Burnout debunked

Lynn Blades, founder, Legacy Leadership and author The Quiet Burn, and exposes the biggest myths about burnout—and what leaders must unlearn.

- Lynn Blades

Time to cut through the noise: burnout is not just about being tired. It is not a phase, a momentary lapse, or something you can talk your way out of.

It is a serious, progressive condition that affects your mind, body, soul, and your ability to lead effectively. Yet, despite a heightened awareness, burnout is still wildly misunderstood, especially among leaders and particularly among the ambitious women I coach.

I’ve seen far too many high-performing women at the top of their game dismiss the signs, internalise the fatigue, and power through until something breaks. It all looks good to the outside world, cool, calm, polished, achieving, even winning. On the inside they are depleted running on fumes until the tank runs dry. And, it is not just their well-being on the line; it’s their relationships, their leadership, their legacy.

So, let us set the record straight. These are the five most persistent myths about burnout—and the hard truths we must face to move beyond them.

MYTH 1: BURNOUT IS JUST STRESS. YOU WILL GET OVER IT.

Truth: When stress is acute it becomes chronic and corrosive burnout.

We all experience stress. But burnout is what happens when that stress becomes relentless, and your coping mechanisms stop working. It is the moment you stop caring, engaging, focusing not because you're lazy, but because you are empty.

According to a 2022 Gallup report, 76 per cent of employees experienced burnout on the job at least sometimes, and 28 per cent reported feeling burned out 'very often' or 'always'. That is not a bad week. That's a cultural epidemic. For working women, it is one step beyond with 46 per cent of all professional women experiencing some stage of burnout and for those in leadership positions, the number jumps to 53 per cent.