What to Do When You’re Stuck Between Stuck and Burnout

Last week, I introduced the idea of the Capability–Capacity Collision™ — the moment when your skill level is high, but your energy systems can’t keep up.

This week, let’s talk about what to do when you’re there.

Because a lot of brilliant, high-performing women are.

They’re leading teams, running businesses, keeping life afloat.

And quietly straddling that space between stuck and burnout.

Not because they’re not capable. But because their capacity is maxed.

What "Exhausterwhelmulated" Looks Like

I love this term (thank you @drammyshah) because it absolutely sums up some of the responses from a question I asked in my recent ADHD & Leadership Masterclass with Business Chicks.

The question was “how does your brain feel today?” 

It hit a nerve.  Because so many of us are doing everything right:

• Getting up early
• Exercising
• Meditating
• Journaling
• Eating well
• Taking our meds and supplements
• Even walking the dog

All of that, and by 11am? We’re drained.

Why? Because the background programs have already burned through most of our energy:

• Masking to appear "together"
• Over-preparing just in case
• People-pleasing to avoid conflict
• Hypervigilance in every meeting
• Second-guessing every single message

Your brain is brilliant. But it’s working overtime.

This is what makes ADHD in leadership uniquely exhausting.

We Need a Different Kind of System

If you’re here, it’s not because you’re failing. It’s because you’re operating in a system that doesn’t support how your brain works.

That’s why inside Thriving Minds Coaching, we don’t just manage time. We manage three critical levers:

• Clarity – What actually matters?
• Capacity – How do you manage energy, not just hours?
• Capability – Are you using your strengths, or just pushing harder?

Introducing the FOCUS Framework

To help my clients shift out of survival mode and into sustainable leadership, I teach a practical framework that actually works for ADHD brains.

F – Frame what matters: Clarify your values and priorities before urgency sets in.

O – Optimise your energy: Create rituals, rhythms, and recovery practices that protect your brain.

C – Choose impact over effort: Use 80/20 thinking. Go for the best first draft. KISS: Keep It Simple Sweetie.

U – Unlock your strengths: Leverage your natural talent as your first lever, not your last resort.

S – Show up — and sustain it: Build a rhythm that respects your wiring and your responsibilities.

Where Are You Sitting Right Now?

In that Masterclass, I asked attendees to plot themselves on the Capability–Capacity Matrix.

Most responses landed somewhere between stuck and burnout.

“I’m stuck but pretending I’m fine.”
“Flirting with burnout.”
“Definitely stuck... with moments of brilliance.”

Sound familiar?

You don’t need to push harder. You need a system that honours your brilliance and your brain.

Want to go deeper?

Explore Thriving Minds — my private coaching program designed for ADHD professionals ready to lead without burning out.

Or download the free guide "Thriving in 2025" for practical steps to reclaim your clarity, capacity, and calm.

Let’s build systems that help you thrive, not just survive.

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