Guest Blog by Emily Serebryany, Co-Founder, Female Leadership Evolution Institute (FLE)
As a Co-Founder of the Female Leadership Evolution Institute, I have dedicated my mission to helping women understand stress cycles and avoid burnout. My journey began with personal experiences that highlighted the urgent need for this work.
I am a two-time founder, and in my first company, we achieved great financial success and had a successful exit. However, the experience took a toll on my health and well-being as I faced burnouts that I didn’t know how to navigate. This experience opened my eyes to the struggles that many women face in leadership roles. Once I became a mentor and coach to other women, I noticed the same patterns of overwhelm and chronic stress. This ignited my passion for creating tools and resources that empower women to understand their stress cycles.
Women’s Unique Stress Experiences
A significant aspect of our mission is at the Female Leadership Evolution Institute is understanding how women experience and process stress differently than men. One key difference lies in our biological rhythms. Women follow both daily (circadian) and monthly (infradian) cycles, while men primarily adhere to circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, workplace schedules are typically designed around male physiology, overlooking women’s cyclical energy fluctuations.
Many women are primary caregivers, either for children, ageing parents, or both, often falling into the “sandwich generation,” which adds stress and contributes to burnout.
Gendered ageism and other workplace dynamics, such as gender bias and limited advancement opportunities, also increase stress, especially in male-dominated industries.
Adjusting to perimenopause and menopause symptoms adds another layer, though workplace conversations around these issues are only now beginning.
Becoming Aware of Burnout
For a long time, talking about burnout was perceived as a sign of weakness. Even today, many women still feel uncomfortable discussing this topic. Some believe that nothing can be done about it—there’s no ‘magic pill’ to solve the juggling of multiple roles, so they question the point of even bringing it up. Others view self-care as selfish, believing that prioritising themselves is a luxury.
One effective way for women to recognise the risk of burnout is to be vigilant about early warning signs. I encourage thinking in terms of a baseline—understanding how you function before experiencing prolonged stress. Consider how you were sleeping, eating, and what your energy levels were like before stress set in.
Reflect on what has changed for you. Personally, the first signs of consistent stress show up when I start reaching for food more often and my sleep becomes inconsistent. I wake up multiple times during the night. For others, the symptoms might be different—some may lose their appetite, feel disconnected, fatigued, or very irritated for example.
However, what’s consistent is that over time, energy levels dip. You may have the same workload and commitments, but they start to feel unbearable as you struggle to find the energy to complete them.
It’s a vicious cycle that doesn’t happen overnight—it builds up gradually. We also need to consider where we are in our life cycle: reproductive years, perimenopause, or menopause. During the reproductive years, if we’re menstruating, we should also take into account where we are in our monthly cycles. In each phase, our hormones play a significant role in our energy levels.
Recovering from Burnout
For anyone recovering from burnout, setting supportive routines and boundaries can be essential to healing.
As I build my third company (this time a program for women), I am very mindful of my sleep cycle. I’m in full menopause, and sleep problems are common during this phase, so I adjust my sleep whenever I can. If possible, I take a 30-minute nap during the day, or I might decline plans on the weekend to catch up on rest. This brings me to the topic of boundaries—not just with others in the workplace, but with my own personal, non-negotiable boundaries. For example, I need to start my day with meditation; for others, it might be taking 10 minutes for themselves.
As a somatic (mind-body) coach, I also use different exercises throughout the day to self-regulate and bring my nervous system back to equilibrium. In short, any activity you can do daily that brings you joy and breaks you out of routine helps regulate your nervous system.
Understanding the Stress Cycle
For many women I meet—and I was one of them—the stress cycle can become a vicious circle that feels impossible to break. However, once you understand what the stress cycle is and how your hormonal makeup affects your energy levels, you can break the cycle by implementing strategies that align with your biology and physiology. You can establish psychological boundaries for yourself and communicate them to others. You will be able to see self-care as a necessary strategy for maintaining mental and emotional health.
When your nervous system is not constantly activated, you may also gain insights into solutions that weren’t visible before, which will lead to finding ways to create a life where you feel more in control and balanced.
Rituals and strategies to manage stress and avoid burnout
I am not perfect, but being in my third round of building a company/program (and after 50), I have become very intentional with my time. It starts with my morning routine: I begin each day with 10 minutes of meditation and 5 minutes of grounding somatic exercises. I also plan my schedule, knowing that I need at least one day a week to focus on my creative energy—not just working on my business, but also taking the time to learn, organise, and brainstorm.
My business benefits from it and it is also nourishing for me on a personal level. This approach allows me to recharge and reset my energy. And when I am in this space I am open to possibilities I might have overlooked when I’m in ‘doing’ mode. Additionally, when I work, I take 15-20 minutes breaks every couple of hours.
About the Female Leadership Evolution Institute
Together with my co-founder Nathalie Van Haaren , we’re developing a leadership program for women focused on preventing burnout, managing stress, and exploring leadership styles.
What sets our program apart is the inclusion of the latest scientific insights into women’s unique stress responses, biology, and physiology.
To tailor the course to real needs, we’re conducting a survey and would love input from all women. Here’s the link: survey link
We will share the results with everyone who participates, and all participants will also receive an invitation to join our pilot program. You can follow our journey by connecting with us on Instagram: Instagram or by emailing [email protected] to join our mailing list for the latest updates.
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