Burnout Doesn’t Knock ... It Breaks Down the Door

Last week I wrote about the day I nearly gave up on my years of work, my job, and what I learned at that time....If you work in health or social care,  or in the voluntary sector supporting people through crisis, chances are you know the feeling:​

Another double shift.​Another missed meal.​Another story that broke your heart.​Another crisis.​Neglect. Poverty. Violence.​Covering for a colleague.​

You soldier on, convincing yourself you’re coping.​

Until suddenly, you’re not.​

Burnout doesn’t send a polite warning.​

It crashes in like a storm.​It affects your energy, your sleep, your relationships, your sense of self.​

The tragedy? It often hits those who care the most.​The ones who go above and beyond, every single day.​

Let’s Normalise Looking After You​

Preventing burnout isn’t selfish.​It’s smart.​

It means:​

• Setting boundaries (without guilt)​

• Recognising stress before it becomes exhaustion​

• Making wellbeing a routine, not a once-a-year retreat​

Because in the end, healthy professionals help people better.​

Recommended Reads:​

For those in health, social care, and voluntary frontline roles:​

• "Trauma Stewardship" by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky​ → A guide to caring for yourself while caring for others. Practical and powerful.​

• "The Body Keeps the Score" by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk​ → Understand how trauma (including vicarious trauma) lives in the body and how healing is possible.​

• "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle" by Emily & Amelia Nagoski​ → Written for people who care deeply and burn out quietly. Full of evidence and real-life tips.​

• "Emotional Agility" by Dr. Susan David​ → A compassionate toolkit for navigating stress, change, and emotional overwhelm.​

🎥 Watch These When You Need a Boost:​

• TED Talk: “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown​ → On empathy, connection, and why it’s okay not to be okay.​

• "Secondary Trauma & Compassion Fatigue" by Dr. Gabor Maté (YouTube)​ → For those absorbing the pain of others daily. Essential viewing.​

• TED Talk: “How to Make Stress Your Friend” by Kelly McGonigal​ → A fresh look at how reframing stress can protect you.​

• "Healing the Healers" series (PBS)​ → Video resources for professionals on the frontline of trauma and crisis.

Support Options You Deserve:​

Reflective Supervision​

• More than a checklist. A safe space to process emotional impact, not just tasks.​

Peer Support & Circles​

• Whether you’re in a local authority, NHS trust, charity or crisis team — talking with those who get it changes everything.​

Access to Therapy or Coaching​

• Especially with professionals who understand trauma, burnout and the weight of frontline roles.​

Wellbeing Services at Work​

• Use your EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) if you have one. If not, ask your manager about access to support.​

Self-Care Inevitable Coaching or Workshops​

• Tailored for frontline professionals in care, health, and voluntary sectors.​ www.self-care-inevitable.com​

Make your Self-care Inevitable!​