Sten’s Story: Burnout on Holiday
Sten (39), Sales Director at a large company
At the client’s request, we have changed his name and used illustrative images.
I was on an extended holiday in Thailand when I realised I was getting dangerously close to burnout. My mind was constantly filled with work-related thoughts, and I felt as though I was somewhere between burnout and depression. Paradoxically, suddenly putting the brakes on and stepping away from work was incredibly difficult for me.
That was when I opened my laptop and started searching online for possible solutions. By chance, I came across the Lifekeskus website. Simply reading other people’s experiences gave me a sense of relief. While I was still in Thailand, I booked a therapy session for when I returned to Estonia. As soon as I got back, I went to my appointment.
I do not remember my first therapy session particularly clearly, but I remember very clearly what happened when I got home afterwards. I sat down on the sofa and suddenly realised that my mind was completely quiet. I smiled to myself and thought, “So that’s what the therapist meant about clearing the memory stick.” The effect was powerful and memorable. It is difficult to put into words.
Since then, I have been attending therapy once a month, and I have now been doing so for more than a year. When life is relatively well balanced, the effect after a session is not as dramatic, but the therapy itself is deeply relaxing for me. I do not think I would be able to relax on my own in quite the same way as I do during a session.
I have spent more than twenty years working at full speed, and work has always followed me into the rest of my life – even on holiday. If you really want to improve your quality of life, simply relaxing in a therapy chair is not enough. You also have to make conscious decisions and take practical steps yourself.
One thing I have realised is that active holidays suit me better. If I am simply lying around doing nothing, I have far more time to think. When I am skiing, for example, I simply do not get the same opportunity to overthink. I have also accepted that I am not very good at switching off completely while I am on holiday. Instead, I give myself an hour every morning to check in on work.
Consistency and discipline are essential. Monthly therapy is one part of that.
The goal is not simply to keep going to therapy. The goal is to bring your life back into balance. Therapy is there to support that process. I now schedule regular breaks into my working day. In reality, we are meant to have 15-minute breaks during the working day when we are not working. Those breaks are there for a reason – they are genuinely important. I make a conscious effort to use that time to do something else. I might take the car to be washed, go to the hairdresser or simply step away from work for a while.
Sleep has also been a problem for me for years. Some nights I only manage two or three hours of sleep, and if that happens several nights in a row, it is extremely difficult to recover. After my first few therapy sessions, my sleep improved considerably. I slept deeply and even slept right through until my alarm went off.
This is something everyone has to experience for themselves to understand how much of a difference MER Biofeedback® Therapy can make.
Thanks to MER Biofeedback® Therapy, my mind feels clearer, and that makes it easier for me to stay focused on the goals I have set for myself.
Burnout had come very close. I do not want to experience that again.
Therapist
Kristo Epner
Sten has been attending MER Biofeedback® therapy sessions with me consistently for nearly a year and a half—visiting once a month with steady commitment. While Sten is highly conscientious and dedicated in his work, this often has a flip side. When he first began therapy, he was on the verge of burnout, his daily life consumed by work and work-related thoughts. Given that this level of intensity had persisted for a long time—and that he continues to hold a position of significant responsibility—engaging in therapy over an extended period has proven both appropriate and supportive for him.
Each time he arrives at the Lifekeskus, he brings a bright smile and a genuine sense of anticipation for the upcoming session. We always begin by reviewing the past month—discussing his experiences, observations, and any thoughts that have surfaced.
Throughout his time in therapy, Sten has developed a keen awareness of his own body. He has described how his body begins to relax as tension is released during the sessions, fostering a profound sense of calm. This heightened body awareness has enabled him to recognize which activities or thoughts in his daily life trigger tension—and, conversely, which ones cultivate a sense of ease and balance.
Thanks to this newfound awareness, Sten has been able to make subtle yet meaningful changes in his life. In his professional life, for instance, he is now more mindful of his need for breaks and pays greater attention to the state of both his body and his mind. This is a wonderful example of how inner awareness creates outer balance.
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