Micro-steps you can take right now to avoid burnout

What is burnout?

Burnout develops when ongoing pressure slowly drains our emotional and physical reserves. Most of us can manage occasional stress, but when demands remain high for too long, our energy, motivation, and sense of purpose begin to erode. We can start to feel resentful and overwhelmed, and tasks that were once manageable become difficult to initiate or complete - almost like slogging through quicksand. Over time, people may struggle to concentrate, feel detached from coworkers or clients, and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Left unaddressed, burnout can affect mood, sleep, health, and functioning across many areas of life.

There are four main areas that cause or perpetuate burnout: the environment and situation we find ourselves in, our ability to recharge, coping mechanisms that unintentionally make things worse, and the thoughts and feelings that get in our way.

The environment

Burnout is heavily influenced by the context we work in. Heavy workloads, unclear roles, limited control, or a lack of support can create a steady stream of stressors that push us beyond our capacity to recover. In these conditions, even highly skilled people can begin to doubt their abilities or feel ineffective. When someone feels defeated or resigned, advocating for change may seem pointless, allowing the cycle to continue.

Not recharging

Burnout isn’t just about too much strain; it’s also about too little replenishment. When exhaustion builds, people often stop doing the very activities that restore energy—social connection, hobbies, movement, meaningful rest, nourishing food. Sleep can suffer, motivation drops, and life outside of work shrinks. Without consistent opportunities to recharge, depletion deepens, making it harder to recover and easier to become stuck.

Poor coping mechanisms

When people are stretched thin, they naturally look for ways to reduce discomfort. Emotional withdrawal, avoidance, or numbing may offer brief relief, but they can create new problems—strained relationships, missed deadlines, or declining performance. These consequences add even more pressure, reinforcing exhaustion and making burnout feel harder to escape. We might also try to “solve” the problem in ways that unintentionally make it worse, such as increasing the hours we work or taking a harsher approach to coworkers.

The way we think about the situation

Burnout often shapes our internal dialogue. Worrying about the future, dwelling on past missteps, or criticizing our own or others’ abilities can sap confidence and darken our moods. This mental loop acts like a constantly buzzing alarm, increasing stress even when we’re not at work. Over time, these patterns can chip away at our sense of competence and hope, affect our actions, and further fuel burnout in a downward spiral.

There are times in our lives when we enter a busy or difficult period with a definite end point. For example, I spent a year working full time in a leadership role while completing a master’s degree and working the equivalent of two days a week to fulfill a practicum requirement. I knew exactly how many hours I needed in order finish, and I counted them down on a sheet of paper attached to my bathroom mirror. Knowing there was an end date made it possible to weather the storm. Below you will find some suggestions for micro-behaviours that can be very helpful in situations like these.

However, if your difficult time doesn’t have an end date, is not something you wish to endure, or your distress feels more significant than what you’d reasonably expect in such a situation, then these tips may not be right for you—and it may be helpful to reach out to a professional for support.

Burnout recovery often requires big-picture changes, but small actions can make a meaningful difference in how you feel day to day. Here are simple micro-steps you can take right now—tiny shifts in your environment, your habits, and your thinking—that can lighten the load and help you feel a little more grounded.

• Change your workspace slightly: move to a window, a different room, or briefly work outside or in a café.

• Add one comfort cue: your favourite tea, a soft blanket, cozy socks, or a plant.

• Do a 2-minute tidy of one small area to reset your mind.

• Take breaks before you feel exhausted. Drink your coffee outside (no phone), walk around the building, stretch, or call a friend.

• Schedule two minutes of psychological detachment: step outside and feel the breeze, look at the sky, or play with a pet.

• Protect transitions: at the end of each meeting, take five slow breaths and name your next task before moving on.

• Prioritize one sleep-supportive action tonight (earlier wind-down, dim lights, warm shower).

• Have one tech-free meal with someone you care about.

• Stop constant task-switching. Turn off email notifications and open your inbox only at set times; close the tab outside those windows.

• Try a 60-second breathing reset (inhale 4, exhale 6).

• Reduce overtime by even 10 minutes today.

• Remove one low-value task: e.g., “I am not answering Slack after 6 p.m.” Put your laptop in a drawer.

• Shift your posture when your motivation drops: roll shoulders back, unclench jaw, take five breaths.

• Notice all-or-nothing thoughts like “I can’t take a break” and ask, “Is there a middle ground?”

• Work in the medium zone: set a 25-minute timer, work steadily (not intensely), then stretch for 3 minutes.

• Replace “I don’t have time” with “It’s not a priority right now.” See what that reveals.

• Question urgency: “Does this truly need to be done right now?” If not, set a realistic time and communicate it.

• At the end of the day, name three good things—they can be tiny.

• Lightly savour one positive moment at work: mentoring someone, solving a problem, an enjoyable conversation.

• Set a shutdown ritual sentence: “Work is done for today. My brain can rest.” Close your laptop and leave the room.