That Actually Fit Into a Busy Life

Recognizing Burnout: More Than Just Feeling Tired

The first time I realized I was burned out, I didn’t have the words for it. I just knew something was off.

By late 2019, maybe early 2020, I was dealing with chronic exhaustion, constant overwhelm, and lingering stomach issues. No matter how much I rested, I still felt drained. When the pandemic lockdowns hit, I felt relieved. Not because of the circumstances, but because I didn’t have to pretend I had the energy to function anymore. I could finally stop pushing through burnout, and I desperately needed that.

One of the biggest signs of burnout I experienced? Extreme fatigue that rest didn’t fix. Everything felt overwhelming, even basic daily tasks. Talking to people felt like a chore. I didn’t want to socialize, be productive, or “power through.” I just wanted to be left alone in a cave with snacks.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Burnout isn’t just feeling tired, it’s deep depletion. But the good news? Burnout recovery is possible—and no, it doesn’t require quitting your job, moving to the mountains, or overhauling your entire life.

Mistakes I Made When Trying to Heal from Burnout

When I first tried to "fix" my burnout, I did what a lot of people do. I threw random solutions at the wall and hoped something would stick. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.

Thinking a Weekend Off Would Fix It

For a while, I thought burnout could be solved with a single good weekend. Sleep in, binge some Netflix, take a long bath. Boom, back to full energy by Monday!

Except… every time, I’d wake up on Monday morning just as exhausted as before. If anything, I felt worse because I had expected to feel better, and the fact that I didn’t made it even more frustrating.

Here’s the thing: Burnout isn’t just about being tired. It’s about depletion. You don’t fix long-term exhaustion with 48 hours of rest. Burnout recovery requires consistent replenishment. There’s no quick reset button for burnout.

I stopped treating self-care as an emergency fix and made it a daily habit. Instead, I started weaving daily restoration into my routine:

• Instead of pushing until I collapsed, I added small, intentional breaks.

• Instead of waiting for burnout to hit, I prioritized nourishing habits before I crashed.

• Instead of treating rest like a luxury, I started seeing it as necessary maintenance.

It wasn’t about one big weekend of recovery, it was about consistently refilling my tank before it hit empty.

Believing Nature Would Magically Cure Me

I thought fresh air was the answer. You know, the classic advice: “Just go outside! Nature heals everything!”

So I did. I went on climbing weekends, convinced that being surrounded by trees and fresh air would recharge me. And sure, I had some peaceful moments standing on a mountaintop, soaking in the views, feeling the wind on my face. But the second I packed up and headed home? The exhaustion hit like a truck.

I was still draining myself, even in nature. Climbing required physical energy I didn’t have, so I was using my rest time for another kind of exertion. Yeah, I was getting fresh air, but I wasn’t actually replenishing anything.

It turns out, nature can help, but only if you let yourself truly slow down in it. What I actually needed was restful nature time. Sitting under a tree, walking without a destination, lying in the grass without making it a productivity mission. 

Once I stopped treating rest as something I had to "achieve," it finally started working.

Quitting My Job and Expecting That to Solve Everything

At some point, I became convinced that my burnout was entirely my job’s fault. If I could just escape the endless emails, Slack messages, and pointless meetings, I’d feel so much better, right?

So I quit. And at first, I felt this euphoric rush, like I had finally freed myself. No more deadlines, no more pretending to care about the latest “team-building exercise.” I was free!

…And then reality hit. I was still exhausted. Still anxious. Still unable to function like a normal human. Because burnout wasn’t just about my job. It was about the years of chronic stress that had rewired my nervous system. My body was still running in survival mode, and no amount of “not having a boss” was going to change that overnight.

This is the part people don’t talk about—quitting can be the right choice, but it’s not a magic fix. If I could go back, I’d start healing my nervous system before quitting—so my body could actually relax instead of panicking in a different setting.

The Surprising Things That Did Help

At first, my healing attempts were pretty chaotic. A little meditation here, a little journaling there, some positive affirmations sprinkled in. It was a grab bag of self-improvement tactics. But nothing seemed to stick.

I kept thinking if I just found the right tool, I’d feel better. But no matter how many "stress hacks" I tried, nothing worked. I was approaching burnout like a problem I needed to fix, rather than a state my body needed to heal from.

The biggest shift? Learning to work with my nervous system instead of against it.

For years, I had been stuck in a constant state of fight-or-flight, panicked, wired, and exhausted all at once. My body had learned to stay in survival mode, and no amount of journaling was going to undo that overnight.

Once I started actually working with my nervous system—slowing down, building safety, and treating my body like it made sense—things finally started shifting. And that’s when I realized:

Burnout recovery isn’t about doing more. It’s about unlearning the patterns that keep you stuck in survival mode.

Why “Fixing Your Mindset” Isn’t Always Enough

Before I understood nervous system healing, I spent a lot of time trying to fix my burnout by changing my mindset. You know, just think positive! Manifest energy! Convince yourself you’re fine and you will be!

Yeah… that didn’t work. No amount of positive thinking can override a body running on fumes.

What I actually needed was physical regulation—things like movement, breathwork, better nourishment, and yes, even fidgeting (more on that in a second). Once my body started healing, my mindset naturally shifted. It’s way easier to believe “I have energy” when your body actually has some energy to work with.

How I Accidentally Made Meditation Way Harder Than It Needed to Be

One of the first things I tried to calm my nervous system was meditation. And let me tell you, I managed to make it way harder than it needed to be.

Here’s why: I had subconsciously trained myself to believe that sitting still was the key to being accepted. Somewhere along the way, I picked up this idea that movement = bad, stillness = good. So when I tried to meditate, I didn’t just sit still—I froze.

I was so rigidly focused on not moving that I would ignore basic needs—like reaching for a glass of water sitting right in front of me because I hadn’t “earned” movement yet. (Yes, it was that bad.)

Meditation wasn’t helping me regulate. It was reinforcing the shutdown mode I was already stuck in.

The fix? I let myself fidget.

At first, I thought I was doing it wrong. But then I realized… who made up the rule that meditation has to look a certain way? Instead of forcing myself into stillness, I let my body move how it wanted. If I needed to stretch, I stretched. If I wanted to sway, I swayed. And suddenly, meditation started helping instead of making me feel trapped.

Sometimes healing means doing the opposite of what’s “supposed” to work. If you’re someone who needs movement, let yourself move. Meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting like a statue for 20 minutes—it can be a walk, a stretch, or simply breathing deeply while you wiggle your toes.

How I Reintroduced Movement Without Completely Wiping Myself Out

Movement was one of the hardest things for me to figure out post-burnout. Every time I tried to work out, I’d feel completely dead for a full week afterward. It was like my body was punishing me for trying.

For a while, I just… didn’t move much. But eventually, I decided something had to change.

The key? Starting ridiculously small.

I began with tiny, low-effort movement—literally five to ten minutes of gentle yoga or walking. And I let that be enough. No pressure to “progress” quickly. No expectation to do more. Just small, consistent movement until it felt natural.

I also ditched the idea that progress was linear. Some weeks, I had the energy to do more. Other weeks, I could barely manage a slow stretch. But over time, the cumulative effect of movement started building. Eventually, I worked up to lifting weights again, but only after months of easing in slowly.

The best advice I can give? Respect your energy levels. Don’t force yourself into an intense workout plan. Start small, stay consistent, and trust that, eventually, your body will get stronger.

The Shift That Actually Helped Me Heal

For the longest time, I thought burnout recovery was about doing more of the right things—more sleep, more self-care, more mindset work. But none of it seemed to make a dent in how drained I felt.

Then, I had a realization that changed everything: I wasn’t the problem. I made sense.

Through a teacher of mine, I learned that every reaction I had—every exhaustion spiral, every anxious shutdown—was my body trying to protect me. Burnout wasn’t a personal failure. It wasn’t proof that I was weak or incapable. It was a sign that my body had been running on survival mode for too long and needed something different.

That shift changed everything.

✔ Instead of blaming myself for being exhausted, I gave myself grace.
✔ Instead of pushing through, I started asking, What would actually feel good right now?
✔ Instead of trying to “fix” myself, I started supporting myself.

And that’s when things started to shift. Not all at once, not overnight, but steadily—one small, intentional choice at a time.

I talked about how I did that in this post on nervous system healing.

Gentle Ways to Recover from Burnout (That Actually Help)

1. Stop Fighting Yourself and Give Yourself Some Grace

Burnout isn’t something you can hustle your way out of. Your body isn’t being difficult for fun. It’s waving a giant “PLEASE STOP” flag. Instead of getting frustrated, try asking yourself, "What if I actually listened?"

2. Make Sure Your Self-Care Isn’t Just an Emergency Response

A lot of self-care advice treats burnout like a thing you fix after you’ve hit rock bottom. But real burnout recovery means building a life that doesn’t deplete you in the first place.

Instead of slapping a face mask on your stress and calling it self-care, ask:

• What kind of life actually supports me?

• What needs to change so I’m not constantly running on fumes?

If your daily routine feels like it’s slowly draining the life out of you, that’s where the real work is. If you’re looking for ideas, I shared some in Why Balance is a Moving Target.

3. Slow Down in the Small Moments

Most of us rush through everything—cooking, eating, walking. But slowing down, even a little, can make a huge difference.

Try this:

• Walk a little slower when heading to your car or through the grocery store.

• Drink your water like you’re in a dramatic slow-motion scene from a movie.

• Stop trying to speed-run dinner prep. Put on some music, light a candle, and actually enjoy it.

Burnout isn’t just about doing too much. It’s also about forgetting to be in your own life.

4. Move Your Body, But Start Small

I put off movement for way too long because I was exhausted, but movement is so important for getting your energy back.

If you’ve been sedentary, start ridiculously small.

• Walk for ten minutes. That’s it.

• Do gentle stretching. No yoga instructor voice required.

• Start with bodyweight exercises before jumping into heavy workouts.

I started working out again by going to a circuit training class. The first two times, I didn’t use weights at all. Slowly, I built up. And now? I actually want to move. (Wild, right?)

Redefining Rest: Why Sitting on the Couch Isn’t Always Resting

For the longest time, I thought rest just meant “do less” or “do nothing at all.” And sure, sometimes that’s exactly what you need. But if you’re lying on the couch, doom-scrolling TikTok, feeling guilty for not being productive while still feeling exhausted, that’s not rest. That’s just… avoidance with extra steps.

Burnout recovery isn’t about stopping everything, it’s about replenishing what’s actually drained. And that’s where the 7 types of rest come in. Because if you’re still exhausted despite getting some rest, chances are, you’re missing one of these:

1. Physical Rest (The One Everyone Knows)

• What it is: Sleep, naps, lying down, gentle movement (like stretching).

• Why it matters: Helps your body recover from exhaustion and chronic tension.

• Try this: Improve sleep hygiene, take mini stretch breaks, do a body scan meditation.

2. Mental Rest (For the Overthinkers)

• What it is: Giving your brain a break from decision-making and overanalyzing.

• Why it matters: Too much mental load = constant fatigue.

• Try this: Brain dump your thoughts into a notebook, take actual breaks (not just “scrolling” breaks), spend time daydreaming.

3. Sensory Rest (For When the World is Too Loud)

• What it is: Reducing visual, auditory, and digital stimulation.

• Why it matters: Constant noise (notifications, screens, bright lights) overloads your nervous system.

• Try this: Dim your screens, spend time in silence, sit in a dark room for a few minutes to reset.

4. Creative Rest (For When You Feel Stuck)

• What it is: Restoring inspiration by consuming beauty instead of constantly creating.

• Why it matters: Creative burnout happens when you’re always in output mode.

• Try this: Listen to music for the sake of enjoyment, visit a museum, spend time in nature without making it “productive.”

5. Emotional Rest (For the People-Pleasers)

• What it is: Taking a break from managing other people’s emotions and expectations.

• Why it matters: If you’re always emotionally “on,” you’ll drain yourself fast.

• Try this: Vent to someone you trust, set small boundaries, give yourself permission to not be available 24/7.

6. Social Rest (For the Introverts AND the Lonely)

• What it is: Either less social interaction (if you’re overwhelmed) or more fulfilling social interaction (if you feel isolated).

• Why it matters: Burnout isn’t always about doing too much—sometimes, it’s about feeling disconnected.

• Try this: Take a break from draining social obligations, or reconnect with a close friend in a way that feels nourishing.

7. Spiritual Rest (For When You Feel Disconnected)

• What it is: Connecting to something bigger than yourself (not necessarily religious).

• Why it matters: Helps restore a sense of purpose and belonging.

• Try this: Meditate, pray, journal, spend time in nature, practice gratitude.

Takeaway: If you’re still exhausted despite resting, ask yourself:

• Am I getting the right kind of rest?

• Which type of rest am I neglecting?

• How can I add more intentional restoration into my life?

When I started balancing all types of rest, my burnout recovery finally started moving forward. Because rest isn’t just about stopping, it’s about giving your body exactly what it needs.

Bringing It All Together

Burnout recovery isn’t just about resting more, it’s about resting in ways that actually restore you.

Before you assume you just need more sleep, ask yourself:

• Am I mentally drained from decision fatigue?

• Is sensory overload keeping me in a stressed state?

• Do I need emotional rest from people-pleasing?

• Am I missing creative or social rest?

Burnout recovery isn’t about doing more or doing less—it’s about doing what actually restores you. The more you match your rest to your actual needs, the faster you’ll start to feel like yourself again.

6. Keep It Simple—Find What Actually Feels Good

Burnout recovery doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Find what soothes you and do more of that.

• What feels genuinely nourishing?

• What brings you back to yourself?

• How can you intentionally add more of that to your days?

For me, that’s been herbal infusions. Making a big jar of nettle or oatstraw tea feels grounding, like a little self-care ritual that doesn’t require much effort. If you’re curious, I shared more about herbal infusions here.

Final Thoughts: Burnout Recovery Is Not a Speed run

If I could go back and tell my past self one thing, it would be this:
You can’t rush your way out of burnout.

Trying to fast-track healing will only slow it down. The real magic happens in small, steady shifts—choosing to rest, choosing to move, choosing to nourish your body, over and over again.

And if you want a cozy way to support your nervous system along the way, my Tea & Herb Recipe Cards might be a great place to start. They include blends designed for stress relief, relaxation, and overall well-being. You can check them out [here]—no pressure, just something cozy to explore.