How I Overcame Burnout: A Personal Journey

A candid story about facing burnout and finding balance again.

Two years ago, I was doing everything 'right.' Senior role at a well-known company, good salary, checking every box my younger self had dreamed about. And yet, every Sunday evening I felt a knot in my stomach at the thought of Monday. I couldn't sleep. I started snapping at people I loved. I had completely lost myself in work.

The Moment I Knew Something Was Wrong

It was a Wednesday afternoon. I was in the middle of a video call and I just... couldn't remember why any of it mattered. I nodded along, said the right things, and when the call ended I sat completely still for 20 minutes. My brain had gone quiet in the way that wasn't peaceful — it was empty.

What I Did First (Wrong)

I tried to push through. I started going to bed earlier, drinking more water, taking vitamins. Nothing changed. Burnout is not a hydration problem. It is a signal that your inner resources have been depleted beyond what a good night sleep can fix.

What Actually Helped

I started seeing a therapist — something I had resisted for years. Within a few sessions I realized I had never really learned to separate my identity from my work output. My worth was entirely tied to my performance. That realization was uncomfortable and also liberating. I also started setting firm offline times. No email after 7 PM. No Slack on weekends. These boundaries felt terrifying at first and then felt essential.

Recovery Was Not Linear

Good weeks followed by bad weeks. Some mornings I felt like myself again. Others I felt like I was starting from scratch. What kept me going was community — people who had walked similar paths and reminded me I was not broken, just depleted.

Where I Am Now

I still work hard. But I no longer confuse hustle with health. I take my rest days seriously. I notice when I start sliding and I act earlier. Burnout taught me the most important career lesson I know: longevity and well-being are not enemies of success — they are the foundation of it.