.jpg)
gwunspoken
We know that now more than ever, there is a growing disconnection between parents and their teens, corporates and their employees, and human interactions in general.
This can cause stress, frustration and many arguments within families and the work environment.
gwunspoken looks at the challenges people of all ages have in their relationships with one another and provides experience and advice, allowing all parties to have a voice.... and feel heard.
Join us to hear corporates, parents, educators, teens and the latest advice of how we can in fact live the life we love, in making authentic interactions, because we know... authentic connection is everything.
gwunspoken
Your Brain on Burnout: Why Being Busy Isn't a Badge of Honour
Ever found yourself yelling at toast or crying over a dropped pen? Your brain isn't broken—it's fried. In this revealing exploration of burnout, we uncover how chronic stress wears a productivity mask while slowly eroding your mental and physical wellbeing.
Society has transformed "being busy" into a bizarre status symbol. When asked how we're doing, many of us default to "really busy" as if it's something to boast about. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation now recognises burnout as an "occupational phenomenon"—fancy talk for working yourself sick. The science is alarming: chronic stress doesn't just make you feel foggy; it physically shrinks parts of your brain. With 77% of people experiencing stress-related physical symptoms, we're facing a silent epidemic that's rarely discussed openly.
The good news? Neuroscience offers clear pathways to recovery. We outline three practical shifts you can implement immediately: identifying early warning signs before your amygdala hijacks rational thought, rewiring recovery through proper sleep, movement and nutrition (not late-night scrolling), and redrawing boundaries to protect your cognitive resources. As Brené Brown wisely notes, "Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others."
Ready to reclaim your energy and mental clarity? We challenge you to choose one recovery action and one boundary to establish this week. Write them down, share with a friend, and watch how these small changes begin to rebuild your resilience. Remember, you're not lazy or failing—you're a human whose nervous system is simply asking for help. Subscribe now and share this episode with someone who's caring too much, because burnout doesn't have to be anyone's breaking point.
www.in8code.com
Welcome to another edition of GW Unspoken, where we discuss stuff we don't typically talk about but probably should. And today we're going to talk about overcoming burnout before it absolutely breaks you. You know what Burnout doesn't announce itself without fireworks. It sneaks in wearing the mask of productivity and dedication, or what we like to be called being a team player. At first you think I'm just a little tired, and then it's that thought around. Well, that's for me, coffee will fix it. And before long you're probably about three flat whites deep by 10 am and your brain feels like mashed potatoes Been there before you know.
Speaker 1:We live in a society now where being busy is so important and it's recognised. As you know, you must be important. How many times have you gone to a party or a social setting or met someone and say, hey, how are you going? Oh, really busy. It's like a status symbol these days, and I'm not saying that people aren't busy, but that's one of the first things we say. And here's the kicker Burnout isn't about being weak, it's about being human.
Speaker 1:The World Health Organization actually recognizes burnout as quote an occupational phenomenon. And that's fancy talk. For hey, congratulations, you've worked yourself sick. And here's the neuroscience part, your prefrontal cortex, the bit of your brain that makes good decisions, shuts down when cortisol runs the show. So if you found yourself forgetting why you walked in the kitchen or yelling at the toast or crying over a dropped pen, trust me you're not broken. Your brain is just fried.
Speaker 1:And the real villain here isn't your boss or your kids or even your never-ending email inbox. It's. The villain is chronic stress that's left unchecked. So think of stress like fire a small campfire Helpful, keeps you warm, cooks your marshmallows, but let it burn uncontrolled, it takes down the whole forest. Chronic stress does the same thing in your brain and your body physically and here's a science Prolonged cortisol release actually shrinks your hippocampus, so the memory and learning center of your brain. So studies now show that chronic stress can literally reduce the size of your brain.
Speaker 1:And listen, most of us are not walking around with extra brain cells. We're eager to donate or trade off during the day. Now, I've written a few facts here today. Most of us are not walking around with extra brain cells. We're eager to donate or trade off during the day. Now, I've written a few facts here today. So, apologies, I'm going to read this a little bit here, but the American Psychological Association found that nearly 77% of people regularly experience stress-related physical symptoms, so that's ones you can actually be aware of and see. So these include headaches, sleep disruption, digestive issues. And here's another quote for you to chew on.
Speaker 1:The neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman says stress isn't bad in short doses, but when it becomes the background noise of your life, it erodes you All. Right, smart guy works in neuroscience. Think he knows his stuff. So look, let me give you a way out before your burnout breaks you. Here's three practical shifts. I suppose you could start with this week to see if it makes a difference for you. And I know there's plenty more out there.
Speaker 1:But here's three. Just try Number one identify it. Listen to the warning signs. So burn out whispers before it screams Like. Do you find yourself snapping at people you love? Are you struggling to concentrate? Do you find yourself snapping at people you love? Are you struggling to concentrate? Do you find yourself Googling how to fake your own death and live in a cabin in the woods? It's not quirky curiosity, it's actually a warning sign. That is a warning sign itself. Neuroscience tells us that when you ignore these cues, your amygdala, that fear center in your brain, it actually takes over the wheel and that's why you overact to small things like someone using your favorite mug. So you need to pay attention early and identify that. So yeah, number one listen to the warning signs. Number two rewire your recovery. So scrolling TikTok at 1 am is not recovery, and I hear this a lot. Oh, it's okay, guys, kids are in bed or I'm not switched on for anything else, I just want some mind-numbing time. It's not recovery, it's brain sabotage. So real recovery means restoring your dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin all those hormones in your brain, your body. So sleep, movement, nutrition are three non-negotiables. All right, sleep. Matthew Walker, the author of why we Sleep, says the shorter you sleep, the shorter your life, and that's brutal but true. All right, movement. Just two minutes of walking increases that. Bdnf, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor. All right, think of BDNF as the miracle grow for your brain. So you need movement, you need to get out and get going. Don't get into the habit of tomorrow, tomorrow or when the perfect circumstance arises where you feel like moving. It'll never happen, all right. Or if it does happen, it won't happen regularly. And the third one nutrition, all right. So ultra-processed food hijacks your reward system, so it leaves you sluggish and moody. So swap one processed snack for whole food and your brain will actually thank you, all right. So rewire your recovery. Three things sleep, movement, nutrition. Try that. Try it for a week and see how your body reacts and also your mood. All right, and here's the third thing. So the third thing of the three shifts. So, number one listen to your warning signs. Number two rewire your recovery.
Speaker 1:Number three redraw your boundaries. So this one's hard, especially if you're a people pleaser. But boundaries are not walls, they're doors with locks, so you decide who gets the key. The brain thrives on predictability. It actually loves things that are predictable. So when you say yes to everything, you overload your neural network. So saying no reduces cognitive load and it protects your executive function. So another quote Brené Brown puts it perfectly. She says daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others. It will free you up when you redraw your boundaries, all right.
Speaker 1:So now imagine this you wake up. You don't need an alarm to drag you out of bed. Your energy actually feels stable, not like a dodgy Wi-Fi signal cutting in and out. You have space to breathe, you have patience with your family and enough clarity to actually finish a thought. Now, that's not some Instagram wellness fantasy. That's what your brain and body are designed for when you step off the burnout treadmill and start listening to what neuroscience already tells us rest, connection and balance. Rebuild resilience.
Speaker 1:So here's my challenge for you this week. Number one choose one recovery action. Maybe it's going to go to bed 30 minutes earlier, maybe it's leaving your phone outside the bedroom and maybe pick up a book of your interest. Here's another one. Choose one boundary. Say no to something that drains you, even if you're uncomfortable. All right, do that and write them down. Say them with a friend.
Speaker 1:Accountability turns into action, especially those intentions. They turn into action. And remember, you're not lazy, you're not failing, you're not broken. You're a human being whose nervous system is asking for help. And the third thing you might want to do is actually, maybe, write down the signs, maybe. Do that at first. Write down the signs, the physical signs that you can feel and see, and you do. That makes you aware of these things, that, hey, maybe burnout is just around the corner. Look, this podcast is called you. Don't Spoken, because so much of what we're suffering will never get said out loud. Burnout is one of the most silent battles, but silence keeps us stuck. So speaking about it and then acting on about it actually frees us. So take your power back. Don't let burnout refine or define your story. With this episode hit home, share it with somebody who's you know caring too much as well, because chances are they need to hear that burnout doesn't have to be the breaker for them either. Thanks for joining us, thank you.