01: A lot of burnout starts long before the breakdown.
It starts when you’re constantly pushing yourself to live up to other people’s expectations. To be more productive, be more successful, or to achieve more.
You’re rewarded for keeping on pushing, so you keep on pushing...
Until, you can’t ignore your body any longer.
I had the privilege of chatting with Katharina Geissler-Evans from heiter magazine on this week’s podcast on resilience, intentional living, and finding joy in small moments. I loved the idea that recovery didn’t begin with some huge life overhaul. It began with very small moments that brought someone back to themselves again.
Whether that’s a cup of tea, a short walk or a creative ritual so you can reconnect with yourself.
We often think success is something we arrive at later, after we’ve earned it through exhaustion.
But the older I get, the more I think success might simply be the ability to feel present inside your own life while you’re living it.
To me, success is being able to enjoy your mornings, to protect your energy and to create something meaningful at your own pace.
So it’s time to stop measuring your timeline against everyone else’s.
Your journey cannot look like someone else’s because it belongs to you.
p.s. Your pause for tea this week is brought to you by Life's a Peach, a flavoured black tea that combines the robust, full-bodied taste of premium Ceylon tea with a medley of colourful, fragrant blossoms and a hint of peach - discover more teas here.
© eteaket
02: Burnout Report 2025 reveals generational divide in levels of stress and work absence
Useful data and insights around stress, work culture, and generational burnout trends in the UK.
Read now: Mental Health UK
03: Let your ambition light you up, not burn you out
Burnout shouldn’t be the price of success, but setting boundaries at work is easier said than done. Tarveen Forrester, who oversees workplace culture at Kickstarter, shares practical strategies for protecting your time and cultivating “sustainable ambition,” so you can crush your goals - without letting them crush you.
Watch now: TED Talk
Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.
If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.
Erica x
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