Burnout Beyond the Workplace: What’s really draining your energy?

Do you ever feel like you're running on empty- even when things at work aren’t that bad?

You’re not alone. Many women come to me feeling exhausted, anxious, and disconnected, but they can't quite pinpoint the cause. It’s easy to assume burnout is purely work-related -but the truth is, burnout runs much deeper than your job title or workload.

In reality, burnout can show up in many areas of life- parenting, caregiving, emotional labour, relationships, and even chronic health conditions; and the constant pressure to "push through" only makes it worse.

That’s why I use the Sydney Burnout Measure in my work. It's a powerful tool that helps identify which areas of life are contributing to your burnout. If you're curious, you can take the quiz for free on my website to get clarity.

Let’s explore the different types of burnout- and why recognising them is the first step toward healing.

1. Workplace Burnout

This is the most well-known type- what people typically picture when they hear the word burnout. You might feel:

• Mentally drained after every workday

• Resentful or emotionally numb towards your job

• Like you're working harder but achieving less

  
  

Common signs: Sunday-night dread, brain fog, and snapping at colleagues or clients.

But here’s the thing: even if you’ve reduced your hours or switched jobs, burnout can still linger if other areas of life are out of balance.

2. Parental Burnout

This one hits close to home for many of the women I work with. You love your children, but you’re constantly pouring from an empty cup.

What it feels like:

• Guilt for wanting space

• Emotional distance or irritability

• Feeling like you’ve lost your identity beyond "mum"

  
  

This kind of burnout often goes unspoken, masked by "just being tired" or "that’s motherhood." But deep down, it’s not sustainable- and you deserve support too.

3. Caregiver Burnout

If you're supporting a partner, child, parent, or friend with chronic illness, disability, or mental health challenges, caregiver burnout can creep in slowly.

You might:

• Feel responsible for everyone else’s wellbeing

• Ignore your own needs until your body forces you to stop

• Experience a deep emotional and physical fatigue that’s hard to shake

This type of burnout often overlaps with compassion fatigue and is especially common among health professionals and carers.

4. Emotional Burnout

This is less visible- but just as damaging. If you’re holding it together for everyone else, always being “the strong one”, or internalising stress, emotional burnout builds over time.

Signs include:

• Crying easily or feeling emotionally flat

• Struggling to make decisions

• A sense of disconnection from your own needs and desires

  
  

This can be especially intense for highly sensitive or empathic women.

5. Existential Burnout

This might sound dramatic- but if you’ve ever asked yourself “what’s the point of all this?”, you’ve felt it.

It often emerges during:

• Life transitions (midlife, menopause, divorce)

• Spiritual awakenings

• Chronic illness journeys

  
  

You might feel like you’re living on autopilot or that your life no longer aligns with your deeper values. This is where true healing begins- when you start coming back to yourself.

Burnout Is a Whole-Person Experience

You can’t separate your job from your nervous system. Your parenting from your sleep quality. Your relationship from your sense of purpose.

That’s why I take a holistic approach to burnout recovery- one that includes your physical health, emotional patterns, spiritual connection, and daily life. It starts with awareness.

Take the First Step

If this post has you nodding along, I encourage you to take the Sydney Burnout Measure -you can access it free on my website. You'll get a personalised snapshot of where your energy is being depleted- and it only takes a few minutes. Clients often tell me it’s the “aha” moment that finally made them feel seen.

After the quiz, you’ll have the option to book a free connection call where we can chat about your next steps- no pressure, just support.

Burnout doesn’t always look like stress at work. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it hides behind people-pleasing, over-functioning, or simply not knowing how to stop.

But you can reset. You can feel calm, clear, and connected again- and you don’t have to do it alone.

Let’s start with clarity. Take the quiz here and find out what kind of burnout you’re really dealing with.

Medical Disclaimer