244: Work drains me more than it should — is it my nervous system?

244: Work drains me more than it should — is it my nervous system?

From Sustainable Success: Nervous System Alignment for Burnout-Free Leadership by Sheridan Ruth

January 19, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

This episode explores the reasons behind work-related exhaustion and how to manage energy through understanding the nervous system.

In this episode, we explore why work can feel disproportionately exhausting — even when you enjoy it and are “doing everything right.” You’ll hear about: Why end-of-day exhaustion isn’t always a motivation or discipline problem How constant adaptation to mismatched environments quietly drains nervous system capacity The difference between healthy effort and chronic over-exertion A simple nervous-system-based energy audit you can start today How to track energy drain through body sensations rather than stories or self-criticism What decision fatigue, overthinking, and post-work collapse are actually signalling When exhaustion points to deeper patterns like freeze, trauma history, or family roles Why some patterns don’t shift through insight alone — and what support can help How to redesign work without blowing up your life Mentioned in this episode: The 5-week Energy Management Program: Work Doesn’t Have to Cost All Your Energy One-on-one somatic support for nervous-system-level patterns Developing interoception (your ability to sense and name internal body signals)

People in this episode

Host: Sheridan Ruth

Topics covered

  • nervous system
  • burnout
  • energy management
  • work-life balance
  • self-awareness

Keywords

  • nervous system alignment
  • energy audit
  • decision fatigue
  • chronic over-exertion
  • interoception

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The 5-week Energy Management Program

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