A case for working 
less hard

The source of your burnout might be your imposter syndrome. 
Yeah, I said it, and bear with me.

Imposter syndrome shows up in all sorts of ways, but it really wrecks us when starting a new role. Whether you've been unemployed and finally landed something, leveling up into your dream job, or settling down after freelancing - we show up wide-eyed, anxious, excited, and giving it 100%.

Then a year later? Completely burnt out.

You're so eager to prove yourself, so focused on keeping that job, that you forget something crucial - all the work you did to GET here. 

You end up burning double the energy just to prove what you've already proven.

So here's my suggestion, and this is going to be controversial as hell: 

Don't give 100% when starting a new job.
Start at 75%. 
Nothing runs at 100% forever without breaking down. 

Don't spin your wheels. 
Don't say yes to everything. 
Don't overstretch yourself.

Win the marathon, not the sprint. 
That 75% you're giving? 
Probably more than enough. 

Plus, it saves you the time and mental energy to take care of yourself for the long haul.