I Burned Out. Here’s What I Learned.

People value the hustling mindset so much now and use productivity advice as a way to fuel that hustling habit, that addiction. But do we ever stop to look at what's on the other side of the coin? The symptoms that come with the application of all the productivity advice, the mind-numbing art of piling task on top of task?

✨Writing Handles:
Twitter: @marviecoelho
Instagram: marianavcoelho_author

↳ Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction
04:55 - Types of Signs
05:32 - Emotional Signs
06:03 - Physical Signs
06:49 - Behavioral Signs
12:08 - My Goals for 2024
12:10 - Slow Down
12:28 - Stop Caring So Much
12:58 - Get in Touch With My Creative Side
13:42 - Finish a Personal Project I’ve Been Postponing for 10 Freaking Years
14:30 - Conclusion and Key Takeaways

↳ Links and Resources

↳ Credits

✽ Editing: @MaryAmongStories
✽ Motion Graphics: Jump Cut
✽ Stock imagery and footage provided by Getty Images
✽ Music provided by Epidemic Sound

↳ Connect With Me

☰ FTC Disclaimer
This video is sponsored by Shortform

[jenniferwang]

I’ve always really liked your videos and find them aspirational, Mariana. But I do have to admit that the content sometimes can a bit overwhelming and is intimidating and not realistically achievable for me personally. Then I get really down on myself for not being able to follow what you have laid out in such seemingly simplistic terms (these ideas are presented super clearly and well, but I’m just not able to realistically implement them 😅). I personally find your content on personal struggles a lot more relatable than your super polished and organized “How to be SUPER productive” ones. But either way, you’re doing great, and thanks for sharing with us! ❤🎉

[ChangeIsHere]

You’ve shown us that progress isn’t perfection — it’s persistence. So much power in this message!

[practicalspirit]

A thoughtful commentary on burn out. Too many people are in denial about it and just "push through." Better to watch for signs and care for yourself. Thank you for your message! Best wishes on picking up your 2014 project. I look forward to more videos from you - but at YOUR pace! Happy 2024!

[shelbyfisher]

As someone with ADHD, I deal with perfectionism and decision paralysis which often leads to burnout and depression. I've always loved your approach to productivity because it's realistic and compassionate. This video in particular helps me practice grace towards myself. Thank you so much for this video, and all the work you and your team put into this channel!

[LaVidaClara]

I soooo appreciate your honesty and transparency! As a fellow (smaller) YouTuber and fellow new mom, I can relate so so so much to everything you just said. I've always loved your channel but had definitely noted the change in your content - not that it was bad or anything (it was still great!!) but I sort of missed "you" in some of them. So I hope you keep on doing what you love. I think that strategy in SM is important but people will always feel drawn to who you are, because that is mainly why we are here! Eager to keep watching your content in 2024!

[evangeliab]

Mariana, I think most goal and career-oriented new mothers, myself included, undergo what you are describing. Having a baby puts you under a singular strain, (or rather multiple ones) especially if you expect to quickly return to pre-pregnancy rhythms of work. It's amazing to me that so little advice is available to prepare new mums for this transition. The advice that you give on 'Letting go' and 'recalibrating your expectations' is excellent. I also wished that as a new mum, someone would have told me (repeatedly) that things do get easier! I think motherhood forces you to do these things because otherwise, you cannot survive. In that sense, the limitations that it places on you are also an opportunity to redefine yourself. Maybe you can think about developing a series of videos along these lines. Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best of luck :)

[hotlineoperator]

I have noticed that undone work causes stress, the need for rest from doing work is healthy. Mental thinking work is particularly exhausting. When you plan too many goals for yourself, it is impossible to achieve them because you always create new goals. I've followed people who don't seem to plan too much and achieve quite good results, besides they have other things to do in life than work.

[northraven]

In my country the world crisis of coronavirus now seems almost unrecognisable. We have a bigger crisis, that changes us way more than quarantines and social distances. Because on February 24th, 2022 one terroristic country launched missiles on peaceful cities, full of civilians, not only elderly women with children, but just guys and girls, who lived their lives minding their businesses, who went through colleges or planned first adult life steps. But now we have a war. And this one thought, that the missiles are not many miles away on the battlefield, but rather they uncontrollably and chaotically reach parks, kindergartens (as it was today), full apartment buildings, cafes, even our zoo — completely changes the way you approach life. Nothing is predictible, plans sound like jokes, cause on a random air raid siren transport stops, many buildings close and the part of a whole city pauses. If it comes in the morning — no one would possibly be on time. The whole 2 years the city works that way, organically, chaotically, and very human-like.

Even in a 'secure city' you never know if the successfully stopped rocket's parts would end on your street, blasting out your euro-style windows by a shockwave; and blasting out your mental health along with your eardrums. All this in the middle of your peaceful sleep, cause you just gave up reacting to raid sirens screaming all over the city, 1.5 hours before the unpredictable "surprise" at 03:39 am. Last time it sounded yesterday at 21:41 so you screwed your sleep schedule, waiting the "screamer" all the way up to 'clear' signal at 1:19. And this is not the first day of such a schedule.

So where do I lead my story: that concept of "letting go" or "not caring too much", "simpler approach" is in fact an adapting mechanism of our brains. It is a very healthy and self-healing thing. And I'm glad that Mariana turned this way and led her community away from toxic pseudo-self-discipline model.

After our 2 years of a New life we developed this state of mind in the whole cities. Sure, there are still people that are not even trying to adapt their behaviour, but mostly we do. And to our surprise, the toxic productivity, the hustle culture in companies, in offices, even in schools - somehow disappeared. Not completely, but significantly. We became compassionate to each other, we do not mind about small delays or human forgetfulness anymore. We became stronger and more gentle at the same time.

I just wanted someone to read my story and thought about something. I am not saying that your life is somehow easier than mine, not at all. I do not want someone to act or help. I'm fine. We are fine. I wanted to share, that is it. Would much appreciate some words of kindness, it will just make my day happier, and maybe yours too.
Stay safe people.

[karokedlavso]

For me as a mom, Amelia and Emily Nagoski's book (Burnout) was helping me a lot to lower the "self-requirement" I was setting to myself. I highly recommend. Take care!

[namandeep]

Hey Mariana, Thank you, Having been burned out (due to over working) in 2022 myself, that is a real thing and really tricky to get a big picture view of your situation, Really explained easily by you though, will make the sign list for myself for future usage.

[anastasiiadzoba]

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron helps me a lot with burnouts. Somehow it brings peacefulness in my life and reminds me that I have a life to live, not only work to do. Have you read the book? If so, it would be interesting to hear your opinion on it😊

[katharinadavis]

Super relatable. Please more content on how to work and motivate yourself during burn out. (I let it go too deeply).

[icylee]

How nice that you got the drop in your YouTube channel that allowed you to redirect your direction. I will continue to watch your channel if you try hard to just be yourself...and love yourself ...motherhood is a path to refine who we are...love

[camilaferreira]

Thank you so much for this video and for opening up, Mariana. It opened my eyes to symptoms I wasn’t paying attention to. Wishing you a lovely year! Hope you find peace in your mind to celebrate the fantastic human being you are.

[Kathleen.]

Such a relevant, honest, and from the heart video, Mariana. Wishing you a wonderful year!

[rubiniahispida]

It was a big release for me as I got to know that you get done 1/3 of the things you got done before the baby arrived. My method was to write a to do list and threw out two third of the tasks I had written.
And yes it gets better. And worse and better and worse according to the phases of fast transitions babys undergo at certain ages. To know when it might get intense was a game changer for me because I was able to rearange myself faster because it was easier to let go perfectionism.

[courtneystewart]

This is the most relatable video. Motherhood is the biggest transition and society often pressures us to get back to “regular programming” and productivity. In reality life as we’ve known it has changed. Love your goals for this year and im very excited to see your new content. You’re doing an amazing job!

[alsadigaltayep]

Hey, you are a super beautiful person, you made a huge impact in my life, Thanks ❤

[bhavikashah]

Life can get overwhelming especially with the amount of stuff you have going on! I've been experiencing burnout too and figuring out how to deal with it.

[MsInescruz]

I appreciate you making this video. I don't feel like I really burned out over this last semester, but it was getting there, and I have definitely burned out before. I'm currently pregnant for the first time and I'm doing a second degree, and I've found it more difficult to focus, and although the second trimester has been easier, I don't have as much energy. I tried to keep my demands low, just aiming to get the work I needed done, the tasks I could realistically delegate I did, and just tried to accept that this was not the time to demand really good work of myself. But it has been tough to fight the urge to feel guilty over not being able to do more and better. The pressure has piled up a few times and I end up a sobbing mess. So it makes me feel like I'm not alone (even though your situation is different) in not feeling my best and... in a way... that is still okay. I hope you can recover and regain joy in your work and life, you're doing great, even when you need to take a break... truly, I think you're doing awesome!