How do I avoid burnout while still showing up fully for my mission?

This is a question I hear more and more from the women I work with—high-impact leaders navigating a world that feels like it’s accelerating in intensity.

There’s a sense of urgency, a growing weight of responsibility. You feel the pressure—not just from the demands of your work but from the larger shifts happening around us. The world is not the same as it was even a year ago. Yet, sometimes it feels like those around you don’t fully grasp the magnitude of what’s unfolding.

You’re holding so much.

You see what needs to change, you feel the importance of the moment, and yet—beneath it all—there’s an exhaustion creeping in. For the first time in a long time, I’m hearing some of my clients use the word burnout.

“I feel like I’m about to hit a wall.”

“I know I should slow down, but how?”

“If I stop, will everything fall apart?”

If you’ve been feeling this, you are not alone.

The myth of endless hustle 

We were taught that if we just push harder, sacrifice more, and prove our commitment, the impact will follow. That exhaustion is a price we must pay for meaningful change.

But this is a lie.

Real impact is not about burning yourself out—it’s about sustaining yourself so you can keep showing up. Your energy is not infinite, and treating it as if it were only accelerates depletion.

If you want to keep making a difference—not just today, but for years to come—you must tend to the one resource that makes it all possible: yourself.

Shestainability: Sustaining yourself to sustain your mission 

Leadership in 2025 demands something different from us. The old models of pushing through and self-sacrificing are breaking down. What’s emerging is a deeper understanding:

The work will not last if you do not last.

The key to lasting leadership is what I call Shestainability—the ability to sustain yourself so you can continue sustaining your mission.

In my own life, I’ve had to learn this the hard way. Burnout. Hit the wall with a bang.Twice. On sick leave one year each time.

Now, you’ll see blocks of time in my calendar marked in yellow. To the outside world, I call it strategy time or a meeting with my CEO (who, by the way, is me). But the truth?

This is my time to step away from the noise and reconnect with what matters most.

What about you? What brings you back to center? Whether it’s time in nature, deep conversations, creative expression, or simply space to breathe—this isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Rest is not a reward—It’s a responsibility 

Too many brilliant, driven women treat rest as something they earn after proving their worth through exhaustion. But waiting until you’re depleted before you allow yourself to recharge is like waiting until your car breaks down before deciding to refuel.

Rest is not an afterthought. It is the foundation that allows everything else to stand.

It’s what keeps your vision clear.

It’s what keeps your creativity alive.

It’s what allows you to lead not from depletion, but from deep, embodied presence.

Boundaries: The strength to say NO

Many women I work with struggle with this: the belief that saying yes to everything is what makes us good leaders, good colleagues, good partners.

But true power lies in knowing what to say no to.

Boundaries are not about shutting people out—they’re about protecting your ability to say yes to what truly matters.

I learned this firsthand during my years advocating for access to rare disease treatments in Norway. The work was relentless. It was deeply personal. And I had to make a conscious choice—if I wanted to continue, I had to protect my energy.

So, I built rituals that kept me steady: long walks, deep breaths, moments of joy and having people in my corner.

These weren’t breaks from the work. They were the foundation that allowed me to keep doing it.

Who do you have in your corner?

Burnout doesn’t happen because you’re weak—it happens when you try to carry everything alone.

So, let me ask you:

Do you have someone in your corner who truly sees you?

Do you have a space where you can voice your frustrations—not to fix them immediately, but simply to be heard?

Do you have a support system that reminds you that you don’t have to hold it all yourself?

One of the most radical acts of leadership is allowing yourself to be supported.

Instead of asking How can I do this alone?, ask Who can help me with this?

Your mission may be yours, but you were never meant to carry it alone.

Sustaining your impact without sacrificing yourself 

Avoiding burnout doesn’t mean you stop caring. It doesn’t mean you necessarily do less.

It means you do what matters with intention, with presence, and with a commitment to your own well-being.

It means honoring your limits—not as a constraint, but as a way to ensure that your impact can keep growing.

So, protect your energy fiercely.

Prioritize your own restoration. And remember: taking care of yourself is not separate from your mission—it’s what makes it sustainable.

Your energy is your most valuable resource—how are you investing it?

If you’re feeling the pressure of this moment, you’re not alone. But here’s the real question:

👉 How will you sustain your impact without sacrificing yourself?

I invite you to pause and reflect:

What’s one intentional shift you can make this week to protect your energy—so you can continue leading with clarity, strength, and purpose?

Let’s go deeper. 

Join me for a 60-minute Ask Me Anything session where we’re not just talking about burnout—we’re exploring how high-impact leaders stay in the game for the long haul.

📅 February 27 | 7 PM CET | Zoom

🔗 You are invited!

This is for leaders who are committed to their mission and ready to create impact in a way that is sustainable, not depleting.

Let’s lead with intention. I’ll see you there.

Love,
Rita

Ps. Work with me in private 1:1 where I´m your coach and thought-provoking partner. Step into greater leadership in your life and business every day in a relaxed, calm, and joyful way, with lots of support, inner and outer.

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