Week 36: Work Overload—A Different Story

How to Rewrite Your Autobiography and Reclaim Your Energy

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Why Burnout Feels Personal—Because It Is

Burnout from work overload often seems like it’s about what you’re doing. But more often, it’s about how you’re processing what you’re doing, and how you’ve been conditioned to respond.

It’s not just a problem of productivity—it’s a story you’ve told yourself about what is enough, who you need to be, and who you serve.

The Brain Beneath the Burden

Work overload affects the autobiographical self-network—the brain's system for integrating memory, emotion, and meaning. When you chronically push yourself beyond your limits, your brain can no longer distinguish urgency from identity. You begin to become the overwhelmed person.

This is why healing requires more than a break or a vacation. It requires a reconstruction of the self.

Why Some People Stay Overwhelmed: The “Faithful Servant” Pattern

At the core of chronic overload is often a subtle masochistic archetype—the belief that serving others beyond your limit makes you more worthy. It’s the belief that saying “no” is a betrayal, or that stopping makes you weak.

Here, guilt fuels your drive. You don’t just do more—you need to.