The Executive Exhale Podcast

76 | Silently Burning Out: Still performing. Secretly struggling.

Tammy Delaney-Plugowsky Episode 76

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In this episode of The Executive Exhale Podcast, I open up about the reality of executive burnout—how it doesn’t always look like falling apart. Sometimes, it looks like high-functioning chaos: checking all the boxes, leading meetings, and keeping it together on the outside… while slowly unraveling on the inside.

I share my own story—how I gained 40-50 pounds, slipped into depression, and kept performing while feeling completely disconnected and exhausted. It’s a version of burnout many high-achievers don’t recognize until it’s taken hold.

I talk about the subtle signs most leaders overlook:
 👉 Waking up at 3 AM with racing thoughts
 👉 Numbness or irritability in meetings
 👉 Decision fatigue and disconnection
 👉 Overriding your own warning signals because “there’s no time to stop”

I also introduce my signature EXHALE Method™, a structured, trauma-informed approach built around 6 powerful pillars to help leaders like you restore wellness and resilience—without walking away from your career or responsibilities.

Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a systems problem—a calendar, belief, body, and environment problem—and you deserve a way out.

If any of this sounds familiar, I want to invite you to take the next step. 

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