We’re living through an unspoken epidemic of burnout. It’s pervasive across major industries where long hours and relentless performance are the norm: legal, medical, firefighting, law enforcement, acting, music, and of course, entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship, in particular, is the ultimate game of overwork: You work, work, work until it’s done — yet it’s never really done, is it?
We have a culture that praises overwork as a badge of honor, and it’s led to widespread problems, with burnout being at the forefront.
Because…
Burnout is not just an individual issue.
Burnout is a systemic issue.
It’s an issue of the ecosystem in which we’re working. And when you’re an entrepreneur with a team relying on you, it can be challenging to avoid: How do you balance the need to get things done while ensuring you’re not pushing yourself — or others — into burnout?
Because burnout isn’t something that happens overnight — it creeps in slowly, especially when we are trying to move forward really good work in the world, where saying “no” doesn’t feel like a kindness, or even an option.
Here are some of the signs of burnout — have you noticed any for yourself in the last 6 months?
- You’re losing interest in your work.
- You feel exhausted but can’t sleep or fully wake up without external help, whether it’s caffeine, medication, or something else.
- Your sharpness and focus have dulled; there’s a fog hanging over your days.
Left unaddressed, these symptoms worsen. Burnout can escalate into a health crisis, a mental breakdown, or both.
So what do you do when you’re on that track to burnout?
Here’s what I’ve found to be both surprising and life-changing: Your negative thoughts are part of the solution.
Let’s be honest. When you’re burned out, stressed, or overwhelmed, the last thing you need is someone trying to cheer you up with relentless positivity. You know the type:
“Oh, it’s all great! You’ve got this. Everything will be fine!”
What do you want to do in that moment?
Probably tell them, “I can’t deal with you right now.”
When you’re struggling, you don’t need positivity that denies your current reality (also called spiritual bypassing). What you need is for someone to meet you where you’re at.
Toxic positivity — even well-meaning positivity — can make burnout worse.
Here’s why:
When you’re stuck in a hard place and someone tells you to “look on the bright side,” it sends the message that you should already be feeling better. It makes you feel like you’re failing at your own emotional process.
And it’s the same during any crisis — whether it’s burnout, grief, a natural disaster, or something else entirely. If you’re in a stage of shock, anger, or exhaustion, you can’t skip ahead to peace and acceptance just because someone else wants you to.
In fact, being pushed to feel better before you’re ready can make things worse.
So instead of fighting against negative thoughts… What if you used them?
Your negative thoughts are incredibly valuable — when you know what to do with them.
When burnout grips you, trying to force yourself into positivity only adds pressure. But when you allow yourself to meet your negative thoughts where they are, and learn to use them as fuel, something amazing happens: The pressure starts to lift.
I teach this process of using negative thoughts and emotions as a tool in my coaching programs, like the Rising Visionary Membership, and in my upcoming training for the City of Austin, TX (which I’m so excited for — teaching our governments about nervous system regulation and avoiding burnout? I’m a “hell yes” for that!).
It’s based on a powerful insight: Your mind and body are partners in this process.
Using concepts from the polyvagal theory, I’ve developed a method that helps people use their negative thoughts and physical sensations to:
- Release the grip of burnout.
- Find relief even in the hardest of times.
- Turn what feels like a breakdown into the beginning of a breakthrough.
The good news? You don’t need to fight your negative thoughts. You just need to know how to meet them, work with them, and let them guide you to the other side.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to explore this free training on our website. In it, I teach the basics of polyvagal theory and how this method can help you navigate burnout and overwhelm with greater ease.
Burnout may be systemic, but healing begins with small, intentional steps. Let’s start by meeting ourselves — and others — exactly where we are.
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Marla Mattenson
With a 25+ year career, Mattenson is a trailblazer in transforming sales paradigms from transactional to relational for professionals who prioritize the integrity & fulfillment of their services. She is a champion of consent-based sales.
www.instagram.com/marla.mattenson