9 Ways To Beat Burnout, According To The Experts
Burnout – the emotional, physical and psychological exhaustion caused by prolonged pressure and stress – is an affliction that can impact many of us, both in our professional and personal lives. Below, three experts share their tried-and-tested methods of preventing burnout before it takes hold – and how to overcome it when it does. By KATIE BERRINGTON
Understand the reasons
“Burnout isn’t caused solely by overwork or ambition,” says Emily Austen, founder of PR agency Emerge and author of Smarter: 10 Lessons For A More Productive And Less-Stressed Life. “The deeper driver is the ideology of productivity itself – what I call the ‘cult of productivity’. We’ve been taught to worship ‘busy’ as a badge of honor, to measure our worth by volume.”
Austen explains, “Burnout isn’t a personal failing, nor a lack of resilience. It’s the product of structural and cultural pressures that reward visibility, overextension and exhaustion – stripping away health, creativity and self-worth over time. The root cause is the worship of productivity as identity – the belief that more hours, more hustle and more ‘yeses’ will make you valuable, and is closely linked to our self-esteem and how we see ourselves in the world.”
Spot the early warning signs
“In functional burnout, you’re still able to keep going, but at a cost and risk to your health. For example, stress-related health issues like migraines and eczema might worsen; while sleep issues, irritability and brain fog make it hard to get through the day,” says Dr. Claire Plumbly, psychologist and author of The Trauma of Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You. “This is the moment to intervene with micro breaks (more on these below). I recommend taking them as you transition to the next task. Take a pause, see what energy level you have, ask yourself, ‘What do I need right now?’ and respond to that.”
Practice compassionate decision-making
“Burnout escalates when you override your limits to meet endless demands,” Dr. Plumbly continues. “If you find it hard to say ‘no’, then consider the concept of ‘compassionate decision-making’. When a new request comes in, your default response might be to work through a break to fit it in or push yourself to accept. But this is what a compassionate decision-making shift looks like: pause before responding, then instead of asking yourself, ‘How can I squeeze this in?’, ask, ‘How can I pace this day so that I don’t crash later?’ Practice letting others know you have no availability in those situations.”
Track and reset your habits
Austen suggests an audit and reset of default behaviors, with these steps:
“Track energy, not time. Productivity is about rhythm, not rigid schedules. Align your biggest tasks with your natural ‘golden hours’ and save admin for low-energy moments.
“Boundaries over balance. Balance can feel abstract; boundaries are practical. End your day on time, shorten meetings and reduce unnecessary check-ins.
“Audit your habits. Track where your energy leaks away – overcommitting, scrolling, procrastinating – so you can make deliberate choices.
“Practice a busyness detox. Stop saying ‘I’m busy’ for a week, mono-task, and reclaim your evenings. It’s a simple reset that exposes how much of busyness is self-generated.”
Relinquish what you can’t control
“There will always be things in our lives that impact us, yet are beyond our ability to directly control or influence,” says Dr. Cindy Manzano of meditation and mindfulness app Headspace. “We lose valuable emotional, mental and physical energy when our focus is misdirected on what we cannot control. Instead, invest time and energy into the things that bring routine, invite joy and fun, and build connection. In your personal life, create constants like a consistent bedtime or regular exercise. Release what does not serve you and leads to upticks in stress and cortisol, such as media overconsumption. This creates greater space for what is within your control.”
Create release points
“Actively take three types of breaks to restore your energy: macro breaks monthly, meso breaks weekly and micro breaks daily,” advises Dr. Manzano. “For example: take a few minutes each day to do a one-minute meditation and five deep breaths before starting with your laptop or phone (a micro break); take one to two hours each week to walk outside or have a leisurely lunch (a meso break); take a half or full day each month to engage in a hobby or new skill, go on a solo date, or spend time with loved ones (a macro break).”
Start to find safety again
“Clinical burnout is when the body forces a shutdown in some way – exhaustion, loss of motivation, even illness or panic attacks,” says Dr. Plumbly. “At this stage, recovery needs rest, nervous system regulation and medical or psychological support. We feel safe when we are with others whom we can co-regulate with. Sadly, often the urge during burnout is to socially withdraw, but I encourage you to dig deep and try to reach out to the most approachable person in your circles to let them know things aren’t OK. See what offers of help there are – you shouldn’t try to figure out all the answers when you are impaired in clinical burnout – you’ll struggle to find these on your own.”
Rebuild gradually
“Start with essential human needs, which are sleep, nutrition, gentle movement and connection,” Dr. Plumbly advises. “As those stabilize, you can reintroduce more, such as hobbies, more vigorous exercise and tackling problem-solving for the longer-term changes required at work, home, or with childcare.”
Give yourself a pause – and kindness
Austen suggests a four-pronged plan for when burnout has built up. “Pause with purpose: like athletes, we need built-in recovery so that rest isn’t a reward – it’s part of the plan. Cut performative work: late-night emails and over-polished decks create the illusion of productivity, not results. Go ghost (digitally): step back from social media for a few days, creating quiet to help reset your brain and reduce comparison fatigue. And back yourself: speak to yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a friend – catch the self-sabotage and replace it with self-support.”
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