I’m so glad you’re here today, because this conversation might name something that’s felt off for a while—even if you couldn’t quite explain why.

We’re talking about burnout—but not the kind you’ve seen in movies or Instagram meltdown confessions.

When most people picture burnout, they think of someone falling apart: crying in the shower, unable to get out of bed, quitting their job in dramatic fashion.

But with the high-capacity women I work with? Burnout often shows up in disguise.

You’re still getting things done. Still showing up. Still holding it all together on the outside. But inside, it feels like you’re unraveling.

That’s what I call functional burnout—and more often than not, it’s rooted in nervous system dysregulation, not a lack of motivation or time management skills.

So today, we’re unpacking three subtle signs that your burnout might be more biological than behavioral.

Let’s dive in.

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Sign #1: You’re Always “On”… but Rarely Present

Let’s start with one I see constantly—especially in women juggling careers, homes, kids, and expectations.

You’re the reliable one. The capable one. The one who gets it done.

But even when the day winds down, your mind doesn’t.

You’re lying in bed, but planning tomorrow. Sitting with your family, but mentally checking off your list. Talking with a friend, but halfway into the next conversation already.

This isn’t just mental busyness—it’s hypervigilance.

It’s a sign your nervous system may be stuck in sympathetic activation—what we often call fight-or-flight. Your body feels like it can’t afford to let its guard down, so it stays alert… all the time.

This doesn’t always look like panic. Sometimes, it looks polished, efficient, and organized.

But underneath the control is a body that’s bracing for something to go wrong.

Your amygdala—your brain’s smoke detector—may be overly sensitized, sending false alarms. That’s why even small things like a delay or a tone shift can feel like a big deal.

You’re not making a fuss. You’re reacting from a nervous system that hasn’t received the “safe now” signal.

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Sign #2: You’re Doing More… But Feeling Less

Here’s another sign that burnout might be sneaking in: you’re checking boxes, but nothing hits anymore.

You used to feel energized by a win, inspired by a goal, or proud of a job well done.

Now? It’s like you’re floating through the motions.

You’re not lazy. You’re not apathetic. Your nervous system may have shifted into a dorsal vagal state—what we call freeze.

This isn’t a cozy nap kind of rest. It’s a protective shutdown. Your body is conserving energy because it’s been running hot for too long.

In this state, you might feel foggy, numb, or detached from the things you care about. You might stop celebrating milestones or lose interest in what once lit you up.

This isn’t a character flaw. It’s a brilliant adaptive response from a system under pressure.

And the longer you’ve been pushing, the more likely your body was to eventually say: “Enough.”

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Sign #3: You’re Overreacting to Things You Know Aren’t a Big Deal

Here’s the last sign—and it’s one that surprises a lot of high-achievers.

You’re snapping over little things. The spilled juice. The repeated question. The forgotten chore.

Part of you knows it’s not that serious. But in the moment, your body doesn’t seem to care.

This is about your window of tolerance—the range in which your nervous system can handle stress without flipping into survival mode.

When that window narrows (from chronic stress, trauma, or depletion), even small stressors feel huge. You lose access to calm responses, not because you’re irrational, but because your nervous system doesn’t have enough capacity to downshift.

You might go from zero to ten over a minor inconvenience—or feel so overwhelmed by something small that you shut down completely.

This isn’t a lack of emotional maturity. It’s biology.

And it’s reversible.

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These Signs Aren’t Flaws—They’re Clues

So if you recognized yourself in any of these signs, I want you to hear this loud and clear:

You’re not failing. You’re adapting.

These responses aren’t personality problems. They’re nervous system patterns designed to help you survive.

But surviving isn’t the same as thriving.

You don’t need more discipline. You don’t need to “get it together.”

What you need is regulation—tools that help your body feel safe enough to shift gears.

That’s why my RETURN framework starts with Releasing survival stress—because until your body comes out of defense mode, no productivity hack or self-help trick will stick.

The good news? Regulation is learnable. Healing is possible. And you are not too far gone.

You’ve done the hard part: surviving. Now it’s time to rebuild safety.

And from there? You return to presence. To vitality. To yourself.

Thanks for being here. I’ll see you next time.

Related Episodes to Explore:

• Previous Episode
• Find Freedom from Anxiety
• 7 Ways to Release Stress and Anxiety From Your Body
• Are These 3 Mistakes Making Your High-Functioning Anxiety Worse? (And What to Do Instead)
• Feeling Overwhelmed with Work-Life Balance? 3 Mindset Shifts for Working Moms
• “5 Somatic Techniques to Regulate When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed “

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