Burnout is more than just a buzzword—it’s a silent epidemic affecting high-achieving women across industries. In a recent episode of Daring to Leap, burnout coach and former tech leader Hannah Tackett shared her deeply personal journey through burnout and how she emerged stronger, more aligned, and determined to help others navigate this challenging terrain.

Understanding Burnout: The Silent Crisis
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual decline, beginning with signs of stress that many of us ignore. As Hannah explained, burnout manifests in stages, from irritability and insomnia to a complete loss of enjoyment and a deep sense of detachment. For some, like Hannah, it culminates in a total inability to function—unable to even get out of bed.

Hannah’s wake-up call came when her body simply refused to go on. Despite being a successful leader in her field, she found herself utterly depleted, unable to meet the demands of her career and personal life. This experience led her to reevaluate not just her professional life but her very identity.

The Journey to Recovery: Finding Your Authentic Self
Hannah’s recovery didn’t come from quick fixes like a spa day or a sabbatical. Instead, it required a holistic approach—one that began with rediscovering her authentic self. Burnout often stems from losing touch with who we are as we try to meet everyone else’s expectations. For Hannah, this meant confronting the reality that she had spent years pleasing others and ignoring her own needs.

The first step in her recovery was what she calls “authentic alignment”—a process of rediscovering her values, passions, and desires. This alignment is crucial because it empowers us to say no to what drains us and yes to what truly fuels our spirit. Hannah emphasizes that once you know what you’re truly passionate about, setting boundaries becomes not just possible, but natural.

Practical Steps to Prevent and Overcome Burnout
Hannah outlines a four-phase approach to combating burnout:

Authentic Alignment: Rediscover your values and passions.
Resourcing Energy: Identify what drains and energizes you, and adjust accordingly.
Finding Your Voice: Learn to communicate your needs and set boundaries.
Reassessing Goals: Use your newfound energy and clarity to pursue what truly matters to you.
These steps are designed to help you reclaim control over your life, reduce your workload, and ultimately, restore your energy and enthusiasm for what you do.”