How to Overcome Burnout by Aligning with What Matters Most with Michelle Niemeyer

Burnout is more than just feeling tired. It is a signal that something deeper needs to change. In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, Crestcom’s Jenn DeWall sits down with keynote speaker, coach, and former attorney Michelle Niemeyer to explore how leaders can prevent workplace burnout by reconnecting with purpose and prioritizing what lights them up.

Michelle spent over three decades in a legal career before hitting a wall. After healing from chronic stress and an autoimmune diagnosis, she now helps professionals and organizations boost resilience and thrive without sacrificing well-being through her framework, The Art of Bending Time.

Why Leaders Need to Model Burnout Prevention

One of the most impactful ways to prevent burnout in the workplace is for leaders to model the behavior they want to see. If managers regularly push through exhaustion, skip breaks, or avoid delegation, their teams are likely to follow suit. Michelle emphasizes that self-awareness and healthy boundaries are not just personal habits; they are leadership skills. When leaders actively prioritize well-being, they create a more resilient and productive work culture. This not only helps reduce burnout in high achievers but also improves team engagement, decision-making, and retention. Here are some key takeaways from this episode: 

Key Takeaway #1: Burnout Isn’t Just a Work Problem

Michelle challenges the narrow view that burnout is purely a workplace issue.

“We live whole lives. We’re not a lobotomized person… Everybody has stresses at work, and everybody has stresses at home.”

She refers to the World Health Organization’s definition of burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” But she adds:

“First of all, I’m gonna tell you not to blame yourselves. Because that definition kind of sounds like it’s your fault and it’s not.”

Instead, Michelle urges leaders to look beyond their job title to understand their deeper emotional and mental needs and recognize the signs of burnout.

Key Takeaway #2: Clarity is Key to Recovery

Michelle’s method for overcoming burnout starts with identifying what truly lights you up. She uses a guided visualization exercise with her clients to uncover moments of joy from childhood and adulthood. These insights are then used to reimagine how work and life can align more closely.

“If you know what lights you up… you can choose to bring those feelings into your day, even if it’s just a few times a day.”

According to Michelle, clarity about personal values and goals is what ultimately creates the conditions for resilience.

Key Takeaway #3: Perfectionism and Pressure Make Burnout Worse

Burnout in high achievers is a common phenomenon. In the episode, Jenn and Michelle discuss the unrealistic expectations that many leaders place on themselves.

“You can do anything, but you cannot do everything,” Jenn says. “Your priorities are going to shift on any given day.”

Michelle adds that burnout is often fueled by chasing goals that don’t actually matter anymore.

“Sometimes just taking that weight off yourself—because people just pile on other people’s expectations and goals that maybe don’t fit them anymore… it makes your life very different.”

She describes how many clients carry long-held expectations that no longer reflect who they are or what they want.

Key Takeaway #4: Micro Moments Can Shift Everything

The idea of work-life balance often feels out of reach, but Michelle believes small moments of connection and joy are powerful tools in burnout prevention.

“You’re not getting it at work. You can make the point of getting it outside of work. You can get it at lunch. You can get it when you stop at the store.”

Jenn agrees:

“It could be like going over and striking up a conversation with my neighbor or maybe just like having a joke or laugh with someone at the grocery store.”

When you are experiencing burnout, finding joy in small, meaningful ways helps shift your relationship with stress. Michelle explains:

“A lot of the impact stress has on us is not really about the stress. It’s about how we perceive the stress.”

Leadership Development That Aligns with Purpose

Burnout prevention requires more than wellness tips or time management hacks. It involves developing leadership skills that foster clarity, connection, and a sense of purpose. That’s why Crestcom’s leadership training programs help leaders explore mindset, motivation, and meaningful goals, while learning how to manage stress and lead more effectively. By aligning leadership development with personal values and team needs, organizations can create a culture where everyone has the tools to thrive. Michelle’s work reminds us that thriving leaders build thriving teams.

Connect with Michelle Niemeyer

Want to explore Michelle’s tools for building clarity and resilience? She offers multiple ways to stay connected:

• Text CLARITY to 33777 (or follow this link) to access her free clarity exercise and join her community
• Visit her website: michelleniemeyer.com
• Connect on LinkedIn

Her resources include guided assessments, mastermind sessions, and coaching programs that help high achievers prevent burnout and rediscover purpose.

The Connection Between Leadership and Burnout

At Crestcom, we believe that preventing burnout starts with better leadership. Our complimentary leadership skills workshop is designed to help leaders build trust, improve communication, and work smarter, not harder.

Ready to align your leadership with what matters most? Request your free workshop today

Listen to the Full Episode

To hear the whole conversation between Jenn DeWall and Michelle Niemeyer—including a powerful guided clarity exercise—tune in to The Leadership Habit Podcast: How to Overcome Burnout by Aligning with What Matters Most with Michelle Niemeyer.

And if you found this episode helpful, be sure to share it with a friend or colleague who might be struggling with burnout.

 

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