The Best Burnout Hacks Aren't What You Think
Dec 15, 2025Episode 10 · 15 December 2025 · 33 min
With Layne Beachley AO & Tess Brouwer, featuring Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer
About this episode
What does burnout really feel like, and how do you find your way back to yourself? In this raw and refreshingly honest episode of A Wake Up Call, Tess Brouwer and Layne Beachley sit down to unpack a topic that is quietly shaping almost every home, workplace and relationship right now: burnout. Tess shares the story of her own collapse point during her corporate career at Virgin β when she was the 'yes girl' who delivered everything, achieved everything and still felt empty β opening up about the decision fatigue that paralysed her in her own hallway and the cycles of overtraining, overworking and numbing that kept her stuck.
Layne brings her own truth to the table, describing the day her husband Kirk asked, 'Why do I get the broken Layne?' β a question that cracked something open and led her back to childhood wounds, the fear of not being enough, and a lifelong pattern of giving her best to strangers while bringing her most depleted self home. Together they shine a gentle, scientific light on burnout: why the brain defaults to fear, how negativity bias keeps you in survival mode, why perfectionism is one of the most reliable early indicators, the 3 C burnout signs Layne now watches for, and a simple decision-making framework that helped both women reclaim energy, presence and joy.
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Key takeaways
- Burnout begins long before collapse. Tess describes noticing tiny indicators β cravings, irritability, poor food choices and the inability to enjoy simple moments. These early cracks matter far more than the dramatic breaking point.
- The story you tell yourself fuels the cycle. Layne discovered her pattern of over-delivering was rooted in a childhood belief that she was unworthy of love. Until you address the story beneath the behaviour, burnout keeps repeating.
- Perfectionism is one of the strongest predictors of burnout. Trying to create the perfect conditions before you rest, exercise, parent or take a moment for yourself keeps you trapped in depletion. Most people burn out trying to avoid criticism from themselves.
- Saying yes always means saying no to something else. Every yes costs you time, presence or energy. Questions like 'Does this light me up?' or 'Am I saying yes from love or fear?' help you choose with clarity, not guilt.
- Rest is your competitive advantage. When the brain recovers, memory, focus and emotional regulation increase by up to thirty percent. Rest is not weakness β it is strategy. Without recovery you cannot stay well or stay present.
Chapters
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Transcript
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00:00Introduction▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (00:00):
05:12The big B-word: why burnout, why now▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (05:12):
06:14Tess's collapse point at Virgin▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (06:14):
07:24Decision fatigue and the hallway moment▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (07:24):
08:31Layne's 'broken Layne' and Kirk's question▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (08:31):
09:13The 3 C burnout signs▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (09:13):
11:33The root cause: validation and childhood wounds▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (11:33):
15:20The neuroscience of negativity bias▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (15:20):
17:03Choosing from love, not fear▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (17:03):
20:53No, not now / no, not me▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (20:53):
23:13Joy lists and filling your cup▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (23:13):
26:05Perfectionism: the strongest predictor▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (26:05):
29:36Rest as a performance tool▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (29:36):
30:17Work and rest are companions▾
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer (30:17):
Frequently asked questions
What is this episode about?▾
Tess Brouwer and Layne Beachley unpack burnout β the lived early-warning signs, the root causes beneath it, the neuroscience of mental fatigue, and practical tools (a decision-making framework, joy lists and 90-minute work cycles) to reclaim your energy and rebuild a balanced life.
What are the early signs of burnout?▾
Burnout often whispers long before it screams. Tess points to cravings, irritability, poor food choices, decision paralysis and the inability to enjoy simple moments β small cracks that show up well before the dramatic collapse.
What are the 3 C burnout signs?▾
Layne now watches for three early indicators β comparing, craving and criticising. When you notice yourself comparing to others, craving numbing or quick hits, and criticising yourself harshly, burnout is likely brewing.
What is the decision-making framework they describe?▾
A simple filter for protecting your energy: ask whether you're saying yes from love or from fear, and whether something lights you up. Responses range across 'hell yeah', 'no', 'no not now' and 'no not me' β so every yes is a conscious choice rather than an automatic one.
Why do they say rest is a performance tool, not a reward?▾
When the brain recovers, memory, focus and emotional regulation can increase by up to thirty percent. Micro-breaks, 90-minute work cycles and joy lists retrain the brain and rebuild capacity β making rest a strategy for staying well and present, not a weakness.
Who hosts this episode?▾
A Wake Up Call is hosted by Layne Beachley and Tess Brouwer. This is a host-only conversation with no external guest, drawing on both women's own experiences of burnout and recovery.
Guest
Layne Beachley & Tess Brouwer
Hosts of A Wake Up Call
The best burnout hacks aren't the ones you'd expect β a raw, science-backed look at why we burn out and how to find the way home.
