15 stories of burnout from successful female CEOs, founders, and leaders, and their advice for avoiding the same fate

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Dreamers Doers is a networking community of women founders, business owners, creatives, and change-makers.

As entrepreneurs in today's fast-paced workplace, many of their members have experienced burnout throughout their careers.

From waking up with panic attacks in the middle of the night to constant brain fog to ending up in the ER, these women have learned how to recognize symptoms of burnout.

Their recommendations for overcoming burnout include taking time off, joining communities of fellow female entrepreneurs, and reevaluating your long-term career goals.

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"I woke up with panic attacks in the middle of the night."

"I wasn't passionate about who I was serving or the business model I created."

"I fell down a flight of stairs and didn't have a choice other than to take time off."

Perhaps one of the trickiest parts of burnout is that it emerges differently in every person. For some, it sneaks up in small ways over time; for others, it strikes without a moment's notice. When you're consumed by working hard toward your goals, it's not always easy to recognize that you might be headed for a breakdown.

A core value of Dreamers Doers is to openly discuss the ups and downs of work and entrepreneurship, so it felt like a natural fit to explore the important but underreported topic of burnout. In the following stories, these 15 women reflect on the moments they knew change needed to happen and their biggest piece of advice for overcoming burnout or avoiding it in the first place.1. "I fell into a year-long depression."

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Lauren Burke, CEO, The Possible LAB and Notehouse

My turning point: After 10 years of doing trauma-based immigration legal services, including founding my own nonprofit, I knew I needed a break. But when the US presidential election meant my services were needed more than ever, I felt I had to push myself even more. I gave up my life, found someone to watch my cats, and moved into a van to provide free legal services around the country in areas without access to lawyers. At the end, I moved back to my hometown for a breather, and instead fell into a year-long depression that was the worst in my life. I woke up with panic attacks in the middle of the night. I couldn't find motivation to do anything.

My advice for overcoming burnout: I had to get over my guilt. I still feel it, but I realized that I could change the type of work I was doing that was leading to the burnout without giving up the cause. I've also worked a lot on boundaries and self-care. Therapy, Yoga With Adriene free on YouTube , and lots of phone-free days help.

2. "I ended up in the emergency room three times."

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TeLisa Daughtry, founder and CTO, FlyTechnista

My turning point: From 2015 to 2017, I was doing everything and everyone thought I was killing it. In actuality, doing all of these things was just killing me! I rarely said no, I rarely slept, and I almost never listened to my body warning me against all of this until I ended up in the emergency room three times in October 2017! I knew I had to make a lot of changes because the longevity of my business depends on the health and well-being of me.

My advice for overcoming burnout: I started a female founders and leaders wellness day one Friday out of the month. In addition to doing this, I made an intentional effort and commitment to unapologetically reinvest in my wellness and self-care weekly by booking 30-minute therapy sessions, meditation, and 20-minute massages. Additionally, I block out time on my calendar for rest, creativity, procrastination, and no work or meetings.

3. "I was doing the work of two or three people."

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Margaret Ricci, founder and CEO, Cultural Strategies, LLC

My turning point: I was hired as a COO and was promised to become an owner of the firm in two years. During the two years, I felt I had to prove myself to be accepted by the rest of the leadership team. As a result, I kept trying to do the work of two to three people and working 80- to 90- hour weeks, every week for over two years while my own personhood slipped away from me. The most influential person on the leadership team reneged on partnership because they thought I was doing great harm to myself. I lost myself during that job in multiple ways and for nothing.

My advice for overcoming burnout: Know who you are. Know what you're capable of. Know your worth to your firm. When others, especially your boss, don't acknowledge that, it's time to leave. During the time it takes you to find your next position, take time to heal. Take another stab at self-discovery, and find the next piece of you that you hadn't seen yet, and then use it to help you excel where you can thrive.

See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Gary Vaynerchuk and 9 other successful leaders on how to respond when employees royally mess upThe top 10 reasons couples go to therapy, according to a psychotherapistI worked for 25 years before taking an 11-month career break, and learned 5 things that anyone can do to reap the benefits of a 'sabbatical mindset' even when taking time off isn't possibleSEE ALSO: The power of saying no: 5 ways to reclaim your time at work

READ MORE: A psychiatrist on clear signs you're headed for burnout, and 5 steps you can take to turn things around

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