It doesn’t matter whether you have or haven’t quite crossed that invisible threshold between simply feeling fried and being officially labelled as “burnt out.” What matters is the feeling that drives you to ask the question in the first place. Instead of getting bogged down in definitions, “Am I burnt out or just over-worked?”, let’s skip the label altogether and focus on what you can do right now to make things feel better.
1. Begin with Radical Self-Acceptance
The first move? Give yourself permission to be where you are. Say it out loud: “I am exhausted. I am running on fumes. This is understandable.”
Why this matters: According to Juliet Funt, author, speaker, and expert on work culture, this moment of exhaustion often isn’t sudden. It begins when we step up in a crisis, when we say “yes” to help, when the sprint becomes a marathon.
You’re not weak. You’re human. And we are living in a time where pressure, expectations, and the blur between work and life have all intensified.
So: start there. Accept the tiredness. Accept the “not quite okay.” With acceptance comes space—to rest, to reflect, and to plan. Without it, you’ll keep trying to push harder even though your engine is sputtering.
2. Take a Day Off and Expect Nothing Important
Once you’ve accepted the state you’re in, move into action. Carve out a full day where nothing major gets done. No critical meetings. No urgent project deadlines. No performance demands.
Here’s the key: burnout isn’t a hangover. You can’t just grab a coffee and power through. Your system needs a shift, and that takes time. As Juliet Funt emphasizes: one of the antidotes to burnout is creating “white space”, unscheduled, unstructured time for your brain to unhook from constant activity.
On this day off:
- Sleep in a little if you need to.
- Do something low-key that recharges you (walk, quiet café, a light hobby).
- Communicate that you’ll be out of “performance mode” for the day.
- Resist the urge to check email or keep tabs on work.
By the end of that day, you might still be tired. But you’ll start resetting your nervous system and giving your body permission to pause
3. If You Work for Others: Inventory the Leaders & Connect
If you’re in a role supporting an organization, then the next step involves your network, not just your to-do list. Make a list of all the leaders you currently interact with in your company or organization. Then ask yourself this: Which one of these leaders acts like someone I would want to work for when I’m running on empty?
Juliet Funt points out that leadership isn’t just about strategy, it’s also about creating environments where people have air to breathe. Once you identify that person, even if you don’t directly report to them, schedule a short meeting or check-in. Go with one simple intention: “Could I ask for your guidance?”
Why this works:
- It sends a message that you’re vulnerable in a healthy way and willing to seek support.
- It may surface resources or adjustments you wouldn’t have asked for.
- It strengthens connection, which is itself healing when you’re in a state of chronic stress.
4. Make Fighting Burnout a Priority
Here’s the deeper shift: we need to eradicate the shame of rest and replace it with the pride of self-care. Too often we treat rest as a luxury, a sign of weakness, or a “luxury when everything’s done.” But when you’re burning out, that framing is backward. You restore capacity so you can contribute better, not less.
Go back to step 1 regularly: accept your state, don’t criticize it. Then use step 2 and step 3 to enact change. And over time, build an environment (for yourself and your team) that honors rest, white space, reflection, and recovery just as highly as deliverables and deadlines.
5. Wrap-Up: Let’s Leave the Label Behind
Whether you are already burnt out, or just sensing the signs, what truly matters is what you do next. Labels like “burnout” or “just tired” don’t matter. The feeling matters. The decision to act matters.
So:
- Accept yourself.
- Sleep in and unplug for a day.
- Reach out to a leader for guidance.
- Prioritize self-care and reset your culture of work.
In your role as a salesperson, fundraising strategist, communications leader, and influencer, your capacity matters not just to you, but to the people and missions you serve.
Give yourself the care you’d give the people you lead. Because you deserve it, and because your “best self” is the greatest gift you can bring to your work.
Download The Burnout Reset Checklist.
