Member-only story
Recognizing Burnout
How a slow-paced Friday night made me realize I was moments away from full-blown burnout.
I was on the verge of burnout for months — if not years — and I had no idea.
This realization came to me as I was listening to my audiobook while getting my steps in on my walking pad.
(For those curious, I’m currently listening to Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano — I’m only 14% of the way in, but so far I’m intrigued.)
It was a Friday night. I logged off work and immediately went into prepping dinner. I ate by 6:30, did my 30-minute at-home workout, followed by a 45-minute walk on my space-saving foldable walking pad.
On this walk — while habit-stacking listening to my audiobook — my husband called me. We chatted about our days (since he was on tour and I was at home) and it hit me like a ton of bricks: I’m doing exactly what I want with my evenings and don’t feel like I’m constantly chasing the next best thing.
I don’t know if it’s because 2023 was one of the most hectic years of my life (planning a wedding, having the wedding, all while learning a new role at work and preparing for a supporting role in a local opera), but 2024 has chilled out a lot so far already.