Hey Reader, here is a delicious helping of my thoughts!
The other day, I caught myself standing in front of the fridge, staring at a half-eaten slice of cold pizza like it was the solution to all of life’s problems. Not even heating it up, just...standing there, chewing, hoping it would magically fix my exhaustion. I’m not sure if this is burnout or just the deluxe sampler platter of adulthood, but either way, here we are. Summer’s dangling just out of reach like the last slice of cake at a party, but getting there feels like crawling through mashed potatoes. And naturally...
It got me thinking…
Burnout is a weird thing.
You know the end is near: the season, the semester, the big project, whatever mountain you’ve been climbing. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and yet somehow, each step feels heavier. It's like your brain and body made a silent pact: "Let's hold it together... until we don't have to anymore." And spoiler alert…they're already cashing in that agreement.
In youth sports, school, coaching, and even parenting, this time of year tends to expose all the cracks we’ve tried so hard to patch over. Fatigue, frustration, short tempers, and the weird urge to binge-watch anything requiring zero brainpower. But seriously, the last 10% of anything is often the hardest.
For athletes, this can look like slower practices, mental mistakes, and a "just get me to the end" attitude. For coaches, it might be feeling the tug between wanting to finish strong and just wanting it to be finished. For parents, it’s juggling banquets, final games, exams, and summer plans while pretending you're not running on fumes.
And here's the thing: burnout doesn't mean you're weak, lazy, or doing it wrong. It means you cared enough to push hard for a long time.
But if we don't recognize, address, and give ourselves grace, we risk turning temporary tiredness into a long-term shutdown.
So, how do we fight it?
It’s not about “pushing through harder.” That’s often what gets us into burnout in the first place.
Instead, think small, intentional, and consistent.
- Micro-breaks are your new best friend. Set an alarm if you have to. Stand up, breathe, go outside for two minutes, or blast your favorite hype song between meetings or events. Little moments of space stop exhaustion from building into overwhelm.
- Prioritize like your sanity depends on it. (Because it does.) Everything cannot be the same level of urgent. Pick one or two non-negotiables each day, and let the rest stay in perspective.
- Reset your endgame. Shift your focus from "finishing perfectly" to "finishing proud." You might not stick every landing, but showing up with whatever you have left is enough.
- Celebrate the tiny wins. Finished a project? Made it to practice even when you wanted to bail? Survived the fifth end-of-year ceremony? That’s a victory. Give yourself credit.
Most importantly, remember: your battery is not broken. It’s just low. And like anything else, it needs recharging, not replacing.
When I finally finished that slice of pizza, I didn't feel magically energized. I didn’t suddenly spring back into action like a sports movie hero. I just stood there for another minute...smiling a little. Because even though I was tired, even though I was dragging, I was still showing up. And some days, that’s the whole game.
So, here’s my challenge to you:
Show up.
Even tired, even messy, even when not at your best, even on your third reheated meal of the day....
It counts. It always counts.