27 October 2025
How often have you tried to get through the day knowing you’re running on empty?
You’ve sat through back-to-back meetings, downed multiple coffees, and snatched a 10-minute gap to grab a snack. Your to-do list is breeding like it’s had a double espresso, and somehow it’s already 4pm.
Does any of this sound familiar?
When you decide to work in the accounting or legal sectors, you know that they are fast-paced, high-pressure environments that require high performance.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking high performance means always being “on”, but what we don’t say out loud often enough is that you can’t perform at your best if you’re permanently running on fumes.
We know this. Deep down, everyone knows this, but it’s astonishing how many of us keep going as if we’re somehow the exception. (Spoiler: we’re not.)
Somewhere along the way, many firms picked up the idea that high performers are the ones who stay late, say yes to everything, and reply to emails at 11:23pm, even when they’re supposed to be on holiday.
In reality, high performance isn’t and shouldn’t be about grinding yourself into the ground.
It’s about sustainable output, smart thinking, and knowing when to rest and when to push.
Put it this way. If you were driving your car to a destination 100 miles away, and your fuel light starts flashing 40 miles out, would you:
A) Go full throttle and hope that by some miracle you make it?
B) Take a break and fill up at the next petrol station before continuing the drive?
We’re hoping you went with option B.
You should apply that logic to your work life. After all, no one does their best work when they’re hangry, frazzled, and surviving on adrenaline and caffeine.
Whether you’re newly qualified or you’re a senior partner at your firm, burnout doesn’t discriminate.
It often creeps into your life subtly. Maybe a few missed lunch breaks, perhaps you’ve started to get a little too snappy with your colleagues, or you feel knackered all the time despite having that “restful” weekend.
Legal and accounting professionals are often held to seriously high standards at all levels. Accuracy, attention to detail, and mental stamina are essential skills to have in these industries.
However, when people are consistently overworked or under-rested, things start to slip.
Concentration wavers, small errors creep in, communication breaks down, and that’s bad news for your clients and your colleagues.
Signs of burnout are becoming increasingly common in the UK. A recent study by Mental Health UK revealed that 91 per cent of UK adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in 2024.
The same study revealed that 45 per cent said their employer did not have a plan in place to help manage and prevent burnout.
Here are a few signs that someone (maybe even you) could be experiencing burnout:
You don’t need to wait for someone to burn out entirely before stepping in. If any of these signs raise some alarm bells for you, then it’s probably time for your firm to make a few changes.
A high-performing team is a well-supported team. Here’s what helps:
Whatever your plan is to help your high-performing team avoid running on empty, do it soon before the burnout spreads.
At The Professional Alternative, we believe that thriving at work shouldn’t come at the cost of your wellbeing.
Our platform offers training specifically designed for the fast-paced environments of legal and accounting firms.
Each course is practical, bite-sized and grounded in the reality of your day-to-day life at work.
We’ve created modules on stress management, setting healthy boundaries, improving focus, and having better conversations about workload and burnout.
From our own experience, we’ve learnt that real high performance happens when people are well-rested, well-supported and well-trained.
You’ll find all our courses aimed at helping your team develop professionally and personally on our easy-to-use platform.
Book a demo today and see how our training can help your team stay sharp, supported, and at their best (without burning out).