What Are Some Effective Ways to Cope With Burnout? (And Why Most Advice Misses the Point)
Burnout isn’t cured by bubble baths, digital detoxes, or yet another list of productivity “hacks.” If you’re reading this, you’ve probably tried the obvious—yoga, gratitude journals, drinking more water—only to find your exhaustion waiting for you the next day, more persistent and slippery than an estate agent trying to land a deal. The truth is - coping with burnout in 2025 less about following the standard advice and more about really getting to know yourself.
A first step? Disrupt your patterns. Just because everyone’s scrolling and skimming to the point where nothing sticks, your job is actually to disrupt the autopilot in your life that leads inexorably to burnout. That means actively seeking experiences that jolt you—sign up for a salsa class even if you have two left feet, volunteer somewhere nobody knows your name, or pitch an idea at work that makes your boss nervous. Burnout festers in repetition. Jarring yourself sideways is the pattern break your brain desperately needs.
Next, reclaim relevance. Most burnout advice is generic—“practice self-care!”—but pause and think about what’s relevant for *you* and what rest looks like for *you* (not just “not working”). Maybe you need less social contact, not more; fewer “deep work” hours, not increased focus. Identify what actually feels nourishing for you, even if it looks nothing like what’s trending on wellness TikTok. Find and defend those things that refill *your* tank, not someone else's.
But the real secret? Emotional accuracy. Drop the act. Admit, out loud, to someone—or even in a private note—that you are not okay, and get brutally specific about why. “I’m tired” is bland. Try: “I feel like my job expects me to be a motivational meme generator, and also I’m tired of squeezing value out of every waking moment.” The more emotionally accurate you get about your burnout, the less control it has over you. Authenticity here isn’t about sharing, it’s about knowing yourself past all the “shoulds.”
Pattern break. Relevance snap. Emotional accuracy. Three levers, pulled hard, can help snap you out of mindless exhaustion in ways that herbal teas and apps never could.
If you’d like some support in getting to know yourself and figuring out what might actually help you, get in touch and book a 1-hour introductory session, online, or in-person.
Go Deeper. Live Better.
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
