Your Unique Burnout Recovery Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

Life transitions and major life changes, like losing your job, starting a business, ending a relationship, relocating to a new country, becoming a parent, coping with the loss of a loved one or an empty nest, retirement, or a significant health challenge often lead to burnout.

Burnout is more than just feeling tired or stressed—it’s a complete physical, mental, and emotional shutdown that can leave you feeling trapped and overwhelmed. If you’ve reached the point where even simple tasks feel impossible, it’s not just exhaustion you’re facing—it’s burnout.

I understand burnout, both personally and professionally, I’ve been there myself more than once. I know what it feels like—the uncertainty, the insecurity, the overthinking. In the last 30 years, I have been through 45 life transitions, sometimes more than one at a time. It hasn’t gotten any easier, but I got better at coping with it. I want to share what I have learned with you, to help you cope better too, if you are struggling to get through a life transition.

Sometimes we learn best by reading stories, so below you’ll find Emma’s story, a guest at one of my Camino de Santiago walking retreats a couple of years ago, followed by some suggestions you can use in your own situation. If you need help applying these suggestions, you are very welcome to join us for a Camino de Santiago walking retreat here at my little farmhouse in the southwest of France, or maybe enrol in my Road Map to Resilience online course – you can choose to add some one-one-one coaching to it – or start by buying my book Embracing Change – in 10 minutes a day.

I reply personally to each one I receive.

Dr Margaretha Montagu – MBChB, MRCGP, NLP Master Pract cert, Transformational Life Coach dip, Counselling cert, Med Hyp Dip and EAGALA cert

Case Study: Emma’s Burnout Recovery Plan

Emma, a 38-year-old marketing executive, had always prided herself on being a high achiever. But after months of late nights, impossible-to-meet deadlines, and intense pressure to perform, she began to feel completely drained. Tasks she once couldn’t wait to start, she now couldn’t finish on time. She started experiencing chronic headaches, insomnia, and an overwhelming sense of dread every morning.

Emma was suffering from burnout.

She took a week’s leave from work to attend one of my Camino de Santiago Walking Retreats here in the sun-blessed southwest of France. During this time, she unplugged from emails and spent her days hiking, journaling, and practising walking meditation. Once she felt more rested, Emma began reflecting on what led to her burnout. Through journaling, she realised she had been overcommitting at work and neglecting her personal needs.

Determined to set boundaries, Emma re-entered work gradually. She communicated her limits with her boss and carved out time each day for breaks. She also made self-care a priority, scheduling time for weekly walks in nature to replenish her energy stores.

Within a few months, Emma not only recovered from burnout but also found a healthier balance between her professional and personal life. This newfound resilience helped her approach work with renewed energy, and she continues to use walking meditation as a tool to prevent burnout.

So the good news is that burnout recovery is possible, but you will have to take intentional action to regain your emotional equilibrium. In this guide, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to recover from burnout, focusing on rest, reflection, and gradual re-engagement.

Step 1: Recognise the Signs of Burnout

Before you can begin recovering from burnout, it’s crucial to acknowledge and accept that you are burnt out. Common symptoms include:

• Chronic fatigue, even after rest
• Detachment or emotional numbness
• Lack of motivation or decline in work performance
• Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach issues
• Feeling isolated or overwhelmed by daily tasks

Admitting you’re burnt out isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s the first step toward regaining your strength. These signs are a signal that you need to hit reset.

Step 2: Prioritise Rest and Recovery

Burnout often occurs when your output far exceeds your input of rest and self-care. The first and most essential part of recovery is rest. This isn’t just about sleep (although getting enough is crucial); it’s about allowing your body and mind to reset. Here’s how you can start:

• Take a break: Whether it’s a day, a weekend, or even a few weeks, step away from the stressors contributing to your burnout. While individual experiences vary, a study published in the Journal of Psychology in 2018 found that it takes an average of three to four weeks for burnout symptoms to significantly decrease with proper intervention and rest.
• Sleep well: Focus on improving your sleep hygiene—create a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid screens before bed, and aim for 7-9 hours of rest.
• Just rest: Spend time doing things that don’t require mental energy, like listening to soothing music, practising mindfulness, or simply sitting in nature.

During this period, avoid filling your schedule with new obligations. Let this time be solely about rest.

Step 3: Reflect on the Root Causes of Your Burnout

Once you’ve started to recover physically, it’s time to understand the emotional and psychological aspects of your burnout. A 2022 Gallup study identified the top five causes of burnout as unfair treatment at work, unmanageable workload, lack of role clarity, lack of communication and support from managers, and unreasonable time pressure. Reflection is a powerful tool to identify the root causes and make changes that prevent future burnout. Understanding what led you to this point can help prevent it from happening again.

• Journal your thoughts: Writing down your feelings can help you untangle what led to burnout. Explore questions like: What are the biggest stressors in my life? Where do I feel the most depleted? What parts of my life bring me joy?
• Talk to a trusted confidant: Whether it’s a friend, a coach, or a therapist, sharing your experience with someone who can listen without judgment can offer clarity and support.
• Identify patterns: Notice recurring themes in your reflections. Are you over-committed? Do you lack boundaries at work? Are personal relationships draining your energy? Understanding these patterns helps you make informed decisions about your next steps.

Step 4: Set Boundaries to Protect Your Energy Stores

Burnout often stems from a lack of boundaries. You’ve given too much of yourself for too long without enough rest or personal time. To truly recover and prevent future burnout, it’s essential to set boundaries.

• Learn to say no: Protect your time and energy by learning to decline requests that don’t align with your priorities.
• Create work-life balance: Set clear times for work and personal life, and respect them. Avoid taking work home, if possible, or answering emails outside of work hours.
• Schedule regular breaks: Incorporate short, mindful breaks throughout your day to recharge. Even a five-minute pause can help reset your focus and prevent burnout from recurring.

Boundaries aren’t just about saying no—they’re about creating space for what matters most to you.

Step 5: Re-engage Gradually

Once you’ve rested and reflected, you may feel ready to dive back into your responsibilities—but take it slow. It’s important to re-engage gradually. A slow return allows you to maintain the balance and boundaries you’ve established. Here’s how to approach it:

• Start small: Begin by re-engaging in small tasks that you enjoy or find fulfilling. This could be as simple as working on a hobby or reconnecting with a passion project.
• Pace yourself: Avoid overwhelming yourself with too much too soon. If you’re returning to work, ease into it by taking on lighter tasks or working part-time, if possible.
• Be kind to yourself: Recovery isn’t linear. Some days will be easier than others, and that’s okay. Focus on progress rather than perfection.

Step 6: Reinforce Your Resilience for the Future

Burnout recovery is about more than just getting back to baseline—it’s about ensuring that you won’t end up in the same place again. Building resilience will help you maintain balance in the long term.

• Incorporate regular self-care: Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. Whether it’s daily meditation, weekly hobbies, or monthly getaways, prioritise activities that replenish you.
• Maintain strong boundaries: Protect the boundaries you’ve set and be vigilant about overcommitting in the future. Check-in with yourself regularly to ensure you’re staying balanced.
• Develop a variety of coping strategies: Stress is inevitable, but burnout doesn’t have to be. Develop coping mechanisms, such as regular breaks, exercise, and strong social support, to manage stress before it overwhelms you. Techniques like mindfulness, exercise, and social support can be invaluable. A 2020 systematic review published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that cognitive-behavioural interventions and mindfulness-based approaches were among the most effective strategies for reducing burnout symptoms.

Burnout doesn’t have to define you or dictate your future.

Recovering from burnout takes time, patience, and determination to put yourself first. By focusing on rest, engaging in meaningful reflection, and gradually re-engaging in life with healthy boundaries, you can overcome burnout and create a balanced, meaningful and fulfilling life.

It’s time to reinvent yourself, recharge your batteries, refocus on your priorities, and reignite your enthusiasm.

Don’t let another day slip by feeling drained and disconnected. Take the first step towards reclaiming your future.

Sources

• Journal of Psychology study on recovery time: Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2018). Recovery from job stress: The stressor-detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72-S103.
• Journal of Occupational Health Psychology systematic review: Ahola, K., Toppinen-Tanner, S., & Seppänen, J. (2020). Interventions to alleviate burnout symptoms and to support return to work among employees with burnout: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 25(1), 61-75.
• Gallup study on burnout prevalence: Wigert, B., & Agrawal, S. (2022). Employee Burnout: Causes and Cures. Gallup.