Book launch: Reclaiming control in the age of burnout

By Mark Jones

We’re living in the age of burnout. Research shows nearly half of us feel stressed at work most of the day – a number that’s been climbing steadily in recent years. Burnout isn’t just about long hours or demanding workloads. It’s about losing control of the story we’re telling ourselves – the inner critic that whispers, I’m not good enough … I can’t keep up … I’ll never get ahead.

The cost is enormous. When those limiting beliefs take root, they erode our confidence, fuel disengagement, and create a cycle of stress that no amount of time-management hacks can fix. Behavioural science tells us that our beliefs shape our behaviour in powerful ways – they can hold us back or unlock resilience and growth .

Why should you care? Because reclaiming control over your story is the first step to reclaiming control over your working life. I know this because it’s part of my story, and in recent months I’ve spent time with leaders who’ve courageously shared their own burnout stories with me

Resetting the agenda

So the question then becomes: What if success wasn’t about chasing endless productivity, but about building a sustainable rhythm? That starts with what I call the four pillars of self-care – sleep, eating and exercising well, plus the missing piece: self-talk, or the stories we tell ourselves.

When those four are in place, leaders don’t just survive – they thrive. They make clearer decisions, inspire others, and create workplaces where people can bring their best selves. As behavioural economics research reminds us, good leadership and fair, human-centred practices have a measurable impact on satisfaction, performance, and wellbeing.

The Story Code

That’s what my new book, The Story Code, is all about: unlocking resilience and influence by rewriting the stories you tell yourself. It’s a practical framework – Challenge, Overwrite, Decide, Encode – that helps you shift from burnout and self-doubt to clarity and confidence.

The official launch is set for Tuesday 28 October in Sydney – an in-person event (with gourmet canapés, networking, and a panel conversation) that will also be streamed online. Book pre-sales have now opened, and I’m humbled by the feedback from early readers of the manuscript who’ve said it’s already helping them reset their inner dialogue in powerful ways.

Join the movement

 This isn’t just a book launch – it’s a call to reset the way we work and live. If you’ve ever felt the squeeze of stress and self-doubt, I invite you to join me.

• Learn more and pre-order The Story Code

• Reserve your place at the launch event

 Because when we rewrite our inner story, we don’t just change ourselves – we change the future of work.

Onwards,

Mark

Feeling burnt out?

Burnout is a very real, shared human experience right now. Maybe things look good on the outside, but on the inside,

• You feel burned out and exhausted

• Your inner critic says, 'You're just faking it!'

• You feel stuck or at a crossroads in your career

Join a 4-week peer-based executive coaching program - September and October places still available, $995

I’ve created a neuroscience-informed process that shifts your identity, not just your habits, with a proven framework for rewriting your story based on decades as a Financial Review editor, brand strategist and master storyteller, author, CEO and Certified Professional Speaker (CSP).

Ready to FLIP the SCRIPT and re-fuel your energy?

Hey, you got to the end! Nice work.

• Subscribe to my newsletter. Mark my Words: Trends, stories and optimism for leaders.

• Got a story to tell? Need a keynote speaker or storytelling coach? Hit me up here.