Behavioral activation: just do it

Burnout recovery begins with one honest moment of self-awareness and the willingness to make a single small shift that your exhausted brain can actually sustain.

Burnout at work often builds quietly until one day you realize the pace, pressure, and expectations are no longer sustainable. In this conversation, Cait Donovan speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman about burnout at work and the subtle signals people ignore before they reach their breaking point. Many people assume recovery requires a massive life overhaul. Dr. Rachel explains why small shifts can interrupt workplace burnout patterns, support resilience at work, and help restore clarity, and energy.

Dr. Rachel shares one of her own burnout stories from early in her career and reflects on how organizational mismatch can slowly drain motivation and confidence. When roles, values, and systems stop aligning, workplace stress increases and employee burnout becomes almost inevitable. Their discussion examines how burnout culture often rewards overwork and perfectionism while discouraging people from using the tools and support that could actually help them recover. Over time, these patterns shape the overall employee experience and can even contribute to deeper organizational burnout when stress goes unaddressed.

The conversation also focuses on practical burnout prevention. Instead of chasing dramatic change, Cait and Dr. Rachel highlight small behavioral tweaks that build resilience and create momentum in burnout recovery. These shifts strengthen resilience at work, challenge rigid thinking patterns, and help people respond to workplace stress before it escalates into deeper workplace burnout.

If you have experienced burnout at work or want to better understand employee burnout and burnout culture, this episode offers grounded insight and realistic strategies for building resilience and moving forward without overwhelming yourself.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Burnout Recovery Begins With One Small Shift

01:25 Dr. Rachel Goldman’s Personal Burnout Story

05:54 Recognizing Misalignment at Work and Early Burnout Signs

10:44 Small Tweaks That Drive Real Behavior Change

20:15 Growth Mindset and Resilience in Burnout Recovery

27:33 Why Using Tools and Support Is Not Cheating

40:46 Building Your Personal Stress Management Toolbox

47:55 One Small Action That Starts Burnout Recovery

Connect with Dr. Rachel Goldman:

https://www.drrachelnyc.com

https://www.instagram.com/drrachelnyc/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-goldman-phd/

https://whenlifehappensbook.com/

Cait Donovan is a keynote speaker, author, and host of FRIED: The Burnout Podcast, specializing in burnout, mismatch, and sustainable performance at work. She partners with corporate leaders, teams, and professional associations through keynotes, workshops, and leadership sessions that treat burnout as data, not failure, to help organizations reduce burnout without blame or shame and build healthier, high performing cultures.

To bring Cait to your organization or event, book an inquiry call here: https://bit.ly/bookcait

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm