#205 How to recover without burning out: using pacing to find your dehoarding rhythm

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Getting on top of hoarding disorder isn’t about powering through in one big go. It’s all about slowing down, pacing ourselves, and making sure our approach is actually sustainable, both for our bodies and our minds.

In this episode, I talk honestly about the risks of burnout and emotional overload when we try to rush the process, and why giving ourselves permission to work in small, manageable steps is key.

I’ll share practical ways to set our own pace, spot the warning signs of pushing too hard, and celebrate the progress we make - even when it’s slower than we’d like.

• The Nature of Recovery from Hoarding Disorder
• Recovery isn’t a race or a sprint
• Pressure to fix things quickly—internal and external
• Debunking the ‘quick fix’ myth
• Importance of sustainability in recovery
• Physical Aspects of Dehoarding
• Physical tasks: sorting, organising, donating, recycling
• The relentless and exhausting nature of physical dehoarding
• Risks of pushing too hard:
• Physical exhaustion and injury
• Impact of chronic pain, health problems, disability
• Decision-making fatigue from exhaustion
• The danger of creating a more overwhelming mess
• Risks of Burnout
• Burnout as a consequence of overexertion
• Emotional impact: quitting, avoidance, dread
• Dehoarding becomes associated with pain and suffering
• Emotional Aspects of Pacing
• Unique emotional relationships with possessions
• Associations, memories, grief, nostalgia, identity
• Anxiety and emotional flooding in decision-making
• The consequences of pushing past emotional limits:
• Panic, anxiety, rumination
• Avoidance and procrastination
• Loss of confidence in decisions
• Swinging between extremes: keeping everything vs. discarding everything
• The Impact of Emotional Flooding
• Damaging relationship with recovery
• Recovery viewed as painful or traumatic
• Unrealistic expectations for overnight emotional change
• Persistence of difficult emotional patterns despite progress
• Non-Linear Nature of Progress
• Understanding setbacks and relapses as part of the process
• Importance of patience and realistic expectations
• The need to build new emotional and cognitive pathways over time
• Positive Signs of Emotional Progress
• Ability to sit with discomfort and uncertainty
• Recognising and managing patterns and triggers
• Gradual increase in resilience and emotional tolerance
• Recognising Gradual Physical and Emotional Recovery
• Improved recovery time after difficult sessions
• Growing confidence in handling challenges
• Learning that healing and progress are not linear
• Practical Approaches to Pacing
• Time-based strategies:
• Working in manageable time chunks
• Scheduling regular breaks and days off
• Focusing on sustainable, consistent sessions over marathons
• Decision-based strategies:
• Limiting the number of decisions per session
• Identifying easier vs. harder tasks or categories
• Quick wins to boost motivation
• Checking in with oneself physically and emotionally during work
• Building in soothing or rewarding activities post-session
• Signs of Sustainable Pacing
• Completing sessions feeling tired but not destroyed
• Feeling able to return for future sessions without dread
• Making decisions that feel good in retrospect
• Enjoyment and pride in gradually improving one’s space
• Adapting Pace to Life Circumstances
• Pace varies with health, mood, season, responsibilities
• Finding what works for the individual and the current season of life
• Compassionate Recovery
• The importance of self-compassion in setting and respecting limits
• Celebrating progress and honouring our human experience

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