I hate to break it to you, but burnout is inevitable.
Especially when you’re trying to do all the things: build a successful career, have a thriving social life, go on holiday, and exercise your way to a hot body, all while trying to keep your family happy and deal with the expectations you put on yourself.
I honestly used to think I could outsmart burnout—like if I just did all the right things, worked on myself enough, I’d eventually escape it for good.
I thought, if I just quit my job, I’d be fine. If I travelled somewhere new, I’d feel inspired again. If I finally got paid to do something I actually loved, surely burnout wouldn’t find me.
But I’m starting to realise that’s complete BS.
No matter how much I try to avoid burnout, I’m talking about self-care, finding joy in the mundane, having hobbies, practising gratitude, etc. I still find myself sometimes drifting back into that “meh” space.
Because let’s be honest… no productivity hack or wellness routine can keep burnout away for good.
Not for me, anyway.
So yes, you could say I’ve been inspired to write this blog post because, shock… I’ve been feeling on the edge of burnout lately.
I’ve been sleeping more than usual, I can’t seem to find my usual spark, and to be honest, I’m just not that motivated. It could be a million things. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been working remotely from Southeast Asia for the last six months, and I’m exhausted. Maybe it’s because I’m returning to the UK in a few days, which is giving me low-key anxiety, or maybe it’s just because work is slow over summer and I’m not feeling creatively fulfilled.
I don’t want to feel this way, and I’m guessing if you’re reading this, you don’t want to either.
So here’s what I’m actually doing (and what you can try too) to navigate the 3 stages of burnout.
P.S. If you’re new here, hey! I’m Thalia. I help 30-something girlies beat burnout and unf*ck their life through 1:1 coaching and self-paced tools. Every week(ish), I share content on burnout recovery, self-development, finding joy, and career growth. Subscribe here so you never miss a debrief.
The 3 stages of burnout explained
Before we get practical, let’s talk about what burnout actually looks like day-to-day.
I’m talking about the subtle signs that appear along the way because burnout doesn’t just happen overnight.
It’s a slow-burn.
I call this the anti-burnout traffic light system: green means you’re good, orange is your warning sign, and red is when things get serious.
Thinking about burnout in these 3 stages (green, orange, and red) takes away the guilt. Because everyone (and I mean everyone!!) flip-flops between them, especially when life gets busy.
Once you’re aware of which burnout stage you’re in, it gets so much easier to work out what you need.
Here’s how each stage shows up in real life:
Green
This is what I like to call the pre-burnout stage.
The green zone is when things are (mostly) running smoothly. You feel energised, your head is clear, you can handle the ups and downs at work without freaking out, and you have space for the things and people that matter to you.
It’s not a constant state of bliss. Life still has its setbacks but you have the resilience to handle whatever comes your way without having a mental breakdown in the office toilets.
Overall, the green zone looks like:
- Waking up with energy (or at least not dreading the day ahead)
- Handling last-minute meetings or annoying emails without freaking out
- Having enough energy left over for your own life, not just work
- Remembering to take care of yourself
- Feeling like an 8/10 or above
The green zone sounds dreamy AF.
That’s why it can sometimes feel like a myth, especially if you’re juggling a demanding job, friendships, dating, family, and the 95 other things on your to-do list.
So if the green zone isn’t realistic for you, I suggest lingering in the orange zone.
Orange
This is the in-between stage, where things start to feel overwhelming.
You might notice you’re getting more tired, small, annoying things are triggering you more than usual, and your motivation is starting to dip, but you’re still functioning.
You’re keeping up with life, but you’re not exactly thriving in it.
Overall, the orange zone looks like:
- Sleeping in more than usual or hitting snooze at least three times
- Daydreaming about quitting your job (probably)
- Snapping more often at the people around you
- Letting group chats go unanswered or cancelling plans because socialising feels like a chore
- Calling a Netflix marathon “self-care”
These are the early warning signs.
When you’re in the orange zone, you can usually hit pause, make a few small changes, and get back on track before you end up in the red zone.
Red
This is the stage you really want to avoid because it equals full-blown burnout.
The red zone means you’re completely drained—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Every day feels heavy, you’ve lost your spark, and even rest doesn’t help.
Overall, the red zone looks like:
- Waking up and wanting to cry, or just not wanting to get out of bed at all
- Constant brain fog
- Mood swings from irritability to anxiety
- Zero motivation, even for things you used to enjoy
- Feeling completely numb
If you’re in the red zone, you’re not alone, and I promise, you can 100% turn it around.
It all starts with paying close attention to what’s pushing you over the edge and taking small steps to support yourself, one day at a time.
Prefer to watch and listen? I’ve got you!
Hit play on my latest YouTube video explaining the 3 stages of burnout (with all the tips you won’t find anywhere else):
How to navigate the green, orange and red zones
Now that you know about the different burnout stages, let’s get into how you can actually navigate them.
These are the 3 simple habits I keep coming back to on my best days, and on the messy ones. They give me the space to pause, get grounded, and breathe so I can reset and make any tweaks I need to—even when life feels a bit too much.
I encourage you to save this post so you can come back to it whenever you need to.
1 | Rate your energy levels
At the start of each day, I want you to rate your energy levels.
Are you in the green, orange, or red zone?
If you’re feeling green, protect it. Do something that keeps you there, even if it’s as small as stepping away from your desk at lunch, getting outside or simply texting a friend.
If you’re in the orange, don’t panic. This is your chance to make a small shift. Say no to one extra task, move a meeting, or remind yourself you don’t have to do it all today.
And if you’re in the red, please be gentle with yourself. Pinpoint what’s causing you to be in this zone? Is it your workload, a demanding colleague, or endless social plans?
Once you’ve found the trigger, you can proactively make a small change to bring you closer to the orange zone.
2 | Set boundaries at work
Once you’ve checked in on your energy, let it guide how you show up at work.
If you’re in the orange zone, treat it as your sign to set some boundaries. That might mean saying no to extra tasks, limiting your todo list to just 3 things, or delegating where you can.
If you’re deep in the red zone, give yourself permission to pause. Reach out to someone you trust—a manager, HR, or even just a colleague—and be honest about how you’re feeling. Ask if there’s anything they can do to support you or lighten your load.
If you’re in the green zone, great! you’re pretty much still on top of things.
But if you do feel things shifting during the day and the pressure building, step outside for about 5 minutes to pause and reset. When you come back, pick one thing to finish before you log off, instead of trying to push through everything.
3 | Do a quick mental check-in
If you’re stuck in the orange or red zones, stop for a second and see if you can pinpoint what’s weighing you down.
Ask yourself: “What’s really overwhelming me right now?”
Don’t just keep it all in your head—grab a piece of paper and write down everything that’s draining your energy.
It could be one thing, or it might be a handful of things. But you can’t fix what you’re not aware of, and seeing your worries in front of you can make them feel more manageable.
You might spot something simple you can change straight away or notice a pattern that’s always throwing you off. This small act of self-care is a powerful step towards getting back to the green zone.
Want to take this work deeper?
If you’ve been bouncing inconsistently between the orange and red stages of burnout and want to learn how to stay in the green zone at least 80% of the time, this is for you.
Stay & Slay™ is your no-BS guide for getting your energy (and your life) back.
Forget endless bed rotting, Netflix binges, or waiting for motivation to magically appear. Real burnout recovery takes more than that, and this eBook shows you how.
You’ll get:
- 70+ pages of burnout recovery advice
- Reflection prompts that help you figure out what’s really burning you out
- Actionable and proven strategies you can use right now.
- A bonus workbook, so you can SLAY-as-you-go and actually put every strategy into action
Final thoughts
If you really want someone in your corner (besides me), you pretty much have to learn to advocate for yourself.
No one’s going to read your mind or magically know what you need. Sometimes you’ve got to show up for yourself, set boundaries, or just let people know where you stand.
Yes, it’s going to feel awkward at first, but trust me, it gets easier over time (and it’s always worth it).
Remember, the goal isn’t to always strive for the green zone if that feels unrealistic. It’s to avoid the red zone. And that starts in the orange zone: noticing the signs, making small changes, and giving yourself permission to pause before things get out of hand.
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
