Burnout Prevention & Sustainable Performance Keynote for Thriving at Work

A research-backed keynote that helps organizations reduce burnout, strengthen resilience, and sustain high performance without sacrificing well-being.

Burnout is no longer an individual issue — it’s an organizational challenge.

In this powerful keynote, Kristel Bauer — TEDx speaker and 2026 Top Impact Speaker (Real Leaders Magazine) — equips leaders and teams with practical, science-backed strategies to protect energy, restore focus, and perform at their best without sacrificing well-being.

As a corporate wellness and performance expert and award-winning author of Work-Life Tango, Kristel delivers engaging, evidence-based insights that help organizations create healthier, more productive cultures.

Based in Chicago and serving organizations nationwide and internationally.

✔ TEDx Speaker
✔ 2026 Top Impact Speaker (Real Leaders Magazine)
✔ Featured on NBC, ABC, FOX & Forbes
✔ Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant
✔ Clinical background in Integrative Psychiatry
✔ Corporate wellness and performance expert
✔ Award-winning author
✔ Host of the Live Greatly podcast
✔ Has partnered with global and national organizations

What Is a Burnout Prevention & Sustainable Performance Keynote?

A burnout prevention and sustainable performance keynote provides leaders and teams with the mindset, tools, and systems needed to manage stress, maintain energy, and deliver consistent results over time.

Rather than promoting “push harder” cultures, this keynote focuses on creating conditions where people can have sustainable long-term success.

Why Organizations Need This Keynote Now

Today’s workplaces are experiencing:

  • Rising stress and workload demands

  • Talent shortages and turnover

  • Blurred work-life boundaries

  • Constant digital connectivity

  • Consistent change and pressure to adapt

  • Decreased engagement and morale

Without intentional strategies, these pressures can lead to exhaustion, disengagement, and declining performance.

This keynote helps organizations address burnout proactively — before it becomes costly.

The Cost of Poorly Managed Workload and Burnout

When burnout is left unaddressed, organizations may experience:

  • Increased absenteeism

  • Higher turnover rates

  • Reduced productivity

  • Lower innovation

  • Leadership fatigue

Burnout impacts culture, performance, and profitability.

What Audiences Will Learn in This Burnout Prevention Keynote

Participants will gain:

✔ Practical tools to manage stress and energy
✔ Strategies to build sustainable performance habits
✔ Techniques to improve focus and recovery
✔ Skills to establish healthy boundaries
✔ Leadership practices that prevent burnout on teams

This keynote blends neuroscience, performance psychology, and workplace well-being research to drive lasting change.

Sustainable Performance Without Burnout

High performance should not come at the expense of health, energy, or long-term success.

In this evidence-based and highly practical keynote, Kristel Bauer helps leaders and teams prevent burnout while sustaining focus, resilience, and results in demanding environments.

Drawing on her background in healthcare, integrative psychiatry, and her performance research, Kristel shares actionable strategies to manage stress, protect energy, improve focus, and build habits that support both well-being and productivity.

Participants learn how to reset unhealthy work patterns and create sustainable approaches to performance — without sacrificing ambition or accountability.

This keynote is especially impactful for organizations navigating high workloads, rapid change, and ongoing pressure.

Key Takeaways

  • How to prevent burnout before it impacts well-being and performance

  • Practical strategies to protect energy and mental focus

  • Tools to manage stress and reduce overload

  • Techniques for building healthy, sustainable work habits

  • How to maintain high standards without chronic exhaustion

Audience Outcomes

After this keynote, participants are better equipped to:

  • Sustain energy and focus over the long term

  • Reduce burnout-related disengagement and turnover

  • Improve productivity without increasing stress

  • Strengthen resilience and emotional well-being

  • Build healthier, high-performing team cultures

How This Keynote Differs From Typical Burnout Talks

Most burnout programs focus only on individual self-care.

This keynote addresses both personal habits and organizational systems, helping teams create sustainable performance environments that last.

Drawing on her integrative medicine training and her clinical background in integrative psychiatry — where she worked one-on-one with individuals experiencing burnout — Kristel brings a rare depth of insight to workplace well-being. Audiences gain practical, research-informed strategies that can be implemented immediately.

Where This Program Is Most Impactful

This keynote is especially effective for:

  • Leadership conferences and executive summits

  • Healthcare, education, and frontline workforce meetings

  • Sales kickoffs and revenue performance events

  • HR, talent development, and people operations programs

  • Corporate retreats and leadership offsites

  • Change and transformation initiatives

  • High-growth organizations managing rapid expansion

  • Teams experiencing elevated stress or turnover

Industry Applications

Kristel’s burnout and sustainable performance keynotes can be personalized to support multiple industries including:

  • Healthcare and life sciences

  • Financial services, banking, and insurance

  • Technology

  • Education and higher education

  • Professional services and consulting

  • Nonprofit and mission-driven organizations

  • Manufacturing and operations

  • Retail and customer-facing organizations

  • Government and public sector agencies

  • Hospitality and service industries

Outcomes Event Planners Can Expect

Goals from this keynote include:

  • Improved engagement

  • Reduced burnout indicators

  • Stronger retention

  • Higher leadership effectiveness

  • More resilient teams

This program would be very impactful for:

  • Leadership transitions

  • High-growth phases

  • Post-merger integration

  • Healthcare and education staffing shortages

  • Sales performance recovery

Ready to Build Sustainable Performance?

Early booking is recommended to secure your desired dates.

Formats Available

  • Conference keynote

  • Leadership summit

  • Corporate offsite

  • Sales kickoff

  • Executive retreat

  • Virtual or hybrid delivery

  • Workshop

  • Fireside Chat

Each program is customized to meet the needs of the audience.

Who This Program Is For

Ideal For:

✔ High-performing teams under pressure
✔ Leaders managing heavy workloads
✔ Organizations focused on retention
✔ Companies prioritizing well-being

Not Ideal For:

✖ One-time wellness sessions with no follow-through
✖ Quick-fix motivation programs

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this burnout prevention keynote customizable for our organization?

Yes. Kristel tailors each keynote to your audience, industry, and event goals. Her team coordinates a brief alignment process in advance so the content reflects your current challenges (workload, retention, change, culture) and the outcomes you want to drive.

Who is this keynote best for?

This keynote is ideal for high-performing teams in high-demand environments—especially leaders, managers, and professionals navigating heavy workloads, constant change, or “always on” expectations. It’s also highly relevant for HR, Talent, and Learning & Development audiences focused on engagement, retention, and sustainable performance.

What will audiences learn?

Audiences learn practical, research-backed strategies to reduce burnout risk while protecting energy, focus, and resilience. Participants leave with tools to manage stress, prevent overload, and maintain high standards—without sacrificing well-being.

Does this keynote address both individual habits and organizational culture?

Yes. While many burnout talks focus only on self-care, this keynote also addresses team norms and workplace patterns that contribute to chronic overload. It helps leaders and teams build healthier ways of working that support performance long-term.

Can this keynote be delivered virtually or for multi-location teams?

Yes. This keynote is available for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events and works well for distributed teams. Based in Chicago, Kristel serves organizations nationwide and internationally.

How long is the keynote, and can it include a workshop or breakout?

Keynotes are typically 30–90 minutes. Workshop extensions, breakouts, and leadership sessions can be added for deeper application, Q&A, and practical planning.

If your organization is ready to reduce burnout, strengthen resilience, and build sustainable performance, this keynote will deliver lasting value.

Based in Chicago and serving organizations across the U.S. and internationally, Kristel Bauer partners with event planners to create meaningful impact.

Contact Kristel today to bring Burnout Prevention & Sustainable Performance to your next event.