Burnout Recovery 101

Sofia Sweet
Apr 24
3 min read

How to Stop Running on Empty (Without Quitting Everything)

You don’t need a corporate job or a full calendar to be burnt out. Burnout isn’t just about being “too busy.” It’s about being too tired — in your bones, in your brain, in your soul.

It's that feeling where you’re functioning, technically — answering messages, posting content, showing up. But it’s all static. You’re there, but not really. And even rest doesn’t feel like it’s working anymore.

Burnout is sneaky. And recovery isn’t about bubble baths and journaling. Sometimes it’s about stepping all the way back from the version of yourself that’s been surviving — and figuring out how to start living again.

1. Admit You’re Fried

It sounds obvious, but most of us spend weeks (or months) trying to push through before we even admit we’re burnt out. Because being tired is “normal,” right? Because we think we’re just being dramatic. Because we don’t want to seem lazy, or weak, or “too much.”

But ignoring burnout doesn’t make it go away. It just drags it out. You can’t heal from something you won’t name.

So let’s call it what it is. You’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated. You’re exhausted. And that’s okay.

2. Cut 20% of Everything

If you’re at your limit, try this: take 20% off. Of everything. Say no to 20% of the work. Cancel 20% of the plans. Spend 20% less time online. Let 20% of your tasks go undone.

It won’t fix everything — but it gives your brain space to breathe. You don’t need a full reset button. Just a small, stubborn refusal to keep overloading yourself.

Give yourself permission to do less on purpose. That’s where healing starts.

3. Stop Performing “Rest”

You know what I mean: the kind of rest that’s still lowkey productive. Like organizing your closet while listening to a podcast about optimizing your life. Or taking a “self-care” bath while mentally checking off tomorrow’s to-do list.

That’s not rest. That’s performance.

Real rest is boring. It’s messy. It looks like scrolling for too long or laying face down in silence or sleeping through your alarm. And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

You don’t have to earn it. You don’t have to look cute while doing it. You just need to stop pretending you’re okay when you’re not.

4. Make Your Life Less Loud

This one’s personal. When I’m burnt out, the world feels too loud — messages, notifications, people needing things, people performing things. And suddenly, everything that used to be “fun” starts to feel like pressure.

The fix? I go quiet.

Mute group chats. Leave unread messages. Put on do-not-disturb and actually mean it. Take 2 days off Instagram. Turn the volume down on the outside world so I can hear my inside voice again.

It’s not antisocial. It’s survival.

5. Let Yourself Be Mid for a While

Not everything you do has to be excellent. Not every post has to go viral. Not every day has to be meaningful.

When you’re recovering from burnout, being “mid” is actually a win. You showed up. You got out of bed. You brushed your teeth. You didn’t spiral. That’s enough.

The goal right now isn’t growth — it’s repair. You’re allowed to coast. You’re allowed to be boring. You’re allowed to just be.

6. Don’t Wait for a Breakdown to Take Breaks

If you take anything from this post, let it be this: don’t wait for a breakdown to let yourself rest.

Burnout recovery isn’t just a break — it’s a rebuild. Of your boundaries. Your habits. Your expectations. Your relationship with productivity. And most importantly, your relationship with yourself.

There’s no perfect formula for healing, but I’ll tell you this: you’re not weak for needing to slow down. You’re not behind. You’re not failing.

You’re just human.

Bonus: You Don’t Have to Earn Peace

You don’t need to hit a goal or check a box to deserve peace. You can decide, right now, that you’re done being at war with your own energy. You can choose gentleness. You can choose stillness.

Even if the world keeps spinning fast, you don’t have to.