The Cure for Burnout

December 4, 2023
Corporate trainer Ballesteros provides sensible and informed guidance for those tackling “exhaustion, stress, and misalignment (with the direction your life is heading in) for an extended period of time.” Though often glorified by a workaholic Western culture, burnout impairs mental and physical health, according to the author, and leaves sufferers stuck in “survival mode.” As a result, they lose sight of their long-term goals, undercutting the “success” their obsessive work was meant to achieve. Ballesteros encourages readers to take stock of the condition’s insidious symptoms (impaired concentration, irritability, and chronic pain) and improve time and stress management through such practices as adopting a “restorative” hobby to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Elsewhere, she digs into the ways in which social pressure promotes burnout, noting that people-pleasing is a particular culprit for women, who are raised to “anticipate others’ needs before daring to have their own.” Ballesteros’s corporate coaching experience comes in handy with plenty of solid time-saving tips (create email templates, group similar to-do items together to avoid task-switching) and potent insights, though the emphasis is on the working professional—those burnt out by caretaking duties, for example, may lack sufficient time for self-care or the option to set cut-and-dried personal boundaries. Still, readers will be heartened by Ballesteros’s forceful pushback against a culture that celebrates running on empty. Agent: Katherine Latshaw, Folio.

February 15, 2024
Between COVID-19, world unrest, and high expectations at home and at work, the world is literally "on fire" with burnout, according to psychologist Ballesteros. Facing an impending nervous breakdown, she decided to explore ways to make life changes. Burnout, she explains, comes in three forms: volume (too much to do), social (too many obligations), and boredom (too little stimulus). Each has its own characteristics, and readers are encouraged to identify their needs before examining ways to relieve the pressure. Solutions come in what Ballesteros describes as five pillars: managing personal experiences with a positive mindset, making time for personal care, managing time by determining priorities, setting clear boundaries at home and at work (this chapter alone makes the book worth reading), and relieving stress by facing down the stressors. Ballesteros offers step-by-step ways to build these pillars, sharing examples from her life and those of her clients. If there is really no way to ease the situation, she also includes a realistic "When to Walk Away" plan. Ballesteros' advice is practical and reassuring, and readers facing pressures on all sides will welcome her sound advice.

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April 1, 2024

Burnout management coach Ballesteros's book is a valuable resource from start to finish for those going through a stressful career season, whether actual burnout or something close. The author provides ample examples of people (herself included) who have navigated stressful and toxic situations and gives ideas for relieving that anxiety. She identifies the major types of career burnout that she sees in her professional capacity and lays out how they present. Ballesteros recognizes that commonly given advice is often unhelpful, so she digs deeper at the reasons behind burnout to offer better practical strategies, along with a little therapy. Her aim is for readers to achieve a better balance in life as priorities fluctuate; she guides them through assessments and shows how to use that data to overcome burnout, whether through correcting current work-life problems or moving on to a new career adventure. VERDICT This is highly recommended for young professionals as they navigate their boundaries, and for seasoned workers who need a boost to continue doing their best work.--Amanda Ray

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