The Symptoms Of Burnout And How To Manage It - By Coach Kait

Caitlyn Davey • April 2, 2025

Juggling work during COVID as a paramedic, while also working as a coach and maintaining her training, @CoachKait_Rebuild acknowledges that even she isn’t immune to the effects of burnout.


From Kait:

"Mental fatigue and burnout are things I could argue most of us have experienced over the last two years.
It’s a multifaceted issue that requires constant monitoring and persistent effort to resolve."

Understanding Burnout

Burnout, simply put, is the response to repetitive psychological and physical stress that leads to emotional and mental fatigue. It doesn’t matter how mentally “strong” you are—everyone has limits.


When those limits are reached, it can have
detrimental effects on your mind, body, and soul. These are deeply interconnected.


Signs and Symptoms of Mental Fatigue

Mental fatigue can present in many ways, including:

  • Chronic stress
  • Caffeine dependency
  • Repetitive adrenaline dumping
  • Dysregulated nervous system
  • Lack of support
  • Poor work-life balance
  • Compassion fatigue
  • Inadequate hydration, sleep, nutrient-dense food, or exercise
  • Rejection of self-care
  • Lack of personal boundaries


(This is not an exhaustive list.)

If left unaddressed, these issues can escalate into serious physical and mental health concerns requiring medical attention.


Kait’s Personal Experience

"I’m not immune from life’s stressors.
This year has been one of the worst for me in terms of managing my fatigue."

As a paramedic working through the pandemic, Kait experienced several of the challenges listed above, which brought her dangerously close to burnout.


She noticed:

  • Irrational and exaggerated reactions to small issues
  • Compassion fatigue
  • Remaining hyper-vigilant even outside of work
  • Saying yes to too many commitments
  • Feeling anxious about situations that normally wouldn’t faze her

View this post on Instagram: Rebuild Health and Fitness

The Importance of Prioritizing Health

"I have learned that prioritising my health is the only way to solve these problems—and I've made it a non-negotiable."

Kait’s key takeaway is a crucial reminder: We’re all only human, doing the best we can.
Taking care of yourself is not selfish—
it’s necessary.


Final Thought

If you find yourself feeling mentally drained, burnt out, or overwhelmed, know that you're not alone.


Recognizing the signs, setting boundaries, and prioritizing self-care are essential steps toward recovery—and toward becoming a healthier, more resilient version of yourself.

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July 22, 2025
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July 22, 2025
A lot of people have completed a marathon but how many people have collapsed at 40km?

Sometimes you do everything right, and shit still doesn’t go to plan.
 Last weekend I ran in the Gold Coast Marathon, my first ever marathon. I trained properly, my body felt relatively good (all things considered when preparing to run 42.2km), I carb-loaded, and my race day nutrition was dialled in.
 I was ready.
 We set off. Jess and the kids met me at different points on the course with signs, the atmosphere was great. I loved seeing the kids with their signs. Pacing felt on point. The first 21km? Easy. I felt great. Maybe I should’ve drunk more water, but I didn’t think too much of it at the time.
 At 25km, I felt slower, but pace wise I was still holding well. I’d kept telling myself throughout the day "The race starts at 30km." And let me tell you, it does.
 By 30km, the sun was out, and I was starting to struggle. My watch started glitching so I had no real idea of my splits. I thought I was slowing down a lot (turns out I wasn’t), but the effort to keep the same pace suddenly felt 10x harder.
 I hadn’t taken on enough water. Usually, I can get away with lower fluids. Not this time. Dehydration crept in. hard.
 At 35km I was in survival mode, one foot in front of the other, flicking between moments of pain and little short lived waves of “let’s go.” But by 39km I was delirious. I could see the finish line, I hit the 40km mark (where I thought enjoyment might return to finish), and I collapsed.
 I was gone. Scary stuff.
 The last few hundred metres were a complete blur. All I remember is the crowd, the medics, and about five paramedics suddenly around me. I was vomiting, shaking, confused, in and out of it. I had this overwhelming, indescribable feeling, and honestly, for a moment, I thought I could die.
 My memory went. I couldn’t recall the day, the year, where I lived, or how to spell. I only knew who Jess and the kids were, and that I didn’t want them to see me with wires in me. 
 My temperature had hit 40°C. Blood pressure crashed. Thankfully, the medics and paramedics were incredible, I had a drip running into me within 10 to 15 minutes.
 As I already knew, I’m stubborn. I wanted to run it all. Not walk. Not stop and breathe and In hindsight, I should have. 
 Seems like my mind was just a bit stronger than my body on the day. I never thought I could push myself there in all honesty. 

Am I gutted? Of course, I was only 2km away but I gave it everything I had on that day. Heat stroke, exhaustion, and dehydration got me. 

I am always reminded here of the quote ‘The man in the arena’ look it up if you need. 
 Will I run 42.2km again? Yes, I feel I need to. 

Would I do things differently, now I’ve run 40km under race conditions? You bet, lessons learnt. Always lessons. Never be scared to not succeed. Be scared to never try in the first place. 
 We go again.
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