Beating Burnout: Author Lynn Blades On The 5 Things You Should Do If You Are Experiencing Work Burnout
…Boundaries. You’ve got to look at where your boundaries are being crossed. Start saying no with intention. How often do we say yes when we really mean no? We don’t want to disappoint anyone, but that yes costs us. Saying no is an act of self-respect. It means you know your limits and you’re willing to protect your peace…
I had the pleasure of talking with Lynn Blades. Lynn is a top executive leadership coach, author, and former television presenter whose career spans several decades and sectors, from broadcast journalism and acting to executive coaching at the highest levels of global industry. Her professional path reflects a consistent focus on communication, personal development, and the empowerment of others — particularly women in leadership roles.
Raised in Washington, D.C., in what she describes as a home driven by discipline, cultural openness, and ambition, Blades grew up with a deep emphasis on education, the arts, and global citizenship. Her parents, both high achievers in their own right — her mother, a recipient of the CIA’s Intelligence Medal of Honor, and her father, the namesake of a multimillion-dollar educational fund — instilled in her a strong sense of purpose and resilience. As a child, she excelled academically and athletically, becoming an All-American swimmer during a time when stereotypes about race and physical ability made such an achievement unlikely.
Blades’ first professional chapter unfolded in front of the camera. After graduating from Dartmouth College, she began a 15-year career as a television journalist and presenter. She worked across hard news and entertainment, notably serving as the first host for E! Entertainment Television. Additional roles with CNN, Showtime, and GMTV cemented her expertise in public speaking, media performance, and navigating high-pressure environments. Her time in the entertainment world also included a foray into acting, with small roles in feature films such as The Net (1995), A Mighty Heart (2007), and Everybody’s Fine (2009), where she often portrayed media figures — an echo of her real-life experience in journalism.
After relocating to the United Kingdom with her husband, British film producer Damian Jones, Blades reassessed her professional direction following the birth of their daughter. Encouraged by her husband to pursue coaching — a skill she had already been informally applying through mentoring and professional development — Blades underwent formal training and ultimately transitioned into executive coaching. Her early opportunities included working with private clients on London’s Harley Street, and her practice soon expanded to corporate leadership teams.
Blades later founded Legacy Leadership, a coaching and consultancy firm that supports senior executives and rising leaders, with a focus on inclusion, resilience, and sustainable performance. A certified coach with Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching and the Global Coach Group, she has worked with a diverse portfolio of clients, including global corporations such as Nike, KPMG, EY, Barclays, and PayPal, as well as media organizations like the BBC, Universal Music Group, and Disney.
Her coaching style is described as pragmatic and non-judgmental, grounded in the belief that time is a critical resource for leadership growth. Whether helping a C-suite executive define strategic priorities or guiding emerging professionals through their first leadership roles, Blades applies a methodology rooted in clarity, accountability, and well-being. She has also served as a leadership coach with The Pipeline, a gender parity consultancy where she led programming for organizations such as Jaguar, Deloitte, the Ministry of Defence, and the UK Cabinet Office.
Blades’ most recent work as an author further extends her advocacy for professional and personal sustainability. Her debut book, The Quiet Burn: The Ambitious Woman’s Guide to Recognizing and Preventing Burnout, is due for release in May 2025. Drawing on both her personal experiences and the challenges faced by her clients, the book argues that burnout — especially among women — is not merely a personal health issue, but a structural and cultural crisis. The work explores how overwork, societal expectations, and emotional labor disproportionately affect women and offers strategies for recalibration and resilience.
In interviews and public speaking engagements, Blades has spoken candidly about the toll of burnout and the importance of self-care not as a luxury but as a form of self-preservation. She advocates for what she calls “sustained vitality” — a condition in which professionals are aligned with their purpose, maintain healthy boundaries, and experience engagement rather than depletion. Her proposed movement, the “#ThreeDayPause” imagines a global initiative where working women step away from their roles for three days to highlight the invisible labor they perform across industries and households.
Throughout her career, Blades has remained committed to inclusion and representation. Her leadership work often centers on supporting women, especially women of color, in navigating systems that may not reflect their contributions or potential. She has contributed to the Forbes Coaches Council, where her articles addressed topics ranging from workplace productivity to dismantling the “Superwoman” myth in corporate culture.
Now based in London, Blades continues to work with clients internationally and is active on professional networks such as LinkedIn. Her website, lynnblades.com, offers further insight into her services, philosophy, and current initiatives.
Whether on screen or in the boardroom, Lynn Blades has consistently channeled her voice and presence toward fostering growth — not just in herself, but in those she works with. Her career reflects an ongoing effort to challenge conventional limits, advocate for well-being, and help others define success on their own terms.
Yitzi: Lynn, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Lynn: Thank you. Nice to meet you too. I grew up in Washington, D.C., to parents who were really ambitious and determined that their children would succeed, no matter what societal barriers were in the way. They raised us with discipline, a strong emphasis on education, and a desire to learn and stay open to the culture around us. We were raised to be global citizens, and I think that’s such a gift.
We were raised with a lot of love, but also with ambition and a drive to win. We each had to learn an instrument, speak another language, and appreciate art. We were all athletic too. I was an All-American swimmer at a time when people thought Black folks weren’t built to swim — because of our butts and thighs, they said we’d just sink. So yeah, we were breaking barriers from the beginning.
We had amazing role models. My mother and father are incredible people. They’re 87 and 89 now, and I still look up to them. My mom started in the secretarial pool at the CIA and left with the Intelligence Medal of Honor. My dad’s first job was laying bricks, and now there’s a multi-million-pound educational fund named after him at one of the most prominent boys’ schools in America. They’re both high achievers who wanted the absolute best for their children and made real sacrifices for us.
I feel loved. I feel privileged. And I honor them in every way. They gave us everything. I went to private all-girls school, then an Ivy League university. They sacrificed a lot to make sure we had the best.
Yitzi: Could you tell us the next chapter of the story? What inspired you to take the career path that you did?
Lynn: Well, it’s funny because it wasn’t obvious at first. I had a successful 15-year career as a television journalist. I worked for the networks, did both hard news and entertainment news. I met my husband in Hollywood when I was working for E. And this is really going to age me — I was the first host for E! Entertainment Television, like 5,000 years ago.
He’s a British film producer, and we met, fell in love, and got married six months later. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever done. When it was time to move to the UK, I was ready for the adventure. After a decade of him living there, we made the move, and I shot two television series that never aired in the U.S. I took that as a sign that it was time to try something different.
I’d had a lot of success in television, but I had a three-year-old daughter, and I decided to step back, rethink things, and pivot. My husband suggested I train to be a coach. At first, I was like, “A coach?” And he said, “Yeah, you’ve been coaching, mentoring, and sponsoring people your whole life. Why not get paid for it?”
I thought about it and realized it made sense. I decided to retrain, first as a general coach, and then I quickly realized I wanted to specialize. I eventually became an executive coach.
I had a lot of good fortune early on. After two years of training, my GP was opening a complementary practice on Harley Street and offered me my first business client. That went really well. He ended up bringing me in to coach his senior leadership team, and I worked with all his executives.
It was an amazing experience, and I loved it. I knew I was onto something — that I’d probably found my purpose.
Yitzi: Amazing. So, I hear that you’ve written a book and you’re publishing it soon. We’d love to hear more about it, and why we have to read it.
Lynn: If you know anything about burning out — and I’m sure you probably do, because almost all of us do — I think we’re in a moment where burnout feels like an epidemic. We’re all standing on shifting sand, and nothing feels certain anymore. There’s this real lack of security and a sense that life is just a bit ominous.
For women in particular — and I wrote this book because of my own experiences with burnout, and from working with my clients — it feels like we’re losing a lot of incredible female talent. We’re not being seen. We’re invisible. We’re not treated as equals. There’s no parity. And we shoulder the bulk of responsibilities in this world. It shows up in so many ways.
I wrote this book because I want women to start thinking differently. We’re conditioned not to prioritize ourselves. We’re trained to put everyone else’s needs before our own. And that’s a huge problem, because if you’re always doing that, eventually you’ll go into circuit overload. That’s a dangerous place to be.
It’s insidious. We ignore the signs. Sometimes they’re emotional, sometimes physical, sometimes mental. But we ignore them. We tell ourselves, “When this project is done,” or “When my child goes back to school,” then we’ll rest. But we keep putting it off, and we never stop to reflect or recalibrate — until it’s too late.
And when it’s too late, people think they can take a couple days off or go on holiday and everything will be fine. But burnout doesn’t work like that. After a few anxiety attacks, you realize you might need six months — or even a year — to put yourself back together. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen women burn themselves down to ash and think they can recover in two weeks. Then they suffer from PTSD.
They go back into a big role — C-suite level — and within six months, they have to step away again because they’re experiencing post-traumatic stress. It’s intense.
Yes, the book has practical advice, but it’s more than that. It says, “Hold up — why is this happening?” We need to rewire how we think. We need to prioritize our needs, because when we do, everyone else benefits. So, I’m all about “me first.”
Yitzi: Beautiful. How would you describe the scenario that’s the opposite of burnout?
Lynn: Hmm. Well, first, it’s important to understand there are really two kinds of burnout. There’s occupational burnout, which happens when you’ve got chronic workplace stress and you’re not managing the load. It’s not just about being tired after a long week — it’s a prolonged emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by constant work pressure.
It shows up as deep exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, and a drop in productivity. It’s not just feeling done — it’s your body and mind waving a white flag, saying, “You’ve pushed past your limit.” But instead of stopping, we keep going, with no recovery time.
Then there’s personal burnout, which takes it further. That’s when the stress isn’t just at work — it’s everywhere. It shows up in relationships, caregiving, personal expectations. It’s the feeling of always being “on” in a hyperconnected world. You feel emotionally flat, constantly overwhelmed, like it’s all just too much.
And people wear that like a badge of honor. They say, “I’m Superwoman,” without realizing Superwoman is a cartoon. She doesn’t exist. I always say — drop the cape.
The earlier we recognize the signs, the better chance we have of resetting, recharging, and getting our energy back.
So if we’re talking about the opposite of burnout, I’d call it sustained vitality. It’s having energy, focus, and drive. It’s not just surviving — it’s being aligned with what you’re doing, waking up with clarity, not dread. It’s being able to pursue your goals without sacrificing your well-being.
That’s a beautiful feeling. But how often do we wake up and actually feel like that? When was the last time you did? Most of us live with this quiet, constant burn — just this low-level tiredness underneath everything.
And the world around us feeds it. The messages we get, the pressure, the expectations.
Burnout feels like depletion, disconnection, disillusionment. The opposite is engagement, alignment, and resilience. It’s when your work and life energize you because you’re in your zone — your genius zone. You’re healthy, your boundaries are solid, and your environment is supportive.
That’s when you’re really in tune with yourself.
Yitzi: So, let’s talk a little more practical. Based on the ideas in your book, can you share five things someone can do to reverse burnout?
Lynn: Hmm.
- I think the first thing you have to understand is how burnout corrodes you over time. You have to actually reset and rewire your brain, because chronic stress physically changes your brain structure. So the very first step is to stop and acknowledge where you are. Say it out loud: “I’m tired. I’m depleted. I’m not okay.” That’s powerful. Just honoring how you feel is the starting point.
- Then, you have to go beyond just taking time off. A lot of us ask for time out — we get signed off, maybe take two weeks off to recover — but then we come right back to the same environment, the same workload, the same pressures. And if nothing changes, of course you’re going to burn out all over again. So you have to speak up and say, “I need things to be different when I return.” That’s step two. Advocate for change.
- Third, remember you’re a human being. You are not a machine, and you are not Superwoman. If you keep pushing without stopping, you’re going to disconnect from your own body. And that’s dangerous. Recognize your limits and respect them.
- Number four: boundaries. You’ve got to look at where your boundaries are being crossed. Start saying no with intention. How often do we say yes when we really mean no? We don’t want to disappoint anyone, but that yes costs us. Saying no is an act of self-respect. It means you know your limits and you’re willing to protect your peace.
- And number five: carve out time for yourself every day. Even if it’s just one hour. People say, “I don’t have time.” That’s not true. You can find an hour in your day. Wake up earlier. Take a break in the middle of your day. Break it into two half-hours if you have to. But you can do it. I’m incredibly busy, but I always find that hour because I know I need that head space.
And let’s add a bonus one: treat yourself like you love yourself. Self-care is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. Whether that’s something simple like going for a walk, sleeping in, reading a book, going to the gym — whatever it is, make time for it. Value it. And finally, drop the energy drainers. You know who I’m talking about — those energy vampires who suck the life out of you. Cut that off. You don’t have to make a big announcement. Just stop engaging. Let them go. So really, it’s about getting real with yourself. You’re not Superwoman. Practice self-care. Ask for what you need. Set your boundaries. Say no. Declutter your diary. Make space for yourself. Because if you don’t get real, burnout will destroy you.
Yitzi: You’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Lynn: I love this question. Okay, let me tell you what I would do. I would love for every working woman to stop working for three days. Just imagine — what if women around the world stopped for three days? No meetings, no caregiving, no managing teams or emotions, none of it. No running the company, no running the household, no holding everything together. Just stopped.
Iceland did this in 1975. Ninety percent of the women walked off the job and out of their homes for one day. Schools shut down. Businesses stalled. Everything came to a halt. They just said, “Screw this.”
The reality is — we are the backbone of the global economy. We are the invisible infrastructure of society. Women do 75% of the world’s unpaid care work. We handle the home, pay the bills, manage logistics, carry the emotional labor. In corporate life, we’re overrepresented in burnout, underrepresented in leadership.
We generate trillions in GDP and get a fraction of the power or credit. So what if we just gave the world a little taste of what it’s like without women doing all the heavy lifting? Not out of anger — but out of clarity and truth.
Because when women pause, the world notices.
So: #ThreeDayPause.
I wish we could do it. And I mean, it’s not like it hasn’t been done before. I just wish we could do it again because it would reverberate around the world. It would be so impactful.
Yitzi: So Lynn, how can our readers purchase your book? How can they get in touch with you to engage your services? And how can they support you in any possible way?
Lynn: Oh, I like to think that support always comes back. Love comes back. I give a lot of love.
You can buy my book — it’s available for pre-order on Amazon and at Waterstones, and it’ll be in bookstores across different countries.
Also, connect with me on LinkedIn. I’m Lynn Blades on LinkedIn. And my website is www.lynnblades.com. That shows all my services, what I’m working on, how I think — you’ll learn a lot about me just by visiting the site.
Yitzi: Lynn, it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for this profound wisdom. I hope we can do this again next year.
Lynn: Thank you. Pleasure to meet you too. Thanks for taking the time.
Credit — Lynn Blades, Founder of Legacy Leadership and author of The Quiet Burn: The Ambitious Woman’s Guide to Recognizing and Preventing Burnout, releasing on May 13th 2025.
Beating Burnout: Author Lynn Blades On The 5 Things You Should Do If You Are Experiencing Work… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.