When Stress Becomes Burnout (and How to Tell the Difference)

In this episode, Amy and Margaret explore the crucial distinction between stress and burnout—two experiences that often blur together in the chaos of parenting, but which are very different in presentation and the attention they require.

Stress might be unavoidable, but it can also be motivational and lead to further growth. But when stress becomes constant and unresolved, it turns into burnout: exhaustion, disconnection, cynicism, and the feeling that nothing you do matters.

Together, they discuss what burnout looks like physically and emotionally, how to recognize when you’ve crossed that line, and the small, practical things you can do to restore yourself.

Whether you’re running on fumes, feeling detached, or just tired of hearing “self-care” as a solution, this episode offers perspective, empathy, and evidence-based tools to help you reset.

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

• ⁠BURNOUT⁠ by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
• https://burnoutglobal.com/the-author

• Suntsova Y.S.: ⁠“Irrational attitudes in thinking and maternal emotional burnout.”⁠ Education & Pedagogy Journal (2023).

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