Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. The emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion sneaks up between meetings, meal prep and soccer practice. As we say goodbye to long summer evenings and hello to dark mornings, busy schedules, and holiday buildup, it’s easy to feel stretched thin. Between work, caregiving, volunteering, and remembering to drink enough water, many of us are running on empty. If we wait for burnout to slow us down, it’s already too late. Our bodies and minds send gentle reminders to rest long before they demand it.
Lauren Legere, Founder and Clinical Director of Latitude Counselling, has spent nearly two decades studying psychology and the human experience. Through her work with high-functioning professionals and caregivers, she’s seen how easily burnout creeps in and how possible it is to prevent it when we’re aware of the alarm bells and make intentional adjustments. Here are Lauren’s thoughts on staying grounded through the never-ending busy season and why burnout is more than a buzz word. —Jenn Wint
Why do you think conversations around burnout and stress feel especially relevant right now, not just seasonally, but all year long?
We used to think of burnout as something that happened after an intense period like tax season, the holidays or a big project. But for many people, that “busy season” never really ends. The expectation to stay productive, reachable, and high-performing has become constant. That’s why these conversations can’t just happen reactively, they need to be ongoing. If we only address burnout once we’re already depleted, we miss the opportunity for prevention, balance, and sustainable well-being.
What’s also concerning is how normalized burnout has become. The word gets tossed around almost casually, but true burnout is serious and deeply disruptive. Understanding its causes and symptoms helps us move away from treating it like a trend and toward treating it as a health concern.
We’re living in a culture of constant consumption and comparison, one that often mistakes groundedness for complacency. When we learn to value stillness, satisfaction, and mindfulness as much as ambition, we start to redefine success in a way that supports mental health year-round.
In your work, what are some of the most common ways burnout and anxiety show up in daily life, especially for people who appear to be holding it all together?
For high-functioning individuals, especially entrepreneurs and leaders, burnout often presents subtly. It can look like irritability, emotional fatigue, withdrawal, or a loss of focus. People often describe feeling disconnected from joy or less patient with their teams and loved ones.
Sleep disruption is another key sign, racing thoughts at night, replaying conversations, or waking up unrested. Because these individuals are often performing at such a high level, they tend to dismiss these symptoms as “normal stress.” But these are the early warning signs that the body and mind are no longer in balance and are asking for care. Burnout doesn’t always look like falling apart. Sometimes, it’s the quiet exhaustion behind someone who seems to be managing everything, until they no longer can.
If someone is feeling those early warning signs that they might be approaching burnout, how can they intervene before it becomes overwhelming?
Awareness is the foundation of prevention. The first step is recognizing when you’re coping versus when you’re merely functioning. Once you notice that you’re nearing burnout, take a holistic inventory of your well-being: Are you nourishing your body, sleeping adequately, staying connected to friends or family, and moving in ways that feel good?
Then, look at your environment, especially at work. What’s within your control to adjust? Can you delegate, set clearer boundaries, or have a transparent conversation with your leader?
One of the earliest emotional indicators of burnout is resentment. It’s a creeping frustration toward things that wouldn’t normally bother you. Recognizing that early allows for timely course correction.
Even small shifts matter: brief breaks throughout the day, saying no without guilt, or taking 15 minutes of tech-free time to reset your nervous system. Small, consistent acts of care are what help prevent long-term exhaustion.
You talk about balancing productivity with self-care. What does that balance look like in a realistic, day-to-day way?
I often tell clients that balance isn’t about doing everything equally, it’s about alignment. It means directing your energy toward what truly matters in that moment, rather than striving for a perfect equilibrium that doesn’t exist. For many high achievers, self-care can feel like another obligation. I encourage people to reframe it as intentional recovery. Sometimes that means rest; other times, it’s movement, connection, or simply saying no. Productivity becomes sustainable only when it’s paired with recovery.
Balance in real life might look like ordering dinner to carve out an extra half hour with your child, catching up with a friend on a lunch walk, or turning down a commitment you don’t have capacity for. Different seasons of life call for different priorities. Balance comes from ensuring all parts of your life receive care and attention over time, not all at once.
Boundaries are often easier to talk about than to practice. What advice do you give clients who struggle to set or maintain healthy boundaries at work, at home, or both?
Start small and be specific. Boundaries don’t have to be sweeping declarations, they can be as simple as setting designated response hours for emails or protecting device-free time with your family. It helps to remember that boundaries aren’t about distance; they’re about preservation. They create space for what truly matters and protect the energy required to show up well for yourself and others.
Practice in low-stakes situations first, with trusted friends, for example, before extending those boundaries to work or family. Sometimes it’s saying no to a new project, declining an extra committee, or limiting certain topics at family gatherings. The goal isn’t rigidity, it’s clarity. Over time, consistency teaches others how to engage with you and shows you that boundaries can exist without guilt.
You run a busy practice and manage a team while supporting clients through some of their most difficult moments. How do you personally protect your own energy and well-being?
It’s something I continually evaluate. I’m intentional about how I schedule my week. I space sessions that involve deep trauma work between clients focused on relationships or career development, so I can stay emotionally regulated and present. I also have protected time with my family where I’m fully offline taking no emails, no calls. Sundays are reserved for my bath ritual, something I’ve done since grad school. It’s become a small but sacred act of restoration.
I check in with myself honestly and adjust as needed, whether that means declining plans or taking quiet time alone. I’ve learned that my ability to support others depends entirely on how well I support myself. Since becoming a mom, I’ve had to be even more protective of my mental and emotional capacity. Self-awareness and flexibility are what allow me to keep showing up with genuine presence and care.
It seems like everyone we talk to these days is “too busy.” What is that a symptom of, and how can we start to take ourselves out of this cycle of busyness?
Chronic busyness has become almost a marker of worth, like a way to signal importance, productivity, or success. But often, it’s a symptom of disconnection. Staying perpetually busy can protect us from having to sit with uncomfortable emotions like exhaustion, uncertainty, or self-doubt. Breaking that cycle begins with awareness. Ask yourself: What am I trying to prove by staying this busy? and Is this actually moving me closer to what I value most?
Then, create micro-pauses throughout your day, even five minutes between meetings to stretch, breathe, or simply exist without reaching for your phone. Those small moments of stillness help reintroduce intentionality into our lives. We need to start giving ourselves permission not to be busy. Slowing down isn’t laziness, it’s an act of mindfulness. It allows us to reconnect with ourselves, our values, and the people around us in a way that endless motion never can.
As we head into darker evenings and the busy holiday season, what small steps can people take to protect their mental health and maintain emotional balance?
Give yourself permission to slow down. Check in with your energy each day and choose one small, restorative action. It can be a walk, journaling, or a call with a friend who brings you joy. Build these micro-rituals of care before the season feels overwhelming. Protecting your mental health isn’t about doing everything perfectly, it’s about noticing what you need and responding with compassion instead of criticism. Small acts of care compound over time.
If you’re unsure where to start, working with a Registered Clinical Counsellor can help you create a personalized self-care plan and explore what might be driving you to deprioritize your own needs. Sustainable mental health begins with awareness, permission, and kindness toward yourself.
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