How to Avoid Burnout at Work (and in Life)
As we enter the New Year, don’t set resolutions—learn how to set boundaries instead.
Have you ever dined at an upscale restaurant with an open kitchen? The chef and their team are on a culinary stage, chopping vegetables, pan-frying meats, and whipping up delicious desserts. There is a ton of chaos and moving parts as the chef calls the ticket order and the kitchen responds.
And somehow, it all works together. And it always smells delicious.
Most days, we’re like that chef in the kitchen who is tending one pot on the front burner, another on the back burner, and baking something in the oven—struggling to keep things at the right temperature for the right amount of time. (My husband laughed as he read this as he knows I’m no cook. Our local fire department showed up while I was cooking brunch one Easter Sunday. A story for another time!).
Whether or not the flame and smoke are metaphorical, we all are seeking ways to avoid burnout at work and at life. Many of us look for “magic” work-life balance tips.
It seems we’re all under the illusion that we can keep everyone around us happy, as long as we keep stirring the pots.
Realistically, though, we’re living in an era where stress, overwhelm, and burnout are at an all-time high. One in three adults is experiencing loneliness, and change is happening at a more rapid pace than ever before. Not to mention the hard that so many are experiencing already this year. The heat and pressure of this “So Muchness” is at a boiling point.
We can’t keep up in a rapidly changing world that never slows down without sustainable resilience and Unstoppable Momentum.
Lucky for you, I’ve got a no-fail recipe that works every time. Let’s get cooking!
Set Boundaries, Not Resolutions
I know this time of year, everyone is throwing resolutions around like confetti. And now, here we are, midway through January, and over half have already quit their New Year’s Resolutions. We often forget that sometimes the most effective action is to stop certain actions from happening. That’s why this year, I’m challenging you to set boundaries, not resolutions.
Boundaries create a healthy fence around your time, energy, and resources.
Boundaries hold you accountable to your top priorities (or burners)—and not every person or thing that competes for your attention. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.
Boundaries give you space and grace to pause and breathe.
Let’s face it: you and I have a million things going on every day. Our stoves don’t have room for everything. Your partner may need to temporarily move to the back burner so you can focus on being the best mom to your kids. You may need to prioritize your business today and put dinner plans on hold. The point is, not everyone will get your attention all the time—and that’s ok.
When you set intentional boundaries, you integrate priorities on your “stove.” You know what to stir, when, and for how long. You make space for sustainable resilience, and you build a Momentum Mindset to bounce forward, not just back.
When you learn how to set boundaries, you learn how to avoid burnout at work (and life, which is just as common!). Boundaries give you breathing room and help you protect what lights you up—before you start seeing smoke.
Communication is Key
If people crowd around the stove, you’d tell them to back away, right?
The same goes for boundaries. Make sure that you clearly communicate your boundaries to family, friends, and coworkers in a kind, gentle way. Here are a few examples:
- Proactively Slack your team that you aren’t available after X p.m. for meetings or calls because you need to pick up the kids.
- Set an Out-Of-Office notification when you’re on vacation. Let coworkers know you won’t be taking calls or responding to emails until X date.
- Put a chore list on the fridge so that your partner or teenagers know what needs to be done around the house while you’re at work.
When you spell out your boundaries, you’re raising awareness and making it easier for everyone (read: even you) to stick to them. Which brings me to the most important part.
Don’t Back Down
This is the trickiest part of the recipe: it’s your responsibility to uphold the boundaries you’ve created. YOU have the power.
Only you can protect your time, energy, and resources.
Only you know what’s simmering on your stovetop.
Only you can stir the sauce, boil the pasta, and drain the water.
It’s tempting to let guilt or your own desire to “do it all” take over or let things slide. Hold strong! Don’t give up! Remember YOU ARE ALLOWED. And definitely do not apologize for making space and grace to focus on what’s currently on your plate (or burners). Because WHAT YOU ALLOW IS WHAT WILL CONTINUE.
How To Set Boundaries that Work
Microsft did a study that proves just how powerful breaks between meetings are. A quick break improves mental focus and one’s ability to engage with others. I’ll leave you with a quick list of tried-and-true boundaries for home and at work. Some of these I’ve seen from clients, and others I’ve implemented myself. Use them often!
Work Boundaries
- Schedule 45-minute meetings. More and more research is coming out about the impact of strategic breaks during our day and not having back-to-back meetings. I encourage my clients and now myself to schedule shorter meetings to encourage time and space to breathe, refuel, and re-energize.
- Schedule 15-minute breaks. Strategically schedule breaks between calls to alleviate Zoom or Teams fatigue and burnout. It creates time to review any notes, jot down questions,highlight any action items before taking the next call and to regroup and recharge.
- Take screen-free lunch breaks. We’re constantly looking at screens: computer monitors, smartphones, TVs, and tablets. Prioritize a screen break at lunch to reduce stress and overstimulation. Eat outside with a coworker or head to a favorite place near the office. Get up from your desk if working from home and move to a different room. Sit at an actual table and eat! (And this only works if you ACTUALLY GIVE YOURSELF THE GRACE TO TAKE A LUNCH AND NOT SKIP IT!)
Home Boundaries
- Ask kids to pack lunches. Talk with your kids about prepping meals for school, and let them know that it’s no longer your responsibility. As my kids got older, we had a “you take it, you make it rule.” Otherwise, they could eat the school lunch.
- Ask teens to do their laundry. I love this one because I’m not going to college with my 18-year-old. When you are 10 in our house, you learn to do your own laundry. They don’t put it away the way I would, but I’ve learned to let that go.
- Find your 5. We talked about this in a previous post, but it’s worth revisiting. Find 5 to 15 minutes at the start of each day to meditate, journal, or enjoy a warm cup of coffee before the sun rises. Make this your time to set the tone for the day, before chaos ensues because how you start your day matters.
I’ll say it again: once you learn how to set boundaries, you learn how to avoid burnout at work. Boundaries will help you turn burnout into brilliance—because you actively giving yourself space to shine.
There you go! Now you’ve got the ingredients, the recipe, and the know-how to start managing your stovetop with strong boundaries in your kitchen. Can’t wait to hear what you’ll cook up next to ignite your own Unstoppable Momentum and thrive in 2025!
