Because I want this blog post to stay evergreen, I won’t mention (but, obviously, will) the fact that I’m writing it on:
- The first day of a brand-new month
- September, to be exact, with all its back-to-school energy
- AND on a Monday
Like… hello fresh start vibes. Seriously, I dare you to name a better time than Monday, 1st September to start building new habits. (And no, New Year’s doesn’t count.)
Can you tell that I’m a little bit obsessed with doing a monthly reset and building a seasonal routine?
That’s because habits are literally what shape how you show up in your job and your life.
They’re the little things you do on repeat that either keep you grounded or slowly pull you toward burnout. It’s not the one-off spa day or 2-week vacation that saves you, it’s the daily choices that add up over time.
And because your energy shifts with the seasons, your workload, your menstrual cycle, and life in general, the habits you lean on need to shift too.
So yes, the habits you build to avoid burnout are a BIG deal.
And what better excuse to audit your current habits and build fresh ones than at the start of September? (Don’t be fooled, though, you don’t need to wait for a Monday, a new month, or a new year to build habits. You can start on a random Wednesday afternoon if you want to.)
Here are 101 sustainable habits you can play around with and add to your routine, depending on the season you’re in and the energy you’ve got.
P.S. If you’re new here, hey! I’m Thalia. I help 30-something girlies beat burnout and unf*ck their life through 1:1 coaching and self-paced tools. Every week(ish), I share content on burnout recovery, self-development, finding joy, and career growth. Subscribe here so you never miss a debrief.
Why building habits is key to burnout recovery
Burnout doesn’t just happen because of a toxic boss or demanding workload.
It happens when you forget to take care of yourself.
It creeps in when you put everyone else’s needs above your own, skip meals to meet deadlines or sacrifice sleep to catch up on emails.
Over time, the little ways you neglect yourself add up, leaving you feeling drained AF, disconnected from yourself, and running on empty.
The obvious solution is to prioritise self-care. (Did someone say yoga retreat?!)
The problem is, self-care shouldn’t be something you turn to when you’re already falling apart. It’s what stops you from getting there in the first place.
Part 3 of The Anti-Burnout Framework focuses on building a self-care toolkit that sets you up for success, both in and out of the office, so you can thrive in your job and enjoy your life outside of it.
Habits are the heartbeat of that self-care toolkit.
They’re the small, consistent actions that have a massive impact on how you feel and function and help you thrive without having to think twice. The goal? To make these habits so second nature that they feel like part of who you are, not just another thing to check off your to-do list.
Making habits a core part of your anti-burnout routine can also:
- Save you from decision fatigue
- Give your day some structure so you’re not running around like a headless chicken
- Help you reconnect with the basics (food, sleep, and movement)
- Make it way easier to bounce back when shit hits the fan
- Build little wins into your day that actually make you feel good
- Ground you when work feels chaotic
- Help you build resilience so you can handle stress
- Protect your energy long-term so you’re not constantly living in the red zone
How to build habits for burnout recovery
Instead of building habits at random, take a second to check in with yourself properly. Because not every habit is going to serve you every day.
The real magic comes from knowing where your energy is at right now.
Start by asking:
“What colour is my energy? Green, orange, or red?”
Once you know which burnout zone you’re in, you can focus on adopting habits that meet you where you are.
Action Steps
- Rate your energy first: Is it high (green), medium (orange), or low (red)?
- Start small: Focus on 1–2 habits at a time that match your energy. (Scroll to the list below for inspo!)
- Habit stack: Pair a new habit with an existing one. For example, stretch for five minutes while your coffee brews
- Make it rewarding: Celebrate your wins and reward yourself when you hit milestones
- Automate your self-care: Use reminders, alarms, or apps to help you stay consistent
- Track your progress: Keep tabs on how you’re showing up for yourself each day
101 habits to protect your energy and prevent burnout
Your energy isn’t the same all year round. It shifts with the seasons, with your workload, with your menstrual cycle, and with what’s going on in your life.
Some weeks you’re thriving, other weeks you’re just trying to get through the day.
And that’s totally normal.
But the habits that keep you grounded and sane when you’re thriving aren’t the same ones you need when you’re running on empty.
That’s why I’ve broken down this list of habits into 3 areas:
- High energy (aka the green zone where everything is running smoothly)
- Medium energy (aka the orange zone when things are starting to feel overwhelming)
- Low energy (aka the red zone where shit is about to hit the fan)
Think of this list as a menu. Pick and choose what you need depending on your energy (I recommend no more than 1-3 new habits at a time) and navigate life with ease.
I encourage you to save this post so you can come back to it whenever you need to.
1 | Habits for high energy (aka the green zone)
Take advantage of your high energy by doubling down on habits that build long-term resilience so when life gets challenging, you’ve already got a strong foundation.
- Open the windows every morning and breathe in fresh air
- Get sunlight in your eyes first thing (no sunnies, max. 10 mins)
- Say it out loud: “Today is going to be a great day.”
- Do 30-60 minutes of exercise per day (yoga, Pilates, gym, HIIT, etc. whatever feels good)
- Go swimming
- Meditate for at least 3-minutes in the morning
- Stretch while your coffee brews
- Cook yourself one nourishing meal a day from scratch
- Eat to balance your blood sugar (protein + carbs + healthy fat)
- Meal prep your lunches and dinners so you’re not panic-ordering Uber Eats
- Swap fizzy drinks for sparkling water with lemon
- Delay your first coffee until after breakfast
- Aim for 2 litres of water a day (carry that cute bottle everywhere)
- Try a new workout class every month for fun
- Use the stairs instead of the lift (you’ll thank me later)
- Book your annual health check-up before you forget
- End your showers with 30 seconds of cold water therapy
- Walk 5–10k steps daily (whatever’s realistic for you)
- Move for 5 minutes every hour (yes, it counts)
- Plan your workouts into your calendar like meetings
- Schedule in one of these non-negotiable days each month
- Take a 5-minute walk outside after meals for fresh air
- Put your phone away when you eat
- Limit screens an hour before bed
- Sleep 7–9 hours. Non-negotiable
- Keep a consistent sleep/wake time (yes, weekends too)
- Wake up 30 minutes earlier for journaling, reading, or doing something intentional
- Listen to a motivating podcast during your morning commute
- Read a self-development book for 20 minutes in the morning instead of scrolling
- Do a weekly Sunday reset (laundry, fridge clean, prep for the week, etc)
- Set monthly goals that actually excite you
- Try a new hobby like knitting, painting, climbing, or boxing one day every month
- Prep your corporate girlie outfit the night before
- Keep a “joy list” — things that boost your mood when you need them
2 | Habits for medium energy (aka the orange zone)
You’re still functioning, but things are starting to feel overwhelming. The goal here is to simplify, lighten the load, and keep your head above water without pushing too hard.
- Prioritise between 7-9 hours of sleep a night
- Go to bed 30 minutes earlier
- Make your bed every morning
- Do a 5-minute brain dump when your mind can’t switch off
- Listen to an audiobook on Headway that you’ve been meaning to start
- Write down 3 things you are grateful for every day
- Write down 3 things you are looking forward to tomorrow
- Schedule your non-work related activities first
- Limit your to-do list to just 3 priorities
- Use the Eisenhower Matrix or 135 Method for your workload
- Block out at least 2 mornings a week for no meetings
- Say “I get to” instead of “I have to” for an instant mindset shift
- Swap “Yes, I’ll do that” for “I don’t have the capacity right now”
- Use one of these email templates to push back on unrealistic deadlines
- Practice box breathing when stressed (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, repeat)
- Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique
- Reconnect with the core values you’ve been neglecting lately and invite more of that into your day
- Celebrate a daily small win (yes, shaving your legs counts)
- Write down tomorrow’s meals to reduce decision fatigue
- Schedule at least one night a week that’s purely for rest
- Put your phone in another room before sleeping
- Mute notifications or leave your phone on do not disturb
- Record voice notes instead of sending long texts
- Get your inbox down to zero
- Prep overnight oats or boiled eggs for an easy grab-and-go breakfast
- Reduce sugar
- Limit alcohol when you feel drained and stressed (it’s not the answer, trust me)
- Go for a 15-minute walk at lunch without your phone
- Stretch at your desk every hour
- Choose movement over workouts (walking, stretching, yoga, etc)
- Set a new boundary per week for an area that needs your attention
- Practice saying no without guilt — even to fun things if you need the rest instead
- Spend an hour a week (or more if you can) by yourself
- Take a proper break (at least 5 mins) every 90 minutes
- Book something small to look forward to at the weekend (e.g. coffee meet up, solo date, girls’ night, etc.)
3 | Habits for low energy (aka the red zone)
Your only job right now is to calm your nervous system, go back to basics, and slowly refill your energy. Gentle, grounding habits only.
- Cancel plans if you need to
- Lower your to-do list to just one thing
- Work in short 20-minute bursts using The Pomodoro Technique, then take a break
- Step outside once a day, even for 2 minutes
- Take a self-care or mental health day
- Shower every morning (even if it’s quick) and get dressed
- Listen to calming music
- Dim your lights in the evening and light candles
- Stretch gently before bed (child’s pose, reclining twists, etc)
- Eat something with protein at every meal (e.g. eggs, yoghurt, nuts)
- Prep simple go-to meals you can rotate (e.g. soup, toast, smoothies, etc.)
- Keep healthy snacks visible and within reach
- Disconnect from social media — delete your apps if you need to
- Limit your exposure to the news
- Forgive yourself for doing less
- Write down one thing you’re grateful for today
- Journal one word that sums up your day
- Answer just 1 of these journal prompts
- Write down one good thing you did today (it counts)
- Try to smile whenever you can
- Take 5 slow, deep breaths before opening your laptop
- Keep a list of “healing sentences” that you can repeat during tough times
- Speak one kind sentence to yourself daily
- Schedule a daily worry period and write down your worries in a journal
- Watch something lighthearted or your favourite comfort show (it’s TSITP for me)
- Put your “legs up the wall” for two minutes and wiggle your toes
- Take 3 deep breaths whenever you catch yourself holding tension.
- Unclench your jaw and relax your shoulders
- Hydrate your skin with an LED light therapy mask
- Take regular 20-minute power naps
- Do nothing for at least 10 minutes
- Ask someone you trust for help
- Allow yourself to have a good cry
And habit 101… Read a page a day from Stay & Slay
My eBook is your no-BS guide to breaking the burnout cycle, reclaiming your energy, and thriving in and out of the office.
It walks you through my 3-Part Anti-Burnout Framework (alignment, mindset, self-care), and shows you how to:
- Understand what’s really burning you out (hint: it’s not just the workload)
- Set boundaries that stick without the guilt
- Rewire the perfectionism and people-pleasing keeping you stuck
- Build habits that actually support your energy (not just your productivity)
- Feel confident asking for what you need
This is the book I wish I had when I was deep in burnout and thought the only way out was quitting.
Don’t get me wrong, my job was toxic, and I knew I couldn’t stay. But it still took me years to actually recover from burnout and build a career that feels good.
Stay & Slay is everything I learnt along the way (minus all the trial and error).
If you’re feeling stuck, exhausted, or just want a more sustainable way to work (and live), I know you’ll find something in here that helps.
Final thoughts
Real self-care isn’t about doing “nice” things once in a while to balance out how much you’re overworking.
It’s about creating a day-to-day life that doesn’t constantly drain you in the first place. It’s about doing the stuff that keeps you grounded when life is heavy. The things that keep you sane when your job feels anything but.
Feel-good habits aren’t just a nice-to-have.
They’re the non-negotiables to a happier, healthier, and better you.
If you don’t show up for yourself first, then everything else (even the good things) will start to feel like a chore.
Prioritise yourself. Always.
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
