How to recover from burnout

Burnout can sneak up on you. It’s more than having a stressful week or feeling tired after a long day. It’s what can happen when chronic workplace stress goes unmanaged for too long. What was once occasional exhaustion becomes constant. Where you once felt energized and engaged at work, you now feel detached and cynical. And as hard as you might try to get things done, your productivity plummets.

Burnout can build gradually or hit after an especially intense stretch, but the sooner you recognize the signs, the sooner you can start to recover. Here are a few practical ways to begin.

1. Proper sleep is key to recovering from burnout

You may already know that factors like work, personality, and lifestyle can contribute to burnout, but so can poor sleep.¹ When we talk about sleep and burnout, it’s a bit like asking what came first, the chicken or the egg? Regularly getting less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep can make you more susceptible to burnout.^2,3 But if you’re already dealing with burnout, a lack of sleep can make you more likely to feel emotionally exhausted and less able to deal with high stress, which can make it even more difficult to get good sleep.

“Less than six hours of sleep at night makes you 2.5x more likely to have serious mental distress,” says Jen Foley, Director of Clinical Partnerships at Spring Health.

When feeling like there are so many things to get done, it can seem like there’s no time for sleep. But repeatedly grinding into the late hours of the night will lead to sleep deprivation, which has some serious downsides, including impaired work performance, obesity, heart and kidney disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and mental health issues.⁴

Taking the time to set yourself up for sleep success can help with burnout recovery by improving well-being. The physical symptoms of insufficient sleep include low energy, anxiety, mental exhaustion, depression, and the inability to handle stress.⁵ To help you perform optimally and cope with feeling physically depleted from burnout, a big part of the daily recovery when learning how to recover from burnout is prioritizing better sleep.

How to recover from burnout: Tips and tricks for better sleep

Timing: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day to get your body in a rhythm. Create a regular sleep routine — take a warm bath, read, or listen to relaxing music before bed to tell your body it’s time for rest.

Bedroom space: Keep your bedroom cool (the ideal temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees) and the temperature consistent.⁶ Make sure your bed is comfortable and supportive for your body. Keep work outside of the bedroom. Make sure you can block out light from outside. Use a white noise machine if it tends to be loud.

Bed behaviors: Use your bed for sleep; use another room to watch TV, eat, and work. If you can’t fall asleep or go back to sleep in 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel drowsy. Avoid excessive screen time before bed.

Consumption: Try having a light snack before bed (yogurt, banana, etc.). Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and heavy, spicy, or sugary foods late in the day. Try to increase physical activity earlier in the day. Keep naps to under 30 minutes.

2. Find ways to manage stress to recover from burnout

Having a toolkit of techniques to manage stress can help maintain an even keel when confronted with triggering moments. When battling burnout, even a task that’s a part of your normal job responsibilities can make you feel overwhelmed. To help stop stress in its tracks and prevent burnout from getting worse, apply this easy-to-remember formula to help you cope with burnout.

STOP stress in its tracks using this mindfulness technique.

S = Stop

If you get a huge assignment or stressful email and start feeling anxious, push your chair back and pause. Have a moment to yourself before deciding how to move forward with the task at hand.

T = Take a breath

Focus on your breathing for a minute. Take a big inhalation through your nose and exhale slowly and deeply. Repeat a couple of times to help lower your heart rate.

O = Observe

What are you feeling at this moment? Notice your thoughts, emotions, and physical state. Tune into yourself in a nonjudgmental way to observe what’s going on.

P = Proceed

What's one thing that you'd like to focus on today? When battling burnout, the to-do list for any given day can feel daunting, but it’s impossible to do them all at the same time. What’s one thing you can focus on at this moment to address the request at hand?

3. Having fun can help with burnout recovery

When someone is experiencing severe burnout, there may be many responsibilities that they’re trying to juggle — work projects, household chores, caretaking for loved ones, etc. These are things they feel like they must take care of, potentially to the point where it feels like having fun is an unnecessary luxury. However, incorporating fun activities into your life may be one of the most helpful (and most enjoyable) burnout coping strategies.⁷

Fun activities provide the positive type of stress that’s called eustress.⁸ Eustress can contribute to feelings of optimism and excitement about life.⁹ Think of the excitement you get from riding a rollercoaster, going to a concert, or completing a challenge like running a 5K.

While incorporating these major sources of fun may only be possible a couple of times a month, finding ways to introduce regular fun into each day can spark some positive emotions. It can be as simple as watching a funny show or calling a friend for a catch-up. Choosing activities that promote laughter will serve as a double bonus to reduce those negative feelings that arise when experiencing burnout. Research suggests that laughter carries many health benefits, such as reducing the levels of stress hormones, improving the immune system, and relieving pain.¹⁰

4. Establish a routine to improve mental and physical health

A daily routine can serve as an anchor that keeps us rooted during stressful times and helps the burnout recovery process. Implementing structure can introduce a sense of control during times of uncertainty and unpredictability, whereas a lack of structure may actually contribute to feelings of distress. The right routine is one that includes all areas of life to make sure job demands are met, and self-care isn’t forgotten. It’s a great way to start incorporating positive habits into each day that can help chip away at burnout symptoms.

Having a regular routine can help recover from burnout by:

1. Improving your health.

2. Feeling more productive.

3. Gaining more focus.

4. Lowering stress levels.

Planning out dedicated time each day to handle all the “need-to-dos” will help you find time for the “nice-to-dos” like having more fun, working on hobbies, and regular exercise. Be sure to follow a routine that supports well-being. A schedule that demands all work, and no play is a way to guarantee that burnout will stay. Here are some things to consider when planning out a daily routine:

• Focus on things you can control like wake-up and bedtimes, as well as meals and downtime.

• Set realistic goals.

• Start with the basics you do each day.

• Set aside time for activities and people you enjoy.

• Avoid a routine turning into a work to-do list. Keep a routine at a higher level.

• Allow yourself the ability to adjust the routine.

• Forgive yourself if the routine isn’t met each day. Like creating a habit, this will take practice and unforeseen circumstances can always throw things off course. Start fresh tomorrow.

5. Use mental health resources provided by your employer

Organizations have taken the initiative to expand access to mental health resources that can help with treating burnout. These can include options like counseling or therapy that’s available virtually via text message or video call. Some employer-provided mental health services are far exceeding the process of therapy with innovative methods that focus on delivering support on-demand when it’s needed most.

Unsure if your company is offering mental health resources? There’s an increasing chance they are even if you’re not aware. Using these job resources can be helpful for those who'd prefer some personalized guidance on how to recover from burnout. Vacation is a key benefit that is often overlooked and underutilized. In 2025, while 82% of American workers have paid time off, nearly 1 in 4 (23%) took no vacation days.¹¹ Scheduling a brief vacation every few months has been shown to provide a needed reset and help maintain well-being.¹²

Medical leave also may be an option for those experiencing severe burnout. Taking extended time off can allow time to focus on the underlying issues that caused this high stress. Each company's paid leave policy will differ, so connect with your human resources department to learn about the options available to you.

Think you're suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion?

Review this checklist to see if you're experiencing burnout. Having the self-awareness to recognize that you've experienced burnout and seek professional help for treating burnout doesn't always come naturally. This handy checklist can help assess how things are going.

• How’s your body feeling physically?

• Are you holding tension in any part of your body?

• Have you been getting enough quality sleep each night?

• Are you eating well? Drinking enough water?

• How do you feel about your connections/relationships?

• When was the last time you spent quality time with friends or family?

• Have you been working more hours than usual?

• Do you feel a sense of purpose that motivates you?

• Do you ignore or skip activities you enjoy?

Remember that you’re not alone. Workers across America are reporting that they’re struggling to take care of their mental health. According to Mind, Body, and Wallet® 2026: Living longer, living better, only about a third say they’re good at taking care of their mental health (34%) and maintaining good work/life balance.¹³ Prioritizing both can help you recover from burnout — and also help prevent it before it starts.