Yep, life is incredibly busy! If it’s not finances that are preventing a break then it’s work, family, caring responsibilities or just a lack of holiday leave because last ‘holiday’ was spent sorting out some other personal shit show in your life.

Life gets crazy, end of story. But sometimes we need to learn to build in the things that help break the burn out patter, allow us to recover, thrive rather than just survive.

And yes, I hear you muttering right now that it’s easier said than done. Yes, it is. Also, not impossible!

Here’s a short check list to implement while you are waiting for the holy grail of burnout healing: a total break from your life that lasts indefinitely lol!

Sleep

I go on about this a lot but seriously it’s one of the foundational pillars of health. We take it for granted thinking ‘me time’ watching Netflix is more important. It’s not!

Busy people are much more inclined to steal from their sleep to have that highly regarded ‘me time’ but it leaves them more depleted in the long run.

· Go to bed at the same time each night, get up at the same time.

· Prioritise sleep like you would for a baby.

The results will have you coming back for more!

And if sleep is illusive then ask for help. There are so many reasons behind poor sleep so seek someone (ahem, like me) who can figure out why you are not sleeping and address the reason.

Food

Another area we totally sideline unless it’s easy or lights up our dopamine.

Truth bomb- making a salad with a good whack of protein takes less time than getting to and lining up at the bakery for a carb heavy hit that simply doesn’t provide the nutrients your nervous system needs to recover.

Take the time to plan your meals. Make sure they are protein rich for satiety and to support your nervous, hormonal and immune systems. Prepping is the way to go here to prevent another ‘whatever’s easiest’ option sneaking in.

Eat what you need before you eat what you want. After you eat what you need you likely won’t want much of what you thought you wanted. There’s logic there!

Build in daily short breaks

Take the lunch break without excuses, explanations or guilt. Sit down to eat, chew your food.

Take another short break later and stand outside or meditate for 10min.

Remember Smoko breaks? They used to be common. And no, I do NOT want you to take up smoking! But it did get people outside and away from life for the duration for a few minutes. But we have lost the ‘smoko’ mentality of taking a break. Let’s reclaim it our way!

Meditation and mindfulness

These are not as hard as you think. Sometimes just putting the phone down and staring into space for 5min allows the brain to defrag. You can use an app too for meditations or just sit quietly.

Another very simple thing we can do is mindfully engage in an activity. By this I mean give your full attention to it.

· Don’t double screen while you watch a movie

· put the phone down while you eat

· take a break every 30min from the screen

· notice when you are rushing and constantly slow down.

Rushing will actually slow you down as you make mistakes and skip steps like chewing or thinking…act in haste, repent at leisure.

Movement (not ‘exercise’)

You are already stressed and overwhelmed. Adding an exercise routine that leaves you with dread or struggling to stick to creates more stress, guilt and a whole lot of self-loathing.

Keep it easy, fun and more strength based. No routines that make you feel like you are being chased by a bear.

Pilates, yoga, walking, swimming, dance classes, circus type classes…anything that makes you smile and isn’t going to cause more stress than it relieves.

Reality check

Ask yourself:

· Do I need to do that?... Say yes to that?... Take that on right now?...

If we did this to start with we might have avoided burnout to begin with…but it’s never too late to start!

Before you agree to something new, ask:

· Do I really have the capacity to do it?

· What do I need to give up to make room for this?

· Is there another solution that will work without relying on me?

Busy people often say yes because they are too busy to stop and think about how they might do it. They just get on with it. “If you need something done, ask a busy person” was a phrase coined for a reason, but it’s completely unsustainable.

The Boring Truth

Yes, recovery will take time. It’s boring and repetitive but it will allow you to do more of the things you actually want to do in your life.

It took a long time to burnout because you are stoic and strong and thought you could do more and more without considering the repercussions, so your responsibilities snowballed.

Now it’s time to stop, breathe and rebuild. Slowly. Intentionally. You’ve got this!

If you’re nodding along thinking “yep, that’s me,” then it’s time to stop just surviving and start recovering.
Book an appointment and let’s pinpoint what’s really driving your burnout, from hormones to metabolism, stress and beyond.
You don’t need another band-aid. You need a plan that works for you, not against you.

I’m Ready to Feel Like Me Again

Burnt Out, but I Can’t Stop: How to Break the Cycle and Actually Recover