How to Stop Overworking: Breaking the "Try Hard" Cycle of Burnout

Are you stuck in a cycle of relentless effort but feel like you're never doing enough? In this episode, we explore how the "Try Hard" habit fuels chronic overworking, perfectionism, and burnout.

Discover the exact childhood messages driving your need to prove your worth today and learn how this unconscious pattern, (part of Adrienne Lee’s “Drowning Person” model in Transactional Analysis), might actually be sabotaging your professional success.

What You Will Learn:
💡 Why "Trying Harder" Backfires: How over-effort can actually push people away instead of impressing them.
💡 The Childhood Origin: Uncover the core fear of being "lazy" or "inadequate" that triggers your fight-or-flight mode.
💡 Get actionable strategies to break the cycle including delegation techniques, time-blocking methods, and the gold standard approach for automatic behaviour change

Whether you are an HR leader, entrepreneur, or high-achiever, this episode provides the tools to reclaim your energy without sacrificing your results.

Tune in next week for the Hurry Up pattern.

Here’s to your leadership development and personal growth!

Estelle Read
Bestselling Author, Coach & Speaker

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:55) The Hurry Up Pattern Explained
(03:12) Core Fear: Missing Something Crucial
(03:41) Personal Example: Balancing Retirement & Business
(04:33) Origins: Urgency as a Safety Signal
(05:01) Childhood Patterns from Parents
(05:21) My Confession: Creating This Pattern in My Daughter
(06:02) Parenting Stress: The School Run "Walk of Shame"
(07:13) How This Pattern Affects Children
(08:19) Problems in Adulthood: Rushed Decisions & Mistakes
(09:30) DISC Profile Connection
(11:15) Mental Health Impact: Baseline Stress
(12:37) Warning Signs
(13:02) Example: HR Leadership: Breaking the "Rush Mode" Cycle
(14:23) How Coaching Transformed My Hurry Up Pattern
(14:47) Six Weeks in a Mindfulness Shed
(15:35) Learning to Eat Mindfully
(16:48) Philly the Pheasant: Slowing Down at Lunch
(17:59) Speaking Career: From Horse Commentator to Impactful Presenter
(18:44) The Transformation: Disconnecting "Slow = Bad"
(19:33) The Opposite Truth About Speed & Intelligence
(20:20) Strategies for Overcoming in Adulthood
(21:13) Tools: Micro Pauses
(22:07) 7-11 Breathing Technique for Instant Calm
(22:28) Mindfulness: The 4-3-2 Sensory Exercise
(25:20) Scheduling Buffer Times
(25:46) Resources: Mindfulness Apps & Havening
(26:11) Next Episode Preview: The Please Me Pattern
(26:28) Outro & Call to Action


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⭐Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional for specific advice.

#OvercomingBurnout #HighPerformance #LeadershipCoaching

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