Breaking the Busy Cycle: How to Stop Spinning Your Wheels, Recover from Burnout, and Start Moving Toward Your Potential

Anyone else here a fan of James Clear? If you’ve read Atomic Habits, you know he’s got a knack for making personal growth sound simple (and somehow, like you should’ve figured it out yourself already).

I’ve been subscribed to his emails ever since I listened to the audiobook last year, and in a recent one, he listed a few common ways people hold themselves back from reaching their potential.

Here’s what made the list:

• Lacking the courage to try

• Trying to please everyone

• Imitating the desires of others

• Chasing status without questioning why

• Playing superhero and trying to do it all alone

• Dividing attention between too many projects

  
  

Now, be honest, did any of these hit home for you?

If so, I’d love to hear about it (seriously, comment below and tell me).

For me, it's that last one. Dividing attention between too many projects. I can already hear two of my closest friends laughing in full agreement.

When "Busy" Becomes a Habit

If you’ve been following my updates, you might know I recently completed a course. What you don’t know is that for about two weeks afterwards, I felt completely restless.

My brain, wired for non-stop learning, was practically begging me to dive into another course. But the truth? I had plenty of other things I could be catching up on, things I actually enjoy.

It made me realise that I’ve been guilty of staying busy for the sake of being busy, instead of being intentional about what truly moves me toward my potential.

This reminds me of my client, Jade. She’s what I’d call an overachiever (her LinkedIn bio also claims she’s a coffee enthusiast, which honestly makes her even more relatable).

Here’s what she said about working with me:

I am pleased to recommend Merly as an exceptional career coach! Throughout my time working with her, I gained invaluable skills in job seeking, job interview preparation, and developed greater confidence in my abilities in the workplace. Merly’s expertise helped me refine my responses in job interviews but also gave me a sense of assurance that I could effectively communicate my strengths. I highly recommend Merly to anyone seeking to enhance their interview skills and boost their confidence in the workplace.

With Jade, our work wasn’t just about getting her next job, it was about building the confidence to shape her career in the direction she actually wanted.

For her, it was about finding the courage to try, even after setbacks.

The Cycle of Holding Yourself Back

Let’s delve into this a bit further. If you’re curious, read on. As you reflect on the list by James, you might notice that it’s the same thing that keeps happening over and over again every time you try to move forward.

For example:

• You want to go for a promotion but get caught up in trying to please everyone and end up losing respect from your peers.

• You want to start your own business but convince yourself that having a (insert job title) would be more impressive, so you enrol in a degree, realising you’re imitating the desires of others like parents, right?

• You desperately want to win the affection of those around you, so you play the superhero, trying to do it all, but eventually burn yourself out.

  
  

Get my drift? 

Maybe some of these examples resonate with you or at least some version of them. 

This is often a sign of a lack of boundaries.

There’s a misconception that boundaries are just about saying “no,” but that’s not true. 

Boundaries are founded on mutual respect. They help you, especially if you’re a highly sensitive person or an introvert like me, manage your time, energy, and resources, so you’re not running on fumes and heading straight for burnout.

Sometimes we unintentionally hold ourselves back because we don’t have healthy boundaries in place. This is part of the work I do with clients in my The Empowered Mum Project.

Are You Ready to Break the Cycle?

If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself:

• Am I truly working toward my potential, or am I just staying busy?

• Am I taking action that moves me forward, or am I spinning my wheels out of habit?

  
  

If you’re ready to break out of the cycle and start making real progress in your career, I’d love to support you. I encourage you to book a Burnout Assessment with me today.

But if you’re feeling like you need a quick reset before diving into a bigger shift, I’ve got something for you:

Join the free Burnout Recovery Mini Course for women who want to restore their energy and avoid burnout without sacrificing their ambition. Sign up here

Perfect for when you’re ready to stop juggling everything at once and start focusing on what really matters.