Episode #242: Navigating Burnout with Natacha Pennycooke

Jul 06, 2023

Have you found yourself feeling more tired, frustrated, apathetic, or stressed out over the last few months? If so, you’re in good company. Recently, many of my clients have been feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed, and disconnected from their businesses. In other words, they’re experiencing the first signs of burnout — and you may be, too.

Burnout is much more than just periodically feeling overworked. It’s a serious psychological issue that can have a major impact on your health. Severe cases may require months of recovery (or even up to a year!). By recognizing the early signs and proactively making changes in your life, you can protect yourself and your business from its worst effects.

In this episode of The Business of Thinking Big, I sit down with the amazing Natacha Pennycooke, a registered psychotherapist and the CEO of Natacha Pennycooke Psychotherapy, to talk about burnout: what it means, what it looks like, and what you can do to prevent it. During our conversation, we explore how the experience and causes of burnout have shifted over the years, why burnout is so prevalent in female entrepreneurs, and how we have dealt with our own bouts of burnout.

This is a vitally important episode for all entrepreneurs, so you’ll want to be ready to take notes!

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌

How to identify your capacity to take things on — and how to recognize your ‘trigger emotion’ when you take on too much
How to find a balance between your desire to grow your business and the need to honour your own capacity
The 4 Ds of burnout prevention and how to heal when you hit rock bottom

Guest bio: Not only is Natacha a mom, wife, and lover of popcorn, but she is also an award-winning psychotherapist, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and corporate consultant. She is the clinical director of Natacha Pennycooke Psychotherapy (NPP), where her team of expert psychotherapists are changing the face of therapy and mental health on a global scale.

Timestamps:

00:33 Meet Natacha Pennycooke

02:42 Our experiences of burnout

07:50 What is burnout?

12:14 Recognizing & honouring capacity

14:01 Balancing desires & needs

17:31 Causes of modern burnout

21:31 Burnout prevention

29:06 Summit story

32:31 Decision fatigue & labels

36:29 Seeking help

41:17 Healing from rock bottom