18 Months Before Burnout – The Subtle Shift

Hey you

This week, let’s talk about what happens 18 months before burnout. For me, this was when the cracks started to show, but I didn’t notice. It was subtle—a quiet shift before the storm. You’re not in full storm mode yet, but something’s changing. You rationalise it as “just life,” but it’s there.

🧡 Chronic Exhaustion – When Rest Stops Working

Remember when weekends actually refreshed you? At the 18-month mark, I couldn’t recharge. It wasn’t just “being busy”—it was a deep tiredness that rest couldn’t fix.

With reflection, I realised something: exhaustion wasn’t about being busy. It was about a deep, lingering tiredness that no amount of sleep or time off could fix. 

If your weekends aren’t doing the trick anymore, that’s not normal. It’s a sign.

🧡 Mental Fog and Forgetfulness – You’re Losing Focus

I felt scatterbrained, forgetting things, and struggling to concentrate. The energy I used to have for multi-tasking was gone.

That mental fog is your nervous system working overtime, trying to deal with stress. It can’t keep up forever. This is your nervous system begging for rest.

🧡 Increased Irritability – Small Things Set You Off

I thought it was just stress. I thought it was just “life.” But small annoyances—work problems, family stuff, even tiny details—started to irritate me. 

It’s subtle, but when your patience starts running thin, that’s your body’s warning bell. It’s not about being short-tempered—it’s about a disconnect between what you’re feeling and what you’re expressing. It’s about holding it all in and it leaking out in frustration.

🧡 Overcompensating with Productivity – The “Push Through” Mentality

Here’s where I went wrong: I thought if I worked harder, I’d fix it. So, I kept pushing. Even though I felt tired, I believed that pushing through and doing more would solve everything. The more I overcompensated, the worse I felt.

Why We Miss the Signs 

These signs? They’re easy to miss. We’re conditioned to push through, to keep going even when our bodies say, “Enough.”

🧡 Cultural Pressure 

Our culture glorifies hustle. We think if we’re not constantly moving, we’re failing. Rest isn’t seen as essential but as a luxury, and that’s a lie we buy into. It’s not a weakness to pause—it’s about sustainability. You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup.

🧡 Perfectionism and Denial 

Perfectionism kept me stuck, always thinking I had to perform at 100%. I’d tell myself, “I’ll feel better after this project,” but deep down, I knew it wasn’t true. Denial just kept me pushing further toward burnout.

🧡 Normalizing Exhaustion

The worst part? Exhaustion becomes the new normal. The more tired you get, the more you adjust, until you stop even asking, “Why am I so drained?” because it’s just how life feels.

So, What Do You Do?

The biggest takeaway from my experience? 

Recognise the subtle signs before they take over. It’s hard to see the gradual erosion of your energy, but the sooner you notice it, the better. You don’t have to hit rock bottom to make a change.

Start Today Nourish Your Nervous System:

So, here’s your wake-up call. Instead of pushing through, try this:

🧡 Start Small, Start Now You don’t need a life overhaul. Just take small pauses. A 10-minute break, a moment to breathe, or a quick walk can shift your energy.

🧡 Listen to Your Body The tension you feel isn’t random. Your body is begging you for rest.

🧡 Reframe Rest as Essential, Not Optional Rest isn’t a reward—it’s essential. You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup.

Your #RebelMoment Starts Now! 

Burnout starts with pushing through. The real rebellion? Stopping. Listening. Taking care of you.

You don’t have to wait until it all falls apart. What if you started right now? What if, just for today, you reconnected with the most important thing in your life—yourself?

Ready to Break Free from the Cycle of Overdoing + find your FLOW?

On The Mat with Nat isn’t your typical yoga class. Forget sun salutations and standard sequences — that’s not how we do yoga here. These are practices to reset your nervous system so you can actually focus, feel clear, and move through the week like the superstar you are!.  

Ready to ditch the tight shoulders, busy mind, and endless doing? Jump In

Hungry for more than just an hour’s session?  

The Seasonal Slumber Party is your secret weapon to hit pause before you hit the wall. It’s where high-achieving people like you stop hustling and rediscover what it feels like to drop into that flow state. Sign Up Here

Sick and tired of the grind? Lost that spark and not even sure why?  

It’s time to talk. I’ve been there, and I got you! Let’s Chat.

Not sure and want to dip your toe in first? I get it.  

Subscribe to Nat’s Natterings for weekly reminders to step off the hamster wheel and start living from a place of calm inner power. Get on the List.

About Nat

Nat Creasy, aka Your Burnout Bestie, doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle—she calls it out for what it is: an exhausting lie that’s making us all sick. As a Nervous System Mentor, Nat shows people how to break free from the cycle of exhaustion and overthinking, helping them operate from a place of power, flow, and clarity — meditation in motion.

She gets it. After 18 months knocked flat by burnout, Nat learned the hard way that constant striving is a trap. Now, she’s all about flow—teaching people that the real win isn’t about doing more; it’s about learning how ride the waves of life with ease, in flow. Meditation In Motion. It’s about listening to your body, resetting your nervous system, and coming at life from a place of easeful power that fuels lasting success.

Tired of running on empty? It’s time to Reset Realign + Rise 

www.littlesoulshack.com