Perfectionism & Burnout

Signs your burnout may be driven by perfectionism

You might not think of yourself as someone who is burnt out. You might see yourself as driven, responsible, and someone who holds high standards. But underneath that constant push to do more and be better is often a steady level of pressure that never really turns off.

Burnout does not always look like completely falling apart. It often shows up as overthinking, mental exhaustion, irritability, and a feeling that you can never fully relax. You may still be getting everything done, but it feels harder than it should.

Perfectionism keeps your mind switched on all the time. You are evaluating, replaying, planning, and trying to prevent mistakes before they happen. Even when things are going well, you feel like you should be doing more. Rest feels uncomfortable. Slowing down feels wrong. No matter how much you accomplish, it rarely feels like enough.

How perfectionism fuels anxiety and burnout

Perfectionism quietly teaches you that your worth is tied to how well you perform. It sets very high standards and then criticizes you when you cannot meet them perfectly. Over time, this creates constant internal pressure to succeed, avoid mistakes, and stay ahead.

Living this way is exhausting. You may feel burnt out but still unable to stop pushing yourself. Even when your body is tired, your mind keeps going. You can feel stuck in a cycle of overwhelm and overthinking while also feeling guilty for wanting to slow down. This is where anxiety and burnout start to feed each other.

What therapy looks like for perfectionism and burnout

In therapy, we don’t start by telling you to lower your standards or “just relax.” That usually just leaves you feeling more frustrated. Instead, we slow the pattern down and look at what’s happening underneath the constant pressure you feel. We explore where these expectations came from, why your mind feels like it always has to be on, and how this way of operating became your norm.

From there, we focus on giving you practical tools to manage overthinking and mental exhaustion in your day-to-day life, while also creating space to understand the deeper experiences keeping this pressure in place. I use CBT and DBT skills to help you feel more steady and in control, alongside a person-centered, trauma-informed approach to gently work through what’s driving this pattern. Over time, clients often notice they can rest without guilt, make decisions with more confidence, and stop feeling like their worth is tied to how much they accomplish.

Work with me virtually in Illinois, Florida & Michigan

I provide virtual therapy for adults in the Chicago area and across Illinois. I am also licensed to offer virtual therapy to clients located in Michigan and Florida. Telehealth allows you to attend sessions from your own space without adding more to your schedule or commute.

If you are located in Illinois, you can use insurance or choose private pay. For clients in Florida and Michigan, services are offered through private pay. I also provide superbills for clients who wish to use out-of-network benefits.