Housewives & Burnout

Dissociating with The Real Housewives for two years is what burnout looked like for me.

I was wiped out; bone-aching to my core exhausted. My ability to read for pleasure or learning evaporated. I dropped regular connection with friends. I cried constantly. I developed health issues that I’m still working through, several years later.

Work. Housewives. Sleep. Repeat.

I wasn’t doing a bad job at work, but it took all my energy just to get through the day.

There were extenuating circumstances that eradicated my resiliency and ability to manage work stress – grief, trauma, a global pandemic. Maybe if that hadn’t been the case, I wouldn’t have burned out.

But life always happens. And even though burnout is technically a condition specifically relating to workplace stress, I don’t believe we can separate the impact of personal on professional and vice versa.

Not when you go to sleep at night thinking about work or wake up in the early morning hours worrying about the meetings ahead of you that day.

Sound painfully familiar? Don’t worry. Burnout is preventable, and you can recover.

Here’s what the other side of burnout looks like for me:

• Reading voraciously (considering a Kobo! opinions welcome!)

• Energy to explore new ideas and projects

• Deep heart connection with friends

• Off the charts productivity (can’t stop won’t stop)

• Ability to have hard conversations while remaining calm and curious

• Being in nature and feeling so much joy I could cry

I still love The Real Housewives (“Receipts! Proof! Timeline! Screenshots!”), but watching rich ladies throw drinks is now just one tool in my extensive toolkit of resources to manage stress.

Reach out anytime if you'd like to discuss 1-1 coaching or burnout workshops to support your team.

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