You’re the founder. The visionary. The one carrying the weight of your team’s hopes and the pressure of the next big milestone. You’ve done all the right things. Still, burnout lingers.

In this final chapter of our burnout series, we tap into something you already have but may not be using: your story.

Burnout is often blamed on bad calendars and poor boundaries—too much to do, not enough time to rest. But one of its biggest drivers isn’t exhaustion. It’s disconnection.

Disconnection from self
Disconnection from others
Disconnection from within our activities
We don’t just burn out from doing too much. We burn out from doing too much disconnected.
What Do We Mean By “Connection,” Anyway?
Connection matters in our relationships, but isn’t only about that. It’s the internal and external glue that sparks inspiration, taps us into disconnected ideas, & helps us learn faster and easier.
Connection to self roots us in identity—our values, emotions, needs, and inner truth.
Connection to others grounds us in belonging. It reminds us we’re not meant to do life alone.
Connections within things like our work, our parenting, our faith, our passion—gives us meaning. It helps us make sense of why we do what we do.
When those threads fray, even the most competent among us can begin to unravel.
According to research in Psychological Science, chronic disconnection—whether emotional, relational, or existential—can contribute to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and early mortality. Yes, you read that right – being disconnected literally shortens our lives.
But the type of connection we most quickly lose when we’re burned out? The connections between.
Connections between things help us see what others might miss. They create insights, reveal patterns, present new solutions, and interrupt the blind spots of routine.
Since it’s usually the first to go, it’s also where we need to start to build back.
The Connections We Miss
As will surprise no one who knows me, I was a deeply feeling child. Not in a gentle, always caring for others, helpful way. But, in the messy, chaotic, & inconvenient way that arises from noticing and experiencing far more than you have the capacity or language to express.
I routinely fought with my mother who, it seemed to my childish mind, was as unfeeling a human as could possibly exist. Her unwillingness to acknowledge the sheer depths of my suffering from things like having a bedtime and being forced to eat boiled brussel sprouts felt like a rejection of the deepest parts of my soul.
Though I stand by my assessment of the sprouts, I did eventually learn how to understand my emotions; converting them into the practice and intelligence that have guided me as a leader for decades. I leverage these learnings in every area of my life & even got a Masters degree in Counseling so I could help others do the same.
And still – I missed it.
I had spent weeks preparing our family’s Easter celebration filled with decorations, a backyard Easter egg hunt, an overflowing Easter basket, delicious and healthy meals, & creative games & activities for everyone to enjoy. I had cleaned, planned, cooked, researched, & stayed up late multiple nights to ensure the magic of the holiday filled our home.
So, when my child – after simply being asked to stop playing with friends & come inside – burst into tears and yelled a confident pronouncement that this was “the worst day ever”…I lost it.
I quickly reminded him of all that he’d been given. All the effort it took to create the day. The things to be grateful for and happy about. I asked “when I spend so much time making everything perfect & you’re miserable instead of grateful – what exactly would you like me to do?”
He responded meekly, “I don’t know…give me a hug??”
Sometimes, your kids say things that radically alert your world for the better. But hearing that? That was like taking a bullet to the chest.
Then I got it. The connection I had been missing. He was just like me.
I suddenly remembered what it was like to be a deeply feeling kid in a world that just wants you to play along. To have the uncomfortable emotions of the present overwhelm the joy of the past & to lack the ability to do anything but let them out.
What he needed; all he needed…was connection.
So, that’s what we did. We talked it out. I acknowledged what he was feeling. I didn’t leave him alone in it. And, I didn’t let his present emotion convert itself into a rejection of me.
Once the connection between us – between our similarities & experiences of the world was restored, everything settled. And, we were good.
How to Rebuild Connections (Without Burning Out)
There are a few lessons from this story that can help you reconnect with your connections.
Observe
Life moves fast. If you don’t create space to slow down and notice, you’ll miss what’s right in front of you.
Start your day with 60 seconds of silence—notice the thoughts that arise. Write them down, without judging them & observe the trends.

Journal your answer to one question each night: What did I most notice today?

Check in with yourself throughout the day. Notice what makes you feel light (and what makes you feel small)

Value
When we experience disconnection from knowledge, others, or ourselves, we’re often misaligned with our values.
Before your next task, ask: Why does this matter?

Identify one thing you’re doing today that serves a value you care about

Not sure what you value most? Take a walk without a podcast or music. What keeps popping into your head is tied to your values.
Get Curious, Not Furious
When things go wrong (and they will), respond with curiosity first.
As you enter a meeting or event, intentionally shift from leading to learning.
When you’re upset, take a step back and get curious about your reaction. About the other person or the situation at hand.
Prepare for discomfort. Reconnecting usually requires vulnerability. And, when you’re already trudging through burn out – that can feel like a step too far. But, it’s vital.
Remember…
Reconnection isn’t a reset button. It’s a slow and intentional returning. A remembering.
Of who you are.
Of what you need.
Of why everything around you truly matters.
So today—don’t just keep going. Pause. Shift. Allow.
Because you weren’t made to live disconnected. And you don’t have to. With a little intention, the clarity you’re chasing might already be within reach.

What if you’re not burned out… just uninspired? We don’t talk about inspiration enough, especially in high-performance spaces. But it’s not fluff. It’s fuel. And without it, everything starts to feel gray. In this new post, we share the science of inspiration, a real story from one of our clients, and practical ways to reconnect with what moves you—before you lose momentum or meaning.

In a world obsessed with productivity, we’ve lost touch with one of the simplest, most powerful sources of restoration we have—beauty. This week, we explore how reconnecting with awe, wonder, and ordinary beauty can reset your nervous system, restore your creativity, and remind you what it means to be fully alive.

Founder, Sara Sweat shares why she founded Mindshift Advisors & how her company helps leaders amplify impact through High EQ insight and action.

One of the first warning signs of impending burnout is isolation. We fill our waking hours with so much activity that we slow transition from human being to human doing. In the next in our series on Burnout, we discuss the importance of creating and nurturing your community.

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