How Do I Deal With Burnout?
What To Do When Running On Empty
You wake up tired. You go to work tired. You come home tired. You feel unmotivated, cynical, and like you are always running on empty.
We call it burnout. And it is everywhere right now.
But here is the truth. Sleeping in on Saturday usually does not fix it.
Burnout is really about energy management, not time management. People take on too much. They multitask all day. They forget to take breaks. And before they know it, they are running on fumes.
In my experience, you have to tackle burnout from three angles.
The first is a mental reset. If you are that “go, go, go” type of person, you need to learn how to slow your mind down. Meditation and mindfulness can help with this. I sometimes catch myself jumping from thought to thought all day long. Learning to quiet the mind is a game changer.
The second is physical care. This means regular movement, good nutrition, solid sleep, and less screen time. Your brain needs real breaks. Not just switching from a laptop to your phone.
The third, and my personal favorite, is social connection. Spend time with people who lift your spirits. Human connection has a way of restoring your energy that nothing else can match.
And here is a big one. Learn to say no. Protecting your boundaries is one of the most powerful tools you have against burnout.
So if you are running on empty, ask yourself which of these three areas needs the most attention. Is it your mind, your body, or your relationships? Start there. Small changes add up. And you do not have to fix everything at once.
Authored by Gerard Guillory, MD
Gerard Guillory, MD, is a board-certified internist who practiced for nearly four decades with a focus on functional, root-cause medicine. He is the author of three books on irritable bowel syndrome and the founder of It’s My Health, where he and his team put current health news in context and help members understand the underlying causes of chronic symptoms.
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