Burnout Series: Part 3

How to Prevent Burnout and Recover From It (Mind, Body, and Food)

Preventing burnout isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less, better.

The first step is recognising your limits. Burnout thrives on overcommitment and poor boundaries. Simple actions like setting work cut-off times, taking real lunch breaks, and reducing screen exposure at night make a real difference.

Movement helps too, but it doesn’t need to be intense. Walking, stretching, yoga, or even slow mobility exercises calm the nervous system and lower cortisol levels. Consistency matters more than intensity.

Sleep is non-negotiable. Poor sleep amplifies burnout symptoms. Creating a simple night routine, eating lighter dinners, and reducing late-night stimulation supports recovery.

Food plays a powerful role in burnout recovery. When stressed, the body needs nourishment, not restriction.

Helpful foods during burnout include:

• Warm, home-cooked meals

• Complex carbs like rice, millets, and oats

• Protein from dal, paneer, curd, eggs, or legumes

• Healthy fats like ghee, nuts, and seeds

• Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens and seeds
  

Avoid excessive caffeine, sugar spikes, and ultra-processed foods. They worsen anxiety and energy crashes. Hydration is equally important. Dehydration increases fatigue and brain fog, making burnout feel worse.

Emotionally, recovery means allowing rest without guilt. It may also mean asking for support. Talking to a therapist, coach, or trusted person helps process the emotional load burnout carries.

If burnout has already happened, be patient with yourself. Healing isn’t linear. Some days will feel better than others. That’s normal.

Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been strong for too long without enough support.

The goal isn’t to return to who you were before burnout. It’s to build a healthier, more sustainable version of your life moving forward.