How Chris Gaither Overcame Burnout and Built a Life he Loves

After huge career success, Chris found himself burnt to a crisp. Here, he shares how he recovered — and how he’s helping others do the same.

Some conversations stay with you, give you perspective and give you insight even days later— that’s certainly the case for my recent chat with Chris Gaither.

Chris worked as a journalist for the New York Times, The Boston Globe and the LA Times before switching to corporate communications at Google and then helping lead environmental sustainability at Apple.

In 2017, he burnt out, giving up a hugely prestigious role to recover and find out what makes him come alive. Today, he is an executive coach working with individuals and teams in environmental sustainability and social impact to help them achieve their goals and avoid burnout.

It was a delight to hear Chris’s honest and wise thoughts on burnout and its valuable lessons.

Tell me about how burnout arose for you.

I worked as a journalist in my twenties and I loved it. I was hungry to learn. Working for world-renowned newspapers helped me feel like I was part of something, it energized me, and I gave them as much of my time as they would ask for.