Burnout Part 2: Getting Your Energy Back

Good news: you don't need to quit your job or move to Golden Bay to recover from burnout. You just need to work with your grain, not against it and balance what is happening in your mind, body, and environment.

We suggest working with one of our skilled psychologists to work out what's going on individually, to better balance your 3 Big Things.

Recovery usually has three phases. Match yours to your burnout stage from Part 1. Taking a moment to check in with yourself, your body and your situation.

Phase 1 — Signal Safety

●      Give yourself permission to do "good enough." Your depleted dopamine system can't handle perfection right now.

●      Protect your sleep. Prioritise a consistent 7 day bedtime and wake routine where your body and mind can get plenty of rest and recovery.

●      Move gently for 10 minutes daily. Walk in nature. Stretch on your floor. Walk barefoot on the grass, feel the sun on your face. Your nervous system reads these as safety signals.

●      Connect with one safe person this week. Not networking, genuine connection where you don't have to perform. Even a 10 minute call can give your system boost of oxytocin.

●      Get outside for 5 minutes daily. Natural light is one of the most powerful serotonin boosters available.

●      Set one boundary. Turn off work notifications after 6pm. Say "I'm at capacity right now" when asked to take on more. This is a form of kaitiakitanga, guardianship of yourself.

Phase 2 — Build Sustainable Rhythms

●      Create "bookend" rituals. Five minutes to start your workday and end it. These signal to your nervous system when work begins and ends.

●      Find your endorphin practice. Dancing? Playing with pets? Gardening? Your body knows what it likes, listen to it. Laughter counts too.

●      Cultivate one meaningful connection weekly. Whakawhanaungatanga, genuine connection isn't optional. It's your primary oxytocin source.

●      Eat healthy meals at consistent times. Your body interprets erratic eating as a threat signal. Be mindful of alcohol intake as you recover.

●      Have the conversation with your manager. "I'm managing X, Y, and Z. To maintain quality, I need to either delegate A or extend the timeline on B." It's better to underpromise and overdeliver.

Phase 3 — Thriving Long-Term — Prevention Mode

●      Master your dopamine. Break big projects into milestones. Notice when you're chasing unhealthy sources (social media, sugars) versus healthy ones (meaningful work, creative flow).

●      Weekly pleasure practice. One thing purely for joy: a long bath, a nature walk, singing or dancing in your kitchen. Your mauri needs these infusions of unpressured joy.

●      Contribute beyond yourself. Find ways to serve something larger. This is manaakitanga or caring for others. It's a DOSE jackpot: serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin all at once.

5 Ways to Raise Workload Issues with Your Manager or “What do you need from me and what do I need from you”

Start Now

Choose one action from each area this week:

Mind

One thing you'll do "good enough"

Body

10 minutes of joyful movement or nature time

Relationships

One boundary or one genuine connection

Spirit

One thing that replenishes your life force

Your body wants to heal. Your DOSE chemistry wants to flow. Your nervous system wants safety. You just need to stop working against them and start working with them.

At 3 Big Things, we structure our sessions to help you leave feeling understood and practically supported. Want to book a session: contact@3bigthings.co.nz