Written by: Kerrie Campbell, Leadership and Transformational Coach
Kerrie Campbell is the powerhouse behind Live Your Sensational Life. With 25 years of global business and HR leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies, she’s your go-to guru for confidently navigating the dynamic complexities of the corporate and business terrains.
Sarah glanced at her watch, her heart sinking as she opened her laptop. It was 8:45 PM, and she had just put her kids to bed. She still had a few more hours of work to get through but felt exhausted from a busy, non-stop day. All she wanted to do was collapse into bed herself. Day after day, her calendar was a blur of meetings, deadlines, and commitments. She was a senior leader, responsible for a large team, and had always prided herself on her ambition, drive, and heart-centered approach to her work and team. However, lately, the weight of her responsibilities, the constant pressure to succeed, the feeling of needing to prove herself, and finding herself constantly chasing perfection had started to take its toll.
Does this sound familiar? Many women in leadership roles, whether in corporate or running their own businesses, face this immense pressure. They are high achievers, deeply committed, and often juggling multiple roles. From leading teams to raising children, managing households to volunteering or community involvement, they are constantly trying to meet everyone’s expectations. This might be you, a high-impact, heart-led woman wanting to maximize your potential and make a real difference. Yet, despite your passion and dedication, you may find yourself frequently exhausted and on the brink of burnout.
As a corporate leader turned entrepreneur myself, I know this feeling all too well. For years, I thought burnout was just part of the journey, something I could power through with enough grit. But after finding myself disconnected from my energy, feeling guilty every time I even thought about taking a break, and secretly not wanting to look like I couldn’t handle all my responsibilities, I realized burnout wasn’t something I could simply push through. It required a deeper shift.
The subtle roots of burnout: It’s not just the long hours
Burnout isn’t just about working too many hours or having too many responsibilities. While this certainly contributes, the roots of burnout run much deeper. For many, burnout also stems from the weight of deeply held unconscious beliefs and emotional patterns they carry, often without realizing it. These energetic patterns are the silent drivers behind the fatigue and shape how you show up in your leadership role. If you are feeling this stress, here is likely what is contributing to it:
1. Saying yes from a place of obligation
You might find it difficult to say no, whether due to a sense of obligation, fear of disappointing others, or the pressure to maintain your reputation. This becomes an inability to set boundaries, creating a vicious cycle where you take on too much, decrease your own capacity, and deplete your resources, leading to mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion.
I remember numerous times throughout my career when I took on extra work, even though my plate was already overflowing, just because I didn’t want to say no. Every time I was asked, my immediate response was to say yes because I didn’t want to appear incapable or let anyone down. Although I knew my inability to say no was a big factor in my burnout, I eventually began to realize I had to overcome my people-pleasing ways. When I really started to look at these behaviors, I realized it was not only a disservice to myself but also to my team and my family.
Even well-known women struggle with this. Oprah Winfrey has openly discussed her struggles with saying no. In her early career, she was known for her willingness to take on any opportunity that came her way, often to the point of exhaustion. She has shared how she learned the importance of setting boundaries and saying no to things that didn't align with her priorities or values. Her journey of self-discovery and personal growth has since inspired countless others to prioritize their well-being and learn to say no without guilt.
2. Harboring guilt
As a high-impact, heart-led woman, you might find yourself caught in a constant cycle of guilt—whether it’s taking time out for yourself or your family, prioritizing your own needs over others, or simply not being able to give your all to every responsibility you have. This might leave you frequently feeling like you are falling short. This pervasive guilt builds pressure, depletes your energy, and often stems from the belief that you should be able to handle it all flawlessly.
Being a busy, working mother, guilt was a familiar emotion that I had just learned to live with for a long time. Reflecting back, I realized I constantly felt guilty if I took time away from work to be with my kids, or if I was working or responding to work emails when I was spending time with my kids, or if I took any time out for myself. It was a no-win situation. Earlier in my career, when my kids were babies, I had a female leader tell me that she didn’t believe in guilt as a working mother, as it wasn’t a useful emotion. Looking back, I wish I had taken this advice much earlier than I did, as it would have saved me years of carrying this draining energy around. I’ve since learned some amazing tools to release guilt. This, coupled with learning to define and uphold boundaries, has made a world of difference for myself and my clients in freeing up our energetic and physical capacities.
Serena Williams, one of the greatest athletes of all time, has shared how she often felt guilty about her work-life balance, especially after becoming a mother. In an interview, she admitted to battling the constant push-pull between her career and family life, which left her feeling drained until she redefined her boundaries and made time for herself.
3. Proving competence
You might feel an unconscious need to prove your capability and value. Whether it’s showing that you can handle everything, deliver perfection, or appear “put together” at all times, this is usually motivated by a need for external validation, driving you to push yourself harder even when your energy is depleted.
Throughout my career, I often felt the need to prove that I could handle everything, both at work and at home. There was a moment when I realized I was doing things more to prove I was “enough” than because they truly aligned with my goals. This need to constantly prove myself to seek validation was a major factor in my burnout.
Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, famously collapsed from exhaustion in 2007 due to overworking and the constant pressure to prove herself in the male-dominated world of media. She later founded Thrive Global, a company dedicated to promoting well-being and encouraging leaders to rethink their approach to success, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing health and balance over proving worth through work.
4. Overwhelm and the desire to be everything for everyone
You might constantly feel the need to be everything to everyone—colleagues, clients, family, and friends. This overwhelming demand leaves little room for you to be your authentic self as you try to meet everyone else’s expectations. It also doesn’t allow you much-needed time to rest or recharge. When you’re constantly in service to others, your own needs often fall to the bottom of the list.
For so long, I often found myself pulled in multiple directions, trying to be there for anyone who needed me. I was striving to be perfect in every role and constantly adapting myself to fit different expectations. I felt like I lost touch with my own true nature, sacrificing my authenticity and forcing behaviors that didn’t come naturally. Although I am passionate about helping others, the effort to try to be everything to everyone was exhausting and left me with little energy.
Even Michelle Obama has spoken about the pressures of juggling her roles as a mother, First Lady, and public figure. In her memoir Becoming, she candidly shares the overwhelming demands of her responsibilities and the toll they took on her well-being as she constantly tried to meet the needs of others before her own.
5. Imposter syndrome
Even after achieving great success, you might struggle with the feeling that you just aren’t quite good enough or you don’t truly belong in your role. It could feel like you are just one mistake away from being “found out.” This fear keeps driving the need to try to control everything and aim for unattainable levels of perfection, driving you further into burnout.
Even as I climbed higher in my career, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I still wasn’t really good enough. Every achievement I had, I’d convinced myself I could have done better, and I worried someone would eventually figure out that I didn’t deserve my success. That constant self-doubt fed my need to overwork and always try to be on top of everything, which in reality was an impossible goal. When I did drop a ball, I would spend far too long beating myself up over it. I eventually realized this wasn’t a healthy way to operate and was actually limiting me from rising even higher. These days, my self-talk has completely shifted, and I now stop to recognize and celebrate my successes, big or small.
Imposter syndrome is something many high-powered women face. Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has publicly shared how she experienced imposter syndrome throughout her career, despite her immense success. She often questioned whether she was worthy of her position, which led to constantly pushing herself to prove her capability.
The path to overcoming burnout: small, conscious shifts
The solution to burnout isn’t a quick fix like a weekend getaway or a vacation. True recovery from burnout involves small, intentional changes that restore balance to your life, calm your mind and body, and help you reconnect with your authentic self. Here are some powerful practices to begin your journey:
Breathing to calm the nervous system: After years of prolonged stress, our nervous systems are stretched to the limit. By practicing breathwork each day, you can create a sense of inner calm and stability. This practice provides the courage to push beyond your comfort zone and discover new possibilities.
Mindful moments: By integrating small moments of calm into your daily routine, you will start to notice significant shifts in your energy. Whether it’s meditating, reflecting, or engaging in a mindful activity, these moments help you reconnect with yourself, listen to your needs, and recharge.
Uncovering limiting beliefs: Be on the lookout for beliefs driving your thoughts and behaviors, such as perfectionism, the need for control, and the need for external validation. Identifying and challenging these beliefs helps you let go of those that no longer serve you. This allows you to adopt new, more empowering ones that will take you further.
Redefine success: Success doesn’t mean overworking to prove yourself. It means showing up as your best self in a sustainable way and trusting that what you contribute is always valuable. Learning to slow down and celebrate all of your successes will help build a sense of internal validation and leave you feeling more empowered to create great outcomes in your life.
Tune into your inner knowing: By tuning into your intuition, you can better align your decisions with your values and goals rather than being driven by external expectations. Doing this helps you feel more in alignment with your authentic self and more confident in the decisions you make.
Burnout recovery: A journey, not a destination
Overcoming burnout is not a one-time event. It is a continuous process of nurturing yourself, setting boundaries, and letting go of limiting beliefs. As a strong female role model, understanding that your well-being is essential, not just for your happiness but also for your ability to lead with clarity, impact, and purpose, is crucial.
I share my own stories and those of high-powered female leaders so you know you are not alone. These are common themes that many women face, but they are not insurmountable. Through a combination of practical strategies and energetic techniques, you can overcome these challenges and rise to even greater heights.
By integrating small daily practices, honoring your inner needs, and letting go of the pressures to be perfect, you will reclaim your energy, rediscover the unlimited potential inside of you, and show up as the powerful leader you are.
If you’d like more powerful practices to shift your stress and create more capacity, grab my free Guide to Reduce Stress and Reclaim Your Energy here.
Kerrie Campbell, Leadership and Transformational Coach
Kerrie Campbell is the powerhouse behind Live Your Sensational Life. With 25 years of global business and HR leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies, she’s your go-to guru for confidently navigating the dynamic complexities of the corporate and business terrains. As a board-certified success coach and clinical hypnotherapist, breathwork pro, human design specialist, subconscious reprogramming expert and emotional intelligence maestro, Kerrie’s toolkit is as diverse as her experience. Armed with an MBA, her mission is to champion authenticity and self-mastery, empowering high achieving female leaders to claim their voice, follow their passion, unlock their potential, and find balance so they can thrive.
