Let me introduce you to Lisa.
She’s 44. Corporate job. Two kids. A husband who tries to help, but honestly? He’s just as fried. Lisa’s been “pushing through” for a while now. Her days are a blur of Teams meetings, snack requests, performance reviews, laundry piles, emails marked “URGENT!!!”, and that dull ache in her chest that she keeps telling herself is “just stress.”
But here’s the truth:
Lisa is burnt out. Not tired. Not “a bit overwhelmed.” Not “in need of a spa day.” Properly. Burnt. Out.
And if you’re still reading, there’s a chance you know exactly how that feels. Let me walk you through Lisa’s day—not the LinkedIn version. The real one.
6:12 AM: Alarm #2
She’s already behind. She wakes up in the same clothes she wore to bed, which are also the same ones she wore yesterday. Her phone is blinking with six work notifications. The youngest has a cold. She’s up. Her husband mumbles something unintelligible and rolls over. Lisa swallows the irritation. No time.
7:48 AM: Breakfast Bribes
She’s spooning cereal into one kid’s mouth, trying to convince the other to put socks on. She’s already in her Zoom blouse—business up top, leggings and exhaustion below. She pours coffee she won’t get to drink. She hasn’t had a real conversation with her husband in weeks that wasn’t about schedules,
bills, or “did you sign the permission slip?”
9:03 AM: Death by Meetings
She’s logged into a meeting where everyone’s talking but no one’s listening. She’s nodding and smiling because that’s what she does. Her camera’s on. She wants to cry but she’s not even sure why anymore. Its like there’s a fog between her and everything else. She’s not in her life—she’s watching it go by.
12:17 PM: Lunch That Doesn’t Count
Half a granola bar. Standing up. Cold coffee sipped between Slack messages. Her shoulders are up near her ears. Her jaw clicks from clenching. Her brain? Fried like cheap takeout noodles.
3:42 PM: Passive-Aggressive Ping
A coworker sends a “Just following up?” message. Her stomach drops. She missed something. Again. She types an apology that sounds upbeat. She puts a smiley at the end. She wants to scream. Instead, she swallows another part of herself.
6:13 PM: The Dinner Gauntlet
The kids are whining. Her husband is quiet—too quiet. He’s tired too, but she secretly resents him for not seeing how hard she’s trying. They snap at each other over chicken nuggets and broccoli. The TV goes on. Nobody talks. Nobody wins.
9:56 PM: Mind Spinning, Body Screaming
She finally lies down. Exhausted but wired. Her body hurts in weird places. Her mind won’t shut up. Shes replaying that thing she forgot to do at work. That thing she said wrong to her kid. That thing she meant to ask her husband but never got to. She scrolls. She sees another mom “crushing it” on Instagram. She hates that woman. She hates that she wants to be that woman.
She turns the phone off. She cries silently. Nobody hears.
This is burnout.
It’s not just “a bad week.” It’s soul erosion. It’s the slow, silent decaying of who you are, while the world claps for how “together” you look. And if this is you—if this is even a little you—let me say this loud and clear: You don’t have to live like this. So What Do You Do When You’re Burnt Out and Still Have a Life to Run?
Here’s what I wish Lisa (and all of us like her) could do right now. Not a year from now. Not after the promotion. Not when the kids are older. Right. Now.
1. Call It What It Is
Stop sugarcoating it. You’re burnt out. Say it. Write it. Tell someone. Burnout isn’t a weakness. It’s a warning light. The engine is not okay.
2. Pick ONE Thing to Drop
Today. Not next week. Not when you “have time.” One thing. Say no. Cancel it. Postpone it. Delegate it. Permit yourself to not do it all.
3. Use the “3×3” Rule
Choose 3 non-negotiables every day:
• One thing for your mind (meditation, journaling, 10 minutes of silence).
• One thing for your body (walk, stretch, drink a damn glass of water).
• One thing for your soul (music, prayer, laughter, talking to someone you love without multitasking).
Even in chaos, you get to matter.
4. Say What You Need Out Loud
To your partner. Your kids. Your boss. “I need help.” “I’m struggling.” “I’m not okay.” The words will taste foreign in your mouth at first. Say them anyway. Connection heals.
5. Take the Smallest Break Possible
Not a weekend in Bali. A five-minute walk outside. A nap in your car. A slow breath before your next email. You don’t need a full escape. You need micro-moments of relief. They stack up.
6. Create a & Burnout Exit Plan
If the job is killing you, it’s time to start making moves. Quietly. Strategically. With support. Find a coach, mentor, or therapist. Start laying down bricks for a life that doesn’t eat you alive.
7. Forgive Yourself for the Cracks
You’re not broken. You’re human. And being human right now? It’s freaking hard. You’re allowed to feel weary. You’re allowed to not be perfect. Give yourself some of that compassion you keep dishing out to everyone else. Burnout doesn’t go away on its own. It steals your joy, your relationships, your health.
But here’s the part no one tells you:
It also cracks you open—and gives you the chance to rebuild something better. So if today you feel like Lisa, please know—you’re not alone. And you are not weak. You are done carrying more than one person should. And that? That’s the start of healing.
If this hit home, share it with someone who needs it. And if you need support, I’m here. Not to fix you—but to walk with you as you remember who you are. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.
Let’s rewrite your story.
www.d-squareconsulting.com