Burnout can leave even the simplest things feeling hard, which is why small, practical supports can make such a difference.
Our friend Laura (one half of @_theholist together with her partner Brendan), a naturopath, food obsessed human and beautiful source of wisdom around nourishment, nervous system support and real-life wellbeing, has shared a few gentle tips for those seasons when you feel stretched, depleted or like you are running on empty.
These tips are not about doing everything perfectly. They are simple places to start when your body and mind are asking for a little more care.
Tips For Burnout
1. Start with a proper, grounding and protein-rich breakfast.
When I feel myself slipping into burnout territory, one of the first things I focus on is making sure I am having a protein-rich, savoury breakfast.
I find savoury food feels really grounding because it usually means I am getting more of the things my body actually needs to feel steady: protein, minerals, salt, healthy fats and slow carbohydrates.
Compared to something sweet or snacky, a warm savoury breakfast can feel more stabilising because it supports blood sugar, gives the body proper fuel and helps me feel like I am eating a real meal rather than just grabbing something to get by.
I especially love doing a broth-style breakfast bowl because it feels warm, nourishing and comforting, but also practical. You get the minerals and saltiness from the broth, protein from something like beef mince, eggs or chicken, and slow carbohydrates from rice or potatoes.
It is the kind of meal that makes your body feel like it can actually land.
To keep it easy, I like to prep a few things ahead of time, like cooked rice. When it cools, it turns into resistant starch, which can be great for your microbiome. I will also prep a protein, such as beef mince with spring onions, then in the morning I add it to a bowl with some chicken broth concentrate and hot water.
It takes about 3 minutes and feels like a proper, warm, nourishing meal.
It is one of those small things that can make your whole day feel steadier.
2. Don’t run a busy life on coffee and scraps.
I am definitely not saying to cut out coffee completely, but I do think it helps to use it in a way that supports your body rather than pushes you further.
For me, this usually means having coffee after food, not as breakfast.
If you are already feeling stretched, wired or depleted, having coffee on an empty stomach can sometimes make you feel more jittery, anxious or like you are running on stress hormones instead of real energy.
If I still feel like I need a little lift later, I often swap to matcha after my first coffee. It still gives you that gentle caffeine boost, but it also contains L-theanine, which is an amino acid naturally found in green tea.
L-theanine is loved because it can support a calmer, more focused kind of energy. So instead of feeling like you are being pushed or spiked by caffeine, it can feel a little smoother and less frantic.
That is why matcha can be such a nice option when your nervous system already feels stretched. You still get the “I need something” feeling, but with more of a steady, focused energy rather than another big hit.
The goal is not to be perfect. It is just to stop relying on caffeine to carry you through a day where your body is underfed, overwhelmed or running on empty.
3.Focus on fewer open loops
When I am feeling close to burnout, a huge thing for me is reducing the amount of “open loops” in my brain.
Instead of having a massive to-do list with 20 or more things on it, I try to choose the top 3 to 5 things that actually matter most and focus on getting those done properly.
It sounds basic and a bit simple, but it feels so much more satisfying. You end the day feeling like you actually completed something instead of half-doing everything and still feeling behind, so you get that wonderful little hit of dopamine.
And 9 times out of 10, doing this also creates a little pocket of space to go lay in the sunshine, go for a walk, have a sauna, or honestly just watch a comfort show without feeling like your brain is still trying to catch up.
Burnout support does not always need to be complicated. Sometimes it starts with a proper breakfast, a gentler relationship with caffeine and giving your brain fewer things to hold at once.
Laura and Brendan have also shared a beautiful, nourishing recipe to support those run-down seasons: a Creamy Truffle Miso Ramen with Sesame Chicken, Mushrooms and Jammy Eggs. It is warm, brothy, protein-rich and full of ingredients chosen to support stress, burnout and overall nourishment.
You can find the ramen recipe HERE.