience are available. Not through more effort, but through understanding and compassion. Make a commitment to yourself that you will lower your expectations and show yourself love and compassion like you would to someone else, just doing their best!
As we head into the summer season, remember: you don’t need to have it all figured out. The most powerful shift often begins with a quiet mind and a fresh perspective.
You’ve got this—because it’s already in you.
Inspirational Mum of two Sarie Taylor is a trained psychotherapist and a life coach who works with people across the world with a wide range of issues.
Having suffered with severe anxiety for many years herself, Sarie also has personal experience and an understanding of what it feels like to struggle.
Sarie is one of BROOD magazine’s original columnists, answering questions, sharing ideas and helping our readers understand more about the principles that eventually helped her transform her anxieties, relationships and business – enabling her to fall in love with life again!
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