“I was the perfect person to have a burnout because I was not listening to my body at all.” Robin Soderling
Burnout doesn’t knock politely on the door. It barges in, uninvited, turning your life upside down when you least expect it. I know this because it happened to me. For months, to be honest, for years I ignored the warning signs—fatigue, irritability, a gnawing sense of overwhelm. Crying over nothing. Making excuses not to go out. Days when I couldn’t get out of bed. Calling in sick, because I just couldn’t face the day. My internal voice whispered; You need to rest. Slow down. Stop. But I didn’t listen. Instead, I kept pushing, ignoring the rising tide of exhaustion and stress.
Until I couldn’t.
One day, I hit a wall so hard I could no longer work. Burnout took everything from me—my energy, my focus, my confidence. It wasn’t just about needing a good night’s sleep; it was about rebuilding myself entirely. The journey back wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t quick. It took me six months just to become comfortable with the idea that healing my body and mind was my full-time job.
Learning to Listen
What changed everything for me was learning to truly listen to my body. I had never done this before—not really. I’d been too busy striving, achieving, and proving my worth to a world that equated productivity with value. But burnout forced me to stop and ask myself a simple yet life-changing question: What do I need right now?
The first time I asked this, I was stunned by the answer. My body didn’t crave some elaborate wellness ritual or a complex solution. It wanted simplicity: to lie on the couch, sip a warm Milo, and nibble on Vegemite toast. It was such a specific and unexpected response, yet it made perfect sense. These comforts transported me back to my childhood, to a time when life felt safe and unhurried.
By asking—and truly listening—I began to understand that my body had always been speaking to me. I had just been too busy, too distracted, too caught up in external expectations to hear it.
The Hard Part: Taking Action
Listening, though, is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in acting on what your body tells you. And let me tell you, that’s no small feat when your mind is racing with guilt and shame.
For months, I wrestled with these feelings. I’d watch my husband head off to work, and a crushing sense of inadequacy would wash over me. Why couldn’t I do the same? Why was simply getting out the door so overwhelming? I felt like a failure, trapped in a relentless loop of self-criticism.
But here’s what I eventually realized: I was measuring myself against standards that didn’t align with my reality. Productivity, as defined by a society obsessed with doing, wasn’t the yardstick I needed. My new measure of success became rest, healing, and learning to honour what my body needed to thrive.
The Role of Guidance
One of the most transformative parts of my recovery was working with my psychologist. From our first session, she created a “map” outlining the steps we’d take to get me back to a place of balance. This visual roadmap was incredibly reassuring—it gave me structure at a time when I felt like I was adrift. Notice I said she created the map. I was incapable of making decisions at that time.
We stayed on the first step for a very long time. That was hard for me at first because it felt like I wasn’t “moving forward,” but it taught me patience and the value of small, steady progress. My psychologist’s gentle guidance reminded me that recovery isn’t about rushing to the finish line—it’s about giving yourself the space and time to heal fully.
Practical Tips for Healing Burnoutwerful Closures: Leaving a Lasting Impression
If you’re in the throes of burnout, know this: recovery is possible, but it requires patience, self-compassion, and support. Here are some practical tips that helped me along the way:
- Be Kind and Gentle with Yourself
Burnout isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a signal that you’ve been doing too much for too long. Treat yourself with the same care and compassion you’d offer a close friend. Take each day—each minute, if need be—as it comes. - Seek Professional Support
Don’t try to navigate burnout alone. A supportive GP and psychologist can provide guidance, validation, and a roadmap for recovery. Sometimes, just knowing there’s a plan in place can make the journey feel more manageable. - Find Accessible Resources
During burnout, I found I had lost my ability to focus long enough to read—a heartbreaking realization for an avid reader like me. Instead, I turned to audiobooks, podcasts, and guided meditations. They became lifelines, offering comfort and wisdom without requiring the energy to sit down with a book.- Some resources I found helpful:
- Apps: Insight Timer, Calm, or Headspace
- Podcasts: The Mindful Kind or Therapy Chat
- Audiobooks: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
- Some resources I found helpful:
- Reclaim Simple Joys
Start small. Whether it’s a comforting drink, a childhood snack, or simply lying on the couch, listen to what your body craves and give yourself permission to indulge in those moments. - Challenge Guilt and Shame
Remind yourself that healing is productive. Society’s obsession with constant achievement isn’t the only way to measure your worth. Write a new script for yourself—one that values rest, recovery, and self-respect. - Build a Support Network
Let those closest to you know what you’re going through. Whether it’s a friend, partner, or family member, having someone who understands and supports your need for rest can make all the difference.
A Gentle Reminder
Burnout taught me a profound truth: your body knows what you need long before your mind catches up. It constantly sends signals, nudging you toward balance and well-being. But in a world glorifying busyness, it’s too easy to ignore those signals until it’s too late.
Learning to listen to your body is a skill; like any skill, it takes practice. Start small. Ask yourself, What do I need right now? Then act on the answer, no matter how simple or unconventional it might seem.
For me, that practice began with Milo and Vegemite toast. Over time, it grew into a deeper relationship with myself, one rooted in respect, compassion, and trust.
If you’re feeling burnt out, I want you to know it’s okay to stop. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to prioritize your well-being over everything else. And it’s okay to feel uncomfortable with this at first—rest doesn’t always come naturally in a world that prizes doing over being.
But trust me when I say this: your body knows the way back to balance. All you have to do is listen—and act.
What’s your body telling you right now? Maybe it’s time to ask.
