Beyond Exhaustion: My RTHK Radio 3 Chat on the Silent Crisis of Burnout
- yneching
- Nov 15, 2025
- 2 min read
And why a little more compassion might be the most powerful tool we have
A few months ago, I had the genuine pleasure of joining the team at RTHK Radio 3’s “Brunch with Noreen” for a conversation that feels more urgent by the day. We talked about a silent crisis that I see in my practice and, let's be honest, in our communities all the time: burnout.
It’s a word we throw around easily—"I'm so burned out!"—but it often goes much deeper than just feeling tired after a long week. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It’s the feeling of being completely drained, cynical about your work or responsibilities, and struggling to feel effective in anything you do.
I’m so grateful to the wonderful host and radio intern, Sukrithi Naduviledath, for her thoughtful questions. We dug into the early warning signs that are so easy to ignore: the constant irritability, the sense of dread on Sunday nights, the feeling that you’re running on empty no matter how much you sleep.
But the heart of our conversation, for me, wasn't just about identifying the problem. It was about navigating a way through it.We discussed practical steps, but we kept returning to one vital, non-negotiable ingredient: compassion.
Compassion for ourselves, first and foremost. So often, we are our own harshest critics, pushing through the fatigue and ignoring our needs in a way we would never expect from a friend. And compassion for those around us who might be struggling in silence. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is create a space where it’s okay to not be okay, and to point each other toward support without judgment.
If you missed the live broadcast, you can catch the full conversation via the link below. I hope it offers you, or someone you care about, a moment of clarity and a step toward greater well-being.
[Listen to the conversation here.]
A huge thank you again to Sukrithi at RTHK Radio 3 for having me and for shining a light on this critical topic. Let's keep the conversation going.
Wishing you balance and kindness,
Elaine
