As the year slowly starts to wind down and those feelings of “everything must be done before December 31st” start to creep in, we often end up feeling exhausted, unsettled and a little frustrated. We can even start questioning whether we’re in the right role and whether it’s time to make a change. If you’ve been wondering about this exact thing, it might be time to reflect on whether you’re tired of your job, or you’re just tired in general. 

It’s a tough question, but an important one. Understanding the difference between burnout and misalignment can help you take the right steps to reclaim your energy and set yourself up for a more impactful career.

Recognising Tiredness vs. Misalignment

Exhaustion, and even burnout often comes from overworking or overcommitting without proper boundaries. On the other hand, misalignment happens when your role no longer fits your values, skills, or ambitions. It can often manifest as a feeling of being “stuck”. If you’re consistently feeling uninspired or disconnected from your work, it might be time to reassess. Equally as much though, it is important to ensure that just because we are feeling tired after a big year, or a big season, that we aren't throwing out the baby with the bath water. Are we in a space where we need to reassess the job, OR are we just in need of a bit of a break? 

Ask yourself these questions...

Here are some questions that I’ve found helpful to ask myself, whenever I’ve needed clarity around this:

  • What specifically is it that I am feeling with regards to my job? Have those feelings been persistent all year, or is it just in the last few weeks or months? Dr. Gloria Willcox’s ‘Feelings Wheel’ can help us put words to our emotions and is a way to help us better care for our mental health. Check it out here. 
  • Am I drained because of workload, or because I no longer feel connected to what I’m doing, or the people I am doing it with? Identifying what your specific stressors are will help with this - Is it a particular project I am on at work, a particular team member, or, is it the volume of seasonal tasks that are causing me stress right now? Having a clearer understanding of this will help you work out if this is an ongoing issue that needs deeper assessment on whether you’re in the right place (or some serious changes required!) versus a seasonal period and you just being in need of a rest of a break at the end of a busy period.  
  • What physical and emotional signs can I see in myself? Do I have difficulty focussing? Am I being more cynical? Am I always feeling tired even when I do get sleep? Am I more irritable? Recognising your signs of stress are important to helping you realise that you need a break and a change in your lifestyle, not necessarily a change of job. 

Reset, Refocus and Recharge

After considering how you’re feeling, here are some ways you can help yourself to reset, refocus and recharge in preparation for 2025. 

  1. Watch Out for “Obligation Overload” and Cut the Comparison - Take stock of your commitments in every part of your life—are they essential, energising, or just empty obligations? What can go? Is it all mandatory? Hmmmmmmm, probably not. 
  2. Check Your Circle - Look at the people around you. Who gives you energy, and who drains it? Spend more time with the elevators, and put boundaries in place with the drainers where you can. And, yep, sometimes that does mean family. 
  3. Saying YES to something is a no to something else - get clear on what you are really saying NO to when you say yes. Your ACTIONS are your values, not what you SAY they are.
  4. Do one thing for yourself each day and stick to it - it doesn't need to be costly or time consuming - a coffee at your favourite cafe on the way to work, listening to a podcast on the train you like, standing in the sun for 5 minutes; make it yours and commit. 
  5. Pause and Process - Can you take some space over the break to breathe, reflect and recover - then perhaps make the decision in the new year about what the right next step is? 

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure, remember: It’s okay to take your time to figure it out. The most important thing is to take that first step toward clarity and purpose.

Here’s to making 2025 your year of alignment and impact! 💡

PS. Looking for a high energy, high impact speaker for your next conference, event, or development workshop? I’d love the opportunity to collaborate with you. Check out my speaker page, and some of the signature topics that I speak about to teams and groups all over the world. Reach out if you’re ready to create something inspiring together.