The title could also be: how to re-enter your life when you’ve been building a business. 😀
A few months ago I reached the end of a two-year sprint of building my business and hit a wall. I was exhausted and burnt out — I had poured so much of myself into the work that I’d lost touch with the things that used to recharge me.
I love being creative and productive, but months of running on four hours of sleep finally caught up with me. I started feeling dizzy and disconnected, and for the first time in my life I was slipping toward depression. It wasn’t typical for me to feel that way, but when you neglect rest and self-care for long enough, your body and mind begin to protest. I’d even begin imagining physical ailments because I was so worn down and in desperate need of a break.
I remember being at a service event with other women and suddenly feeling intoxicated by exhaustion — lightheaded and unable to focus. That moment was a wake-up call: if I didn’t change how I was living, the cost would only get higher.
How could the project I started to give myself purpose and an outlet become so damaging? The answer was simple: I stopped taking care of myself. Anything—even something you love—can become harmful if you ignore your own needs. What began as a passion had become a source of strain and imbalance. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
It finally got so bad that I had to act. Here are the steps I took to recover my energy, my joy, and balance in life.
5 Suggestions for Overcoming Burnout and Getting your Life Back!
1. Prioritize sleep: aim for 6+ hours a night. I used to treat sleep as wasted time, something to steal from to get more done. That mindset left me depleted. I set a consistent bedtime reminder on my phone and gave myself permission to stop working and rest. Even when tasks felt urgent, I learned that stepping away and sleeping made me far more productive and clear-headed the next day. Small changes—turning off screens earlier, dimming lights, and establishing a bedtime routine—helped my body settle into better sleep.
2. Reintroduce music and other simple joys. After becoming a parent, I found my personal pleasures squeezed out of my routine. I missed listening to the radio and discovering new songs. Music feeds my creativity and lifts my mood, so I intentionally brought it back into my life. I started using streaming services to play favorites and explore new tracks while working or cooking. That small, consistent pleasure made a big difference in my daily mood and helped me feel more like myself.
3. Set clear priorities and schedule them. I began listing the most important work tasks and blocking time for them on my calendar. Once the key tasks were done, I closed the laptop and allowed myself to be fully present with my family. Scheduling work and leisure helped me avoid the creeping expectation that I should be “always on.” I also learned to protect days off: recently I took a weekend away with my husband for the first time in over two years. We went hiking and unplugged — it was restorative and reminded me why balance matters.
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4. Rediscover what you love and make time for it. I realized I really love to cook — trying new recipes, baking, and preparing meals for my family. For a while I defaulted to the quickest options, but budgeting time to cook more thoughtfully brought me back a sense of pleasure and creativity. We still keep quick meals for busy nights, but carving out time for longer, enjoyable cooking sessions has been nourishing in more ways than one.
5. Move your body regularly. I had neglected exercise for years and developed lingering issues after my last pregnancy. There came a moment when I could barely walk from one room to another without pain, and that scared me. With my husband’s encouragement I visited a physical therapist and began rebuilding strength slowly. I avoided jumping into intense classes and focused on walking, swimming, and gentle strength work. Over time, increasing activity improved my energy, posture, and confidence.
Those five changes—sleep, small pleasures, clear scheduling, reconnecting with passions, and gentle movement—helped me re-enter my life instead of living inside my work. Bringing more balance into my days allowed me to actually enjoy the people and activities I was working so hard to support. A little rest, fun, and self-care can seriously shift your perspective and restore your capacity to give to others without losing yourself.
How do you cope with burnout? What practical steps have helped you recover energy and joy?
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