Producitvity Get Ready for a Burnout-Free Year: A Leadership Reset for 2026

I heard someone recently say that just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s normal. And wow… that hit me. Many of my clients have been telling me they feel “burned out,” “done,” or “running on fumes.” I found myself almost accepting burnout as an inevitable part of modern work.

But here’s the truth: we should not have to work ourselves to the point of exhaustion before realizing there must be a better way.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, drained, stretched thin, or secretly wondering whether you’ll ever feel “enough,” you’re in the right place. Let’s start 2026 with a mission to feel:

• Strong instead of depleted

• Clear-minded instead of overwhelmed

• In control rather than frantic

• Energized rather than running on empty

• Genuinely fulfilled rather than simply going through the motions

This isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about raising the quality of your life.

What Burnout Actually Is (and What it Isn’t)

The World Health Organization defines burnout as:

“A syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, characterized by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional effectiveness.”

It’s not weakness. It’s not a bad attitude. It’s not being dramatic. It’s a health and performance crisis caused by prolonged overload, something high performers are especially vulnerable to.

Signals of Burnout

Some signs hit you over the head. Others sneak up quietly. Do any of these sound like you?

At Work

• Productivity suffers: You’re putting in Olympic-training hours yet falling short of your goals

• Decision making gets fuzzy: Choosing a font suddenly feels like choosing a life partner

• Patience evaporates: Meetings that used to mildly annoy you now feel like a trip to the dentist (no offense, Dr. Scibor)

• Collaboration becomes optional: You start avoiding people because you can get things done faster and better yourself (or so you think)

• Creativity flatlines: You stare at the screen like it owes you money

• You quit without leaving: You like your job, at least you did at one time, and you wish you could get that feeling back

At Home

• Your fuse gets shorter: Your partner breathes too loudly and you’re ready to draft a household policy about it

• You become emotionally MIA: You’re physically present but mentally scrolling your to-do list from sunrise to sunset

• Resentment sneaks in: The ever-growing pile in the garage becomes your arch-nemesis

• Joy is a distant memory: Even fun things feel like just more things

• You fantasize about running away, just for a weekend. Alone. With room service.
  

Your Health

• The 3 am wake-up: You’re exhausted and wired at the same time

• Uninvited aches and pains: Everything from your neck to your soul feels stiff

• Your immune system has thrown in the towel: Every cold floating near you becomes yours

• Your body is waving the white flag: Digestive issues, tension headaches, inflammation, fatigue...you name it

• You’ve lost your spark: Numbness, overwhelm, anxiety, or sudden crying during a Hallmark movie
  

How Common Is Burnout?

The meeting invite, the email, the thing your coworker said, the laundry...if it all feels like too much, you’re not alone.

Here’s what research says:

• 52% of employees report feeling burned out

• Burnout is highest among women in leadership

• HR professionals consistently rank among the top five most burned-out professions due to emotional load, decision fatigue, and being the “fixer” for everyone else.

So, no. You’re not imagining it. In fact, I’ve faced these same challenges, too. Let’s work together to make the changes in our lives that we all desire.

5 Things You Must Let Go

The first step is recognizing that avoiding burnout doesn’t mean you have to give up your goals, but the hard truth is that something has to give. Can you let go of one or more of these things by January 1st?

1. Perfectionism

Whether you’re setting unrealistic goals for yourself or your team or trying to have the Pinterest perfect house, trying to deliver 120% solutions all the time is a guaranteed path to exhaustion. For many things, there is a clear point of diminishing return. Ask yourself: Would 95% still meet the need?

2. Clutter (digital, emotional, and physical)

Physical clutter equals mental clutter. Clear your desk. Get your Inbox to zero. Organize that landing zone in your back hall. Just one hour of tidying each week can change your entire mental load.

3. Too Many Priorities

High achievers set high goals, yet sometimes, they are so high that you set yourself up for failure and disappointment right out of the gate. Want to have it all? You can, but probably not all at once. Rethink that concept and determine what you really want for 2026. Let go of the rest. Then, be comfortable not having what you’ve intentionally decided that you don’t want.

4. Guilt and Anxiety

You feel guilty saying yes. You feel guilty saying no. You feel guilty resting. You feel guilty delegating. It’s time to stop feeling like you’re not enough and let go of your fear of missing out. Opportunities will always exist for people who are smart, kind, talented, and dependable. Saying “not now” doesn’t jeopardize your career. It protects your sustainability.

5. Believing That You Must Handle Everything

My clients dealing with the highest levels of burnout often get to that place because they don’t ask for help, they don’t trust people, and they don’t delegate. Eventually, they teach others that they don’t need to bring their brains to work because they only need their hands and feet to handle the daily load. It’s time to think about lifting people up because it will lift you up, as well.

3 Ways to Prepare for a Burnout-Free 2026

Don’t let preparing for a burnout-free 2026 create more stress and overwhelm in your life. You don’t need a big, dramatic change. Try these three simple shifts. Small adjustments create big relief when they’re done consistently.

1. Prioritize Rest (the kind that actually restores you)

Rest isn’t a reward you only get when you achieve something big, nor does it mean laying on the couch binging on Netflix. Rest is an opportunity to reset, recharge, and re-energize so you can show up with clarity, steady energy, and a sense of calm you may not have felt in a long time.

Rest can look like:

• Going for a walk outside to reset your mind (even in the snow)

• Taking 10 minutes in the morning to pray, meditate, or simply reflect

• Moving your body in ways that feel good

• Trying a hobby you haven’t made time for

• Spending unrushed time with people who fill your cup

Rest is fuel. It’s what keeps you nourished and grounded.

2. Get Your Work Organized (so your days work for you, not against you)

You don’t need a million systems, just a few key habits that help you regain control of your time and your mental load.

Try starting with:

• Prioritizing realistic weekly goals. Remember that not everything is urgent, not everything is important, and not everything needs to be done by you. Choose high value activities that will support your goals.

• Delegating with intention. Use the EDGE method (Explain → Demonstrate → Guide → Empower) to build trust and the assurance that it will work.

• Protecting your focus time. Block 2–3 windows each week so you can really hit your stride to make real progress.

• Creating breathing room between meetings. Even ten minutes can change the flow of your entire day.

• Checking email in batches. Three windows a day is enough. Your brain needs time to think. Plus, the world won’t come to an end in the next 2 hours if you don't check your emails.

Small choices like these create big shifts in how focused, capable, and steady you feel.

3. Bring More Ease into Your Home Life (because home should support your well-being, too)

Just because you’re an expert at managing chaos doesn’t mean your home can’t feel calm. You just need a few simple systems that reduce stress and give everyone a clear role.

Ideas to try:

• Divide up tasks and let them be “good enough.” Even small tasks help lighten your mental load while teaching kids responsibility. And remember, they might not do things your way but done is still done.

• Create easy weekly routines. A Sunday reset, a shared family calendar, or a quick evening tidy can change the tone of your whole week.

• Simplify meals. Plan 4–5 go-to dinners, rotate them, and remove the pressure to reinvent the wheel every night. Try the crockpot that you probably got for a wedding gift. Dinner will be ready and waiting when you get home.

• Outsource when you can. Grocery drop-off, cleaning help, and lawn care are all ways to buy back your time and your energy.

These little adjustments create breathing room and breathing room is what prevents burnout before it starts.

🎁 FREE DOWNLOAD:

Click here to get my free workbook: Creating a Burnout-Free 2026.

Use it with this blog post to release those burnout inducing tendencies and adopt a few new habits that will make a diffence in your life!

The Bottom Line

2026 doesn’t need a new you. It needs a rested, focused, and supported version of you. When you recognize the warning signals, let go of behaviors that zap your energy, and build systems that serve you, you don’t just prevent burnout. You unlock your capacity to lead, love, and live with intention again. Cheers to a 2026 full of energy and abundance!