How to Keep Your Spark in a Burnout World - Newsletter #41

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I talk to a lot of people about burnout. Friends. Colleagues. Leaders. Students. And the truth is, most of us are living with it in some way, even if we do not call it by its name.

We live in a culture that rewards constant grind. The longer the hours, the more emails sent, the more meetings stacked back-to-back, the more we are praised. We equate exhaustion with value. And in the process, joy and creativity get pushed to the side.

But here is the thing. You cannot create from an empty well. You cannot lead when your spark is gone.

So the real question is not just “how do we avoid burnout” but “how do we actively protect joy and creativity in a burnout world?”

Step One: Reclaim the Pause

The grind culture tells us that pausing is weakness. But in reality, pausing is a superpower.

In theater, a pause on stage can change everything. It can create suspense, invite reflection, or land a line with deeper impact. The same is true in leadership and in life.

When we pause, we get perspective. We allow space for ideas to land. We invite our bodies and brains to catch up. Pausing is not absence. It is presence. It is the quiet moment that lets the spark breathe.

Try this: the next time you are tempted to rush into another task, pause. Take three deep breaths. Step outside. Ask yourself what actually needs your attention versus what just makes you look busy.

Step Two: Protect Joy as Strategy

We tend to treat joy like dessert. A reward for finishing the hard stuff. But what if joy is not extra? What if joy is fuel?

The truth is, joy is what sustains us. It keeps us engaged, it keeps teams motivated, it keeps innovation alive. And yet in so many workplaces, joy is treated like fluff. Something nice to have, not something necessary.

I want to flip that script. Leaders, make joy part of the strategy. Build it into how you plan meetings, how you celebrate wins, how you encourage creativity. Teams that feel joy together are more resilient and more productive.

For individuals, protecting joy might mean blocking time for something that lights you up, even if it has nothing to do with work. It might be music, movement, or calling a friend who makes you laugh. It is not frivolous. It is essential.

Step Three: Redefine Productivity

One of the reasons burnout thrives is because we measure productivity by output alone. Did you finish the project? Did you send the deliverable? Did you answer the email at midnight?

But productivity without sustainability is a mirage. It looks like success until everything crumbles.

Instead, what if we measured productivity by impact? By alignment with values? By the energy and creativity we bring into the room?

When leaders shift from “what did you do” to “what did this make possible,” people are freed to think bigger and smarter, not just faster.

Step Four: Make Community the Antidote

Burnout thrives in isolation. When we feel like we have to carry everything alone, we burn out faster.

But when we are in community—real community, not just proximity—we find energy in each other. Community catches us when we fall. It cheers when we leap. It holds us steady when the world feels heavy.

That is why I always come back to the reminder: talk to each other. Not just texting or liking posts, but real conversations that spark creativity and ease the weight of carrying everything alone.

If you want to protect your spark, build a community around you that will remind you to rest, remind you to play, and remind you that you are more than your output.

Living With Intention

At the end of the day, burnout will always exist in a world that glorifies grind. But our spark is ours to protect.

We get to choose to pause. We get to choose joy as fuel. We get to redefine productivity. We get to choose community over isolation.

Life is short, and the world can be heavy. But when we live with intention, we keep the spark alive—not just for ourselves, but for everyone we lead and love.

Big love, Heather 💜

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