Back After Burnout

When everyday stress keeps stacking up, even a single email can trigger anger, anxiety, or a reaction you later regret. In this guest-hosted episode, personal leadership and mental well-being coach Shefali Khokhar explains how these repeated stress responses can become chronic and contribute to burnout.

Shefali introduces a practical mental fitness framework for shifting from the reactive “survival mind” into the calmer, clearer “sage mind.” You’ll learn three skills you can practice in daily life: noticing negative thought patterns, grounding yourself through focused sensory awareness, and choosing a more constructive response. She also explains how to adapt these practices depending on whether you are approaching burnout, experiencing clinical burnout, or moving through reintegration. The goal is not perfect positivity. It is a gentler, more effective way to meet difficult moments.

• Understand what mental fitness means and how it supports performance, relationships, and well-being
• Recognize when your survival mind has taken over
• Use negative emotions as signals without letting them control your response
• Practice a short sensory grounding exercise to interrupt a stress loop
• Shift toward curiosity, compassion, clarity, and constructive action
• Adapt mental fitness practices to different stages of burnout and recovery

00:00 Karina introduces Shefali and the focus on everyday mental fitness

00:48 What mental fitness means

01:15 How one stressful email can trigger an escalating reaction

02:35 How repeated stress can become chronic and contribute to burnout

03:07 The Positive Intelligence model of mental fitness

04:02 Survival mind versus sage mind

05:04 Skill one: noticing negative thoughts and emotions

06:16 Skill two: using sensory focus for self-command

07:18 Skill three: responding from the sage mind

08:19 Why this is not toxic positivity

09:08 A practical example of pausing and choosing a calmer response

10:18 Adapting the practices for burnout and reintegration

11:43 Practicing gently instead of aiming for perfection

• Positive Intelligence mental fitness model by Shirzad Chamine

Shefali Khokhar is an ICF-accredited Professional Certified Coach and Certified Positive Intelligence Coach. She helps clients strengthen personal leadership, navigate professional and personal transitions, communicate more effectively, and find greater mental balance and well-being.

• LinkedIn
• Website

What situation tends to pull you into survival mode, and what small sensory practice could help you pause before responding?

Mental fitness is the ability to respond constructively to challenges affecting your performance, relationships, and well-being. It involves noticing reactive thoughts and emotions, grounding yourself in the present moment, and choosing a calmer, more effective response.

Start by noticing the negative emotion without judging yourself. Then focus closely on a physical sensation, such as your breathing or the sounds around you, for approximately 20 seconds. This brief pause can interrupt the stress response and help you respond with greater clarity and intention.

Mental fitness exercises may help interrupt negative thought spirals, strengthen awareness, and support calmer responses. However, the right approach depends on your stage of burnout. During clinical burnout, gentle sensory grounding may be more appropriate than demanding cognitive exercises, and practices should be discussed with a qualified healthcare or support professional.

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

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Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

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If you’ve ever thought, “Something has to change, but I can’t just burn it all down,” this episode is for you. When work has been a major factor in stress or burnout, it can feel like the only real option is to quit. Job crafting offers a calmer, more practical alternative: small, intentional adjustments that make your day-to-day work fit your energy, values, strengths, and limits.

You’ll learn what job crafting is (and isn’t), why it can be especially helpful for a sustainable return to work, and how to start with low-risk experiments instead of big overhauls. We’ll walk through real-world examples and a simple “job crafting audit” you can use to identify what drains you, what restores you, and what you can realistically reshape.

• What job crafting means (and what it does not mean)
• The 3 types of job crafting: task, relational, and cognitive
• Why agency and control matter so much in burnout prevention and recovery
• How to run a quick job crafting audit to spot drains vs. energizers
• How to design small, time-bound experiments that reduce strain
• How to talk to your manager using observations, trials, and outcomes

• 00:00 The “something has to change” moment (and why quitting isn’t the only option)
• 01:18 Job crafting, defined: reshaping your work without changing your title
• 02:43 Why job crafting helps after burnout: demands, control, meaning, recovery space
• 03:36 Story: Maya (project manager) and how small structural changes reduce overload
• 05:22 Story: Alex (customer-facing role) and pacing without lowering standards
• 06:31 Job Crafting as Prevention and Recovery
• 07:05 Where to Begin Job Crafting
• 09:50 Talking to your manager: shared goals, observations, experiments, outcomes
• 13:55 The close: reclaiming agency, thoughtfully and sustainably

What’s one small change you could test over the next two weeks that would reduce strain without compromising what matters most in your role?

You’re not alone in this. These episodes explore the same themes from a few helpful angles:

Should I stay or Should I go? Episode 7

Post Burnout Self-Care Episode 11

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

If you’ve ever felt like you had to keep it together at work no matter what, this conversation will hit home. Eric Kreitz shares what it looked like to lead at a high level while quietly burning out, why “coping” can morph into something dangerous, and why work is often the last place people let the truth in.

We also dig into what happens after time off. Returning after burnout, addiction treatment, or a mental health leave is rarely as simple as picking up where you left off. Eric breaks down the ARrIVE Reintegration Framework, a practical, supervisor-centered playbook for making reintegration safer, clearer, and more sustainable for everyone involved.

• Recognize early burnout red flags, especially when old coping strategies stop working
• Understand why “work is the last to know” and how identity and stigma keep people silent
• See reintegration as a shared process, not a script, and why expectations often misalign
• Use the ARrIVE framework to support a returning employee while balancing people and mission
• Set practical “vigilance” markers (red flags and milestones) to reduce relapse into old patterns

Eric Kreitz is a leadership and reintegration coach and the founder of Renovium Leadership. He helps supervisors and organizations support employees returning after mental health or addiction treatment and builds practical reintegration plans that balance wellbeing and operational reality.

• LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4s7sdVE

Where have you built a “work wall” in your own life, and what would a small, low-risk step toward support and clarity look like this week?

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

If you are weighing whether to talk about burnout at work, this episode helps you slow the decision down without pressure. You will hear why disclosure is rarely a simple yes or no, and how to think about your own safety, privacy, and support needs in a way that keeps you in control.

Karina breaks disclosure into two paths: the choices you make deliberately, and the moments where disclosure happens more organically because the situation creates “room to share.” Through practical factors, relatable scenarios, and research that explains why some workplaces make these conversations easier than others, you will leave with a clearer way to decide what to share, who to share it with, and what your first step could be.

1. why disclosure is a spectrum, not an all-or-nothing choice.
2. the key factors to weigh before sharing, including safety, trust, and access to support.
3. how to use a simple reframe to decide what to share and with whom, without overexposing yourself.
4. what creates “room to share” at work, and why context matters as much as courage.

00:00 The core question: do you talk about burnout at work?

01:57 Outlining Key Scenarios in Disclosing Burnout

03:01 Disclosure as a Conscious Decision

05:25 Returning to the Same Job - Emma's Story

06:36 Job Searching After Burnout - Daniel's Story

08:03 Disclosure as an Organic, Contextual Process

09:34 What creates or limits "room to share"?

1. Room to Share (Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2025)
2. Return to Work with Karina Schneider (guides)

Karina Schneider supports people navigating burnout recovery and return-to-work decisions, with a calm, practical approach that helps them protect recovery while rebuilding confidence and agency.

Karina on LinkedIn

If you imagined disclosure as a spectrum instead of a binary choice, what is one small, low-risk step you could take this week to get the support you need?

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

If you have been feeling unwell at work, stuck in a role that is draining you, or quietly wondering whether it is time to leave, this conversation is for you. Karina sits down with career coach Ben Fox to talk about the idea of a “quit date” as a calming, practical milestone. Together they unpack why leaving can feel so scary, even when you have savings or options, and how getting objective about your financial runway can help your nervous system settle enough to think clearly.

Ben also shares how experimentation, community, and rebuilding your energy can open doors you cannot see when you are deep in exhaustion and cynicism. Quitting is not always the answer, but having it on the table can create space for a healthier relationship with work, and a more meaningful next step.

1. Why setting a quit date can reduce panic and create mental space
2. How to use financial facts, not fear, to ground a big decision
3. Common identity and cultural narratives that keep people stuck
4. Why recovering energy comes before choosing the perfect next job
5. How to use low-commitment “experiments” to test potential pivots
6. The role of relationships and community in making change possible

00:00 Introduction

01:08 Ben’s path from teaching to coaching

05:26 Who Ben helps

09:22 The “quit date” idea and why many people resist it at first

10:51 “What’s My Runway?” using numbers to calm the amygdala

13:12 Beyond money: health, responsibility, and fear of being seen as a quitter

16:42 Boundaries, people-pleasing, and the moment a parent realizes the cost

21:32 Identity, ageism, and the fear of the “abyss” when you do not know what is next

27:09 Why you only need the next step, not the next ten

31:31 Experimentation as a hypothesis, and crossing options off the list with relief

36:48 Community and relationship-based job searching that feels more human

45:11 Where to begin: do not quit rashly, start with your runway

1. "What’s My Runway?" Template
2. Free 45-minute “What’s My Runway” Strategy Session

Ben Fox is a career coach based in New York City. He helps experienced people in tech, especially senior software engineers, leave toxic jobs and build careers that feel meaningful, energizing, and aligned.

LinkedIn

If you are in the thick of burnout, try this question: What would change in my body and mind if I knew I could leave on a specific date, even if I did not know every step after that yet?

Back After Burnout is produced by the SwissCast Network, the only podcast network with podcasts produced in, for, or about English-speaking Switzerland.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

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Sustainable recovery from burnout isn't just about taking time off—it's about having the right tools and resources to maintain momentum and avoid falling back into old patterns. In this solo episode, Karina shares her top 5 go-to resources that have made a real difference in her own burnout recovery journey.

These recommendations span books, frameworks, and talks that address everything from the biology of stress to the emotional weight of resentment. Whether you're currently in burnout, recovering from it, or working to prevent it, these resources offer practical wisdom, comfort, and actionable strategies.

The 5 Resources:

1. Designing Your Life series by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans - Learn how design thinking can help you make better decisions, reframe challenges, live a coherent life, and even redesign your job (or quit well if needed)
2. Resentment Journal by Cait Donovan - A powerful alternative to toxic positivity that helps you acknowledge and work with resentment as a superpower for understanding what really matters to you
3. Easily You by Elodie Caucigh - A poetic, non-linear book that offers comfort and insight through narratives, poems, and reflections on finding wellbeing
4. Nothing Left to Give by Shannon Swales - A psychologist's contemporaneous journal entries chronicling her burnout experience, offering real-time perspective and practices
5. "The Cure for Burnout (Hint: It Isn't Self-Care)" - TED Talk by Emily and Amelia Nagoski explaining the biology of stress, the stress cycle, and how to complete it

Resources mentioned in this episode:

1. Designing Your Life: Designing Your Life
2. Resentment Journal: Cait Donovan Journal
3. Easily You: Elodie Caucigh Book
4. Nothing Left to Give: Shannon Swales Book
5. The Cure for Burnout (TED Talk): Nagoski Ted Talk

Have a resource that helped you? Share it in the comments or send Karina a message—sharing is caring, and the community benefits from knowing what support exists.

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

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Returning to work after burnout can feel overwhelming. Will you fit in? Has everything changed? Are you really ready?

Mary Finn, founder of Connect4Work and certified disability management professional, joins Karina to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to return to work after extended absence. With experience supporting both employees and organizations across Ireland, Mary brings unique insight into both sides of the return to work journey.

This conversation explores the fears employees face, the mistakes managers make, and the communication gaps that keep people in limbo. Mary shares how return to work is a process, not a single day—and why sustaining your return matters more than getting back quickly.

If you've ever wondered how to ask for workplace accommodations, support someone returning from absence, or plan a sustainable transition back to work, this episode offers compassionate, practical guidance.

1. The process of returning to work requires careful planning to avoid disastrous outcomes on the first day back.
2. Employee experiences during absence are unique, and understanding both sides is essential for effective support.
3. Sustaining the return to work is more critical than merely facilitating the initial comeback.
4. Communication between managers and returning employees is vital to ensure a smooth reintegration process.
5. Employers should proactively engage with employees on leave to mitigate feelings of isolation and anxiety.
6. The return to work plan should be flexible and adaptable, accommodating the unique needs of each individual.

1. Connect 4 Work
2. International Disability Management Standards Council
3. Galway Chamber Business Award

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

In this episode of Back After Burnout, host Karina Schneider explores post-burnout self-care strategies that go beyond routine wellness activities, focusing on preventive and responsive approaches for sustainable workplace integration.

Learn how to identify early warning signs, create actionable response plans, and build self-care systems that support your recovery journey as you navigate returning to work after burnout.

Key Takeaways:

1. Self-care after burnout requires two pillars: preventive strategies (building routines to prevent stress) and responsive strategies (quick actions when warning signs appear)
2. Recovery is not linear—expect ups and downs during your first months back at work
3. Integration means applying what you learned in recovery to your daily work life
4. Identify your energy drains and energy sources to guide your self-care decisions
5. Create a personal "troubleshooting manual" with your early warning signs and first-response actions
6. Plan ahead for potentially draining situations (like conferences) with specific preventive strategies
7. Building a care team provides essential support throughout your return-to-work journey

More on Care Teams in episode 10, https://www.swisscastnetwork.ch/show/back-after-burnout/10-who-is-in-your-care-team/

00:00 Introduction: Post-Burnout Self-Care Beyond Routine

00:15 Struggles with Self-Care Habits

01:24 Preventive and Responsive Self-Care Strategies

05:41 Building Your Personal Post Burnout Self-Care Plan

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

In this episode of Back after Burnout, host Karina Schneider discusses the importance of having a support system during your return to work after experiencing burnout. She explores the concept of a "care team" - the people who can provide specific support as you transition back to your professional life.

Key takeaways:

1. How to identify your personal care team members
2. The importance of communicating your specific needs to your support network
3. Practical examples of support requests for different relationships
4. Overcoming hesitation in asking for help

This episode provides actionable steps to ensure you have the right support structure in place as you navigate the challenges of returning to work post-burnout.

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of a Care Team

00:55 Defining and Communicating Your Needs

02:42 Practical Steps to Engage Your Care Team

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network

Why does change feel so threatening—even when we know it's good for us?

In this episode, transformation leader Oksana Prokhorova reveals the neuroscience behind our stress responses and shares practical tools to build change capacity without burning out. She explains how our amygdala treats workplace deadlines like predatory tigers, why that 10-minute walk between meetings is a non-negotiable, and the surprising truth about when to drink your morning coffee.

If you're navigating a return to work after burnout or simply trying to stay resilient through constant change, Oksana offers evidence-based strategies that actually work—from micro-dosing change to protecting your brain's "Ferrari-level" performance with proper maintenance.

Oksana Prokhorova is a transformation leader specializing in human-centered, neuroscience-informed change management in highly regulated industries. Connect with her on LinkedIn for more practical neuroscience insights.

01:28 Introduction & Welcome

02:26 Oksana's Background

03:32 Why Change Management Matters for Mental Health

05:33 The Neuroscience of Change

09:49 Change Capacity Patterns

15:09 The Stress Cycle

18:35 Returning After Burnout

23:28 Manager Responsibilities

26:00 Recognizing Burnout Signs

30:14 Personal Responsibility Discussion

34:48 Resources & Closing

Back After Burnout is for education and inspiration only and does not constitute medical, mental-health, legal, or employment advice. Every burnout journey is unique—always consult qualified healthcare and workplace professionals before acting on anything you hear. Resources shared are tools Karina has personally found helpful; they may not suit every listener. Use what serves you and leave the rest.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Back After Burnout is a proud member and a production of the SwissCast Network

Discover more great podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland

SwissCast Network