Michelle Phan (@michellephan)
Luz Media
We’re often told that working hard should be a priority, a sentiment deeply ingrained in many Latino households. For immigrants and children of immigrants, hard work often represents the path to breaking generational cycles of economic instability. However, Daisy Auger-Domínguez’s book “Burnt Out to Lit Up: How to Reignite the Joy of Leading People” reminds us that the relentless pursuit of success can come at a steep cost: our health, identity, and sense of fulfillment.
Dominican-Puerto Rican Auger-Domínguez is a seasoned executive and workplace strategist known for leading transformative change in organizations across industries. With a career spanning roles at global giants like Google, Disney, Time Warner, and VICE Media, she has established herself as a thought leader in inclusion, leadership, and workforce well-being.
In her book, “Burnt Out to Lit Up,” she addresses the critical challenge of burnout. Written for managers and leaders (and those aspiring to leadership positions) navigating the complexities of modern workplaces, it provides a roadmap to overcome complacency, set boundaries, improve communication, and foster trust-filled environments. The intention behind the book is clear: to promote sustainable practices and self-care, and empower leaders to create positive, productive workplaces where both individuals and organizations can thrive.
No matter the circumstances, if you don’t prioritize yourself, any success achieved will likely feel hollow. The following signs might indicate burnout and signal that it’s time to reassess your goals and embrace self-care:
Your Body is Telling You
Photo by Liza Summer
Mental exhaustion often manifests physically. Stress-related illnesses—headaches, insomnia, and chronic fatigue—are all red flags. They’re your body’s way of telling you that your stress levels are off the charts. As Auger-Domínguez explains in the first chapter of her book:
“Sustained stress, or chronic stress, is when your mind and body are in a never-ending tug-of-war, stretched to their limits. According to the American Psychological Association, it’s the kind of tension that just won’t quit, thanks to ongoing stressors like work dramas, financial troubles, relationship rollercoasters, health upheavals, or even environmental shenanigans. And guess what? Chronic stress isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s the sneakily harmful troublemaker that messes with your mental and physical well-being.”
Chronic stress depletes not only your physical energy but also your emotional reserves. When left unchecked, it can lead to a variety of physical and mental health issues. Listening to your body and making rest a priority isn’t just advisable, it’s essential to your well-being.
You've Lost Passion for your Work
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Not everyone has the privilege of doing work they’re passionate about, but for those who do, burnout can be easier to detect. If something you once loved feels like an unbearable chore, it’s time to reconsider your path. Auger-Domínguez emphasizes that leaders, in particular, must reconnect with their purpose to reignite their passion. She also advocates for a reframing of inner narratives, which is about questioning preconceptions and replacing disempowering thoughts with empowering ones. Auger-Domínguez explains this in an interview with Thrive Global:
“One transformative practice is about reframing our inner narratives. So often, our reactions and decisions are guided by scripts written in our earlier life chapters—scripts that no longer serve us. By stepping back and questioning these preconceptions; we can begin to dismantle the barriers they create. It’s about transforming our internal dialogue, recognizing our past’s influence, and consciously choosing a narrative that empowers and enriches our interactions, particularly in leadership.”
The practice of reframing inner narratives is a central part of her approach, which is why she shares a script at the end of every chapter in her book to help readers integrate the lessons in a way that serves them.
Your Work-Life Balance is Becoming Non-Existent
Photo by Marcus Aurelius
A job shouldn't be your whole life; it should only be a part of it. If you find yourself completely consumed by your work, to the point where your personal life is affected, there's something wrong. Burnout is unavoidable without a work-life balance and is essential to a healthy work environment.
Auger-Domínguez is intimately familiar with this. In Chapter 1 of her book, she discusses her own experience with burnout and explains that her inability to establish healthy boundaries due to a history of prioritizing the needs of others was a big factor. Understanding this, you should prioritize having free time that’s genuinely free to spend however you like. Whether that’s spending time with friends and family to recharge or dedicating time to your hobbies.
You Feel Undervalued or Unfulfilled
Photo by Max Ovcharenko on UnsplashIf you often ask yourself, what am I even doing this for? And if you can't find an answer, it's probably time to reconsider your goals. Working hard will get you nowhere if you've lost sense of what your end goal is, and the thing is, it is normal for our end goals to change constantly. Just because you desperately wanted something before doesn't mean you can't change your mind.
Once that mindset shift happens, we often try to convince ourselves to just power through it and keep going, but we could also use those feelings to ask ourselves, is this really what I want to be doing? Furthermore, you might feel like it isn't you that's the problem, but how those around you perceive your work, being upset because you feel undervalued, is perfectly reasonable and also calls for a goal realignment.
You're Not Yourself Anymore
Photo by Felipe Cespedes
And living your best life is what you deserve. If the path to your goals has become a burden instead of a hard road, losing track of who you are and what you want to achieve is easy. But at the end of the day, your life is yours only, and if you don't make yourself a priority, who will?
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight, and reversing it takes time and intentionality. While Auger-Domínguez writes about leadership, this book is aimed not only at people in positions of leadership but also at those who aspire to those positions. In an interview with The Epic Mentor Newsletter, she shared:
“I often get asked, your books are about leadership, but what about those who aren't leading yet? I feel like this book is a blueprint for those who aspire to lead someday. For this younger generation, and I speak about it in the book, burnout doesn't just start at work. For most of us, it starts in our childhood.”
By taking care of yourself, you’re not just improving your life, you’re paving the way for others to do the same. At the end of the day, hard work is essential, but it will never outweigh the importance of your mental health, stability, and personal life. For more resources on self-care and overcoming burnout, visit our mental health and resources guide. Remember, you’re never alone, and it’s okay to prioritize yourself.
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