Extinguishing the Burnout Cycle

I have a cohort of friends and coworkers with whom I’ve noticed a familiar pattern—a cycle of pushing themselves intensely, only to crash into burnout mode. Some of them work relentlessly for months, then collapse and need a month to recover. Others keep a superhuman level of productivity until they reach a breaking point, and then their health and relationships crumble spectacularly.

These friends might be more extreme than the average burnout case, but it’s helpful to learn from these “productivity extremists” who care deeply about their work, don’t want to fail, and don’t often mess up. They strive to give it 110%, day in and day out. That’s how they got to their positions of success—through attention to detail and dedication, not by shrugging at their to do lists. They usually feel a sense of gratification, purpose, and identification with this super productivity.?

But when these Type A+ workers push themselves to the extreme, the pendulum can swing violently from intense productivity to complete exhaustion.

I’m not here to judge whether this pattern works or not. For some, it may, but I want to minimize the harm it causes. When these high-achievers crash, they crash hard. Either they become miserable to work with, their home lives suffer, or their mental and physical health deteriorates. The cost is too high.

In many cases, overwork isn’t just rewarded—it’s the only thing allowed. Workplaces may preach work-life balance and unlimited PTO, but then deny every leave request because it’s “too busy a season.” A boss may say they want the team to set boundaries, but the consequences of not working weekends or late hours hollow out those promises. How do we break this toxic reinforcement of overwork and find a middle ground?

Finding the middle ground requires letting go of perfectionism. It means shutting down the computer even when you know you could get more done if you just worked one more hour. It means letting go of the vision of being the most productive, brilliant worker in the room. It means proofreading an email only once before sending it off instead of the usual five.

Start with small, tangible commitments: “I won’t work more than 55 hours this week.” Plan your PTO a whole year in advance and submit it to your boss, so it’s locked in and you have it to look forward to. Focus not just on saying “no” to work, but on all the beautiful things you now have time to say “yes” to—moving your body, spending time with family, resting.

Pushing back against the deep culture of overwork requires a willingness to risk displeasing people in order to do what’s right for your well-being. [read my article on how to navigate a high-stakes disagreement with bosses]. You’ll need to be assertive and committed to your boundaries. By choosing sustainability, you’re likely aligning closer with your team’s shared values than if you continue pursuing unrealistic expectations.?

It’s been inspiring to watch one of my burnout-accustomed friends take on this challenge seriously. Her resolve has encouraged others in our circle to do a little less, too. It’s a slow process, but when we do the hard work of caring for ourselves, we produce our best work without sacrificing ourselves in the process.