Tired of Being Tired? The Burnout Solution You Need - Episode #88

The Peace & Prosperity Podcast is a bi-weekly conversation with Jason Phillips, LCSW, licensed therapist and confidence expert in Raleigh, NC, discussing all things related to self-love and self-confidence, and how we can improve ourselves personally and professionally. 

Ever said “I’m fine” when you were actually falling apart? That was Jason—managing a clinic and completely burned out without realizing it.

Burnout isn’t just stress—it’s ongoing exhaustion that drains your energy, motivation, and joy. It’s fueled by habits like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and trying to do it all alone.

The good news? Recovery starts with one small change. You don’t need a total life overhaul—just a simple, intentional step in the right direction.

In this episode, Jason shares how to spot burnout early and build sustainable self-care that actually works. Listen now and start your path to peace and prosperity.

To stay connected with Jason and learn about coaching, connect with Jason on social media:
 
 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jphillipsmsw/
 
 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jphillipsmsw
 
 Visit Jason's website for a consultation:
 
 Website -https://www.jasonlphillips.com
 
 To book Jason to speak to your team or organization:
 
 https://peaceprosperitycoaching.hbportal.co/public/660d8068c9d2d600253b215b/1-Inquiry

Transcript

Introduction to Self-Care Importance

Speaker 1 0:00

Well , this is the answer . This is the solution . Sometimes we know we're tired , we know we're stressed , we know we're irritable , we know we're not being a good person to ourselves , but we don't know exactly what we need and what to do about it . So those are some of the reasons why , when you're taking care of yourself , it does help for so many different reasons . It does help for so many different reasons you can pour into yourself

Defining Burnout vs. Stress

Speaker 1 0:34

All right . So now we're talking about what is burnout , and I'll say this one thing about burnout like myself , I didn't even realize I was burned out , like when I was in management running the clinic . It wasn't until somebody asked me hey , mr Phillips , you good , everything all right . What do you think I said ? Of course , I said yes because I was not understanding what I was going through . I didn't realize I was looking tired , I was fatigued , I think just something about me seemed off . Now they recognized it . But the first couple of times people asked me , now they recognized it , but the first couple of times people asked me , I said no , I'm good , and I legitimately thought I was good . So that's why we're going to talk about how do we define burnout . What is it ? What are the signs , what does it look like ? And then what are the causes of burnout ? And then we'll get into some of the self-care tools to know how to manage it .

Speaker 1 1:24

Now the thing about it we want to look at the differences between being burned out and being stressed out . Do y'all know what the difference is ? Because being burned out is different . So when you look at the difference between burnout and stress one , the stress can be situational , meaning it's something that doesn't last forever . It's short term . Maybe you're dealing with some deadlines or some external pressures , you're putting some expectations on you . For that moment You're still overwhelmed , you may still be irritable , but it doesn't last forever . When you are in burnout , it's going to be a state of emotional . When you are in burnout , it's going to be a state of emotional , physical , mental fatigue and it's going to last longer and the feelings are going to be much more intense .

Speaker 1 2:12

With burnout , you may find yourself really just dreading going into work , feeling unproductive , feeling like man , I can't get anything done . So some of the differences are going to be in the intensity

Causes of Burnout

Speaker 1 2:25

and the duration , like how , how bad does it feel and how long does it last ? All right , now let's define what burnout looks like . How do I know ? Again , one you're going to be exhausted , like you're like man , I am whooped . And this isn't just a tire where again you can take that weekend off or you can take a couple of days and take a little trip . No , I'm talking about you need a long break because the fatigue is really starting to set in . Also , you're going to find yourself being real cynical . You're that negative Nancy , that Debbie Downer , you're not your normal upbeat , you know chipper self . And then , lastly , you're going to feel like you are very inefficient , like why can't I get anything done ? You may say things like oh , my house is a mess , or my to-do list is so long , or I used to be able to multitask all of these things . Now , just the slightest thing on my list , it starts to stress me out and you feel like I don't even know where to start . That's where it's more than just stress . You're talking about that chronic exhaustion again , the inefficiency , and you just need a break because now you're being pessimistic . So now we talked about what burnout is .

Speaker 1 3:45

Let's talk about why self-care is important . It's something that , believe it or not , if you're taking care of yourself , it can prevent you from being burned out . One self-care . When you're pouring into you , you're going to have healthy boundaries . You're going to avoid or be able to manage those unhealthy work environments .

Speaker 1 4:06

Sometimes we can't just pick up our job and move like we want to , or sometimes we can't just say you know what , you're fired and we get a whole new boss . I wish it worked that way ,

Signs of Burnout

Speaker 1 4:16

but oftentimes it doesn't . Well , what we can do is we can learn to advocate for ourself . We can learn to speak up and be more assertive and not so passive . We can learn to assess what do I need ? Those are some questions that you want to be asking yourself on a consistent basis , because once you know what you need , then you can know oh well , this is the answer , this is the solution . Sometimes we know we're tired , we know we're stressed , we know we're irritable , we know we're not being a good person to ourselves , but we don't know exactly what we need and what to do about it . So those are some of the reasons why , when you take care of yourself , it does help for so many different reasons . You can pour into yourself .

Speaker 1 5:04

Now we talked about what burnout is , what it looks like , what are the causes of burnout , why does it happen ? One too much workload , there's unrealistic demands on our plate , we have so much to do with , not enough manpower , not enough time , or the deadlines are just too short , and sometimes you don't have any control over that . Another reason you're burned out , though , is because you've said yes too much , you've overcommitted . You know how it is when you get that promotion or you get the new position and you start saying yes to everything . Yep , sign me up for this , sign me up for this committee . Oh , I can help out on that project . Have you really looked at what you already have going on , not just at work , but in your personal life too ? Do you have capacity to do all of the things ? Because that's what you're signing up for ?

Speaker 1 6:00

And then , another reason why we ended up being burned out is because we feel like I have to do it all , I have to be perfect , we have the expert role , or we have that do it all yourself mentality , and we bring that from the old workplace into the new workplace . As much as we want to point the finger and say this is the reason or it's my boss's fault , the onus can still fall on us too , so we can't avoid accountability for causing our own burnout and you're like , wow , you know what ? I think you're a little bit stressed because I'm getting the vibe that you don't like this client , or I'm getting a vibe that you're not able to show up . Just on how you're talking about it , you might find yourself dreading .

Speaker 1 6:46

Going into work , you will find yourself being super tired , overly fatigued , and you're getting good rest , but you're still waking up feeling exhausted . Or when you do go to sleep , you're tossing and turning . Either your mind won't shut off or , when you wake up again , you don't feel like you got any sleep . And then there are the behavioral signs as well . So when you're burned again , you don't feel like you got any sleep , and then there are the behavioral signs as well . So you , when you're burned out , you sometimes feel like I can't take a day off , so you continue to show up when you don't need to . Yeah , I had a colleague one time . She showed up to work super sick and what did she do ? She got other people in the office sick , when what she should have done was say you know what , let me take some time for myself , let me take care of me so that I can show up as a better version and a healthier version for the people that I'm working with .

Speaker 1 7:36

And then there's cognitive science too . Now , what does that look like ? You're forgetful , you're overthinking things and it's hard for you to concentrate . It's like the slightest thing that requires any mental energy . You feel like , oh my gosh , here we go again . Am I going to get through this ? Like you're just off feeling a little nervous and ultimately you're not feeling like yourself . Now , what can

Taking Action Against Burnout

Speaker 1 8:03

you do about it ? We talked about assessing what you need , but one of the main things that I want you to do for burnout is execute on the things that you know you should do .

Speaker 1 8:14

What happens is we tend to wait . We wait until the perfect time . We get into this analysis , paralysis , we start to overthink okay , I'm going to start my routine on the first of the month or at the top of the week or the top of the year . This is what I'm going to start my routine on the first of the month or at the top of the week or the top of the year . This is what I'm going to get into it . Or if we're going to the gym , it's like well , what do I wear ? What do I work out on ? What body part do I hit ? Do I do cardio ? Do I do weights first ?

Speaker 1 8:40

And you become so exhausted by all of these questions that you're like you know what , by all of these questions that you're like you know what , I'm not ready . You stress yourself out even before you start the process of healing from the burnout . If this is you , you're not alone , but this is why we have to talk about it , so we can work through it and not use this as other excuses for us not to heal . This is what I would suggest . If you are like okay , jason , you are definitely talking to me on this . I want you to start small . What is one thing not a zillion , not five , not 10 , not even three ? What is the one thing that you can take action on that can better your personal life or better your work situation ? What is the one relationship where you can set a clear boundary on that's going to help you long term ? What is the one thing at work that you can delegate to someone else or that you cannot commit to because you already have a lot of things on your project list that's not overcomplicated . I actually want you to simplify it so that you can feel better about yourself and , overall , just be a healthier version of you too . All right , thank y'all . Peace .

Episode Closing and Resources

Speaker 1 10:01

Thank you all for listening to another episode of the Peace and Prosperity podcast . Again , if you are feeling like , hey , I'm experiencing high functioning anxiety , don't beat yourself up about it . It is okay . We all experience anxiety from time to time and I gave you a couple of things that you can do on your own , but don't hesitate to reach out to a professional to better manage what you're going through . Okay , and lastly , make sure , if you have not like share , subscribe to the podcast and send this out to a friend . And if you want to hear certain episodes or have certain conversations , let me know . You can shoot me a DM or just leave a review and I will definitely follow up . All right , y'all be blessed , peace .