5 Things That Helped Me Break Mental Burnout (Without Sacrificing Parts of Myself)

By Shaun K.

Can we just be honest about it? -- burnout doesn't just feel like simple exhaustion, it feels like being hollowed and emptied from the inside out-- and even worse sometimes your mind becomes the primary culprit. Your memory’s trash, you’re emotionally flatlined, and everything else that once came easy or even felt enjoyable now seems to feel more like a chore. This post isn’t going to be about becoming some hyper-actively disciplined version of a “new you”. It’s about how I slowly started returning back to myself-- with 5 things that actually gave me the tools and helped me to think straight again.

I. The Journal That Wouldn’t Judge

When your mind’s loud and scattered, your train of thought always seems to derail or deviate into dark places, journaling may give them a place to settle and become more grounded. I started with short daily dumps- with no prompts and no pressure, I thought about the past, present and future, asking myself questions that would involve deep self-reflection and broadening my views with the climates we currently struggle to live in. The power wasn’t in the pages but in realizing I had something to say again- and so much of it.

II.  Lo-fi Music & Over-Ear/Noise canceling Headphones

I didn’t listen to motivational podcast. No “brain-hacking frequencies”. Just relaxing sounds with some quality noise canceling headphones that would give me the ability to let my mind just breath and ground me from obsessive thinking. Sometimes that quiet space was all I needed to just relax and reset for a few hours.

III. Time-Blocking My Day (But loosely)

No, you don’t need to meticulously plan out your entire day, from each hour to the next. I managed my days in categories instead, letting my calendar reflect what I needed- focusing on “Energy”, “Rest”, and “Rebuild” factoring in things I enjoy currently or use to and want to try picking back up again and just not simply what I had to do. It made even the smallest of decisions feel more Intentional and fulfilling-- it lets you know much you could still accomplish, even if you let yourself take a break, especially when it becomes necessary for your betterment-- completely guilt free.

IV. Saying No (Out Loud, Not in My Head)

I used to rehearse boundaries in my head and try to force stop my “people pleasing” phase yet, still would falter in the end-- saying “Yeah, I got you.” out loud. Burnout taught me that obtaining and keeping your peace is worth being misunderstood. Learning to say “no.” without a TED Talk explanation? Life-changing. Especially in cases where you’re simply just wasting your breath.

V. One Thing to Look Forward To-- Everyday

Not a career. Not a complete transformation. Just a simple spark, new lust for life. A favorite show. A new tea. Even a quote that spoke to me. One thread of thread of joy that reminded me: I’m still in here and I have so much more to so

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken. It just means your survival system did its job for too long. These five things didn’t change my life overnight-- but they gave me the groundwork I needed to bring me back to the surface. If you’re finding yourself in the thick of it, just start small. Your clarity hasn’t left you. It's just become buried under the noise.