We’re taught that burnout means you’ve been working too hard. That it’s a sign to rest, reset, maybe lighten your load. And I’ve lived that kind of burnout from doing too much. It’s real, and it’s not fun.
But I’ve also come to understand that burnout doesn’t always come from the hustle. Sometimes, it creeps in quietly when we’re just going through the motions. It’s not always about overdoing; it’s about under-being.
It’s what happens when you keep showing up, checking the boxes, and getting things done but you’re no longer in your life. You’re absent from it.
I’ve felt that kind of soul-tiredness many times. And it has nothing to do with how much I’m doing and everything to do with how disconnected I feel while doing it.
It’s sneaky. It shows up as dullness, a lack of inspiration, a strange, quiet ache that no amount of rest or productivity seems to fix.
And I’ve learned to recognize it as my soul saying: “Hey, you’ve gone missing.”
I was missing from the moments that mattered, from my own body, from the joy, creativity, and simple things that make life feel like mine.
When this happens, I know it’s time to return to presence, not by doing more but by doing differently.
I come back to the present moment by tuning into my five senses. I begin to notice what I see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. Letting my body anchor me when my mind feels far away.
And this is what I want to invite you into:
What if your burnout isn’t a sign you’ve done too much but that you’ve disconnected from what’s yours?
What if the antidote isn’t escape, but reconnection?
What if your life doesn’t need to be bigger, louder, or more productive—it just needs to be more yours?
Let’s practice that together.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash