Burnout self-care for when you're too tired for a list

1. 1. Drink some water.
2. 2. Eat something, even if it's toast.
3. 3. Lie on the floor for two minutes.
4. 4. Open a window.
5. 5. Change your top.
6. 6. Sit outside, or by a door.
7. 7. Brush your teeth.
8. 8. Have a shower, or just wash your face.
9. 9. Tell one person "I'm not okay" or "I'm really tired".
10. 10. Put your phone in another room for ten minutes.
11. 11. Go to bed early, with no reason needed.
12. 12. Put on something quiet to listen to.
13. 13. Look at a tree.
14. 14. Ask someone to bring you food.
15. 15. Book a day off, even one that's weeks away.

16. 16. Answering messages straight away.
17. 17. Saying yes before you've had a chance to think.
18. 18. Skipping lunch to catch up.
19. 19. Reading the news again.
20. 20. Making up for a bad week with a big plan.
21. 21. Comparing today with how you used to be.
22. 22. Trying to fix everything before you rest.
23. 23. Opening your email after you've stopped work.
24. 24. Apologising for being tired.
25. 25. Telling everyone you're fine.

A list won't fix too much work or not enough rest. If you've felt like this for weeks, tell someone you trust or see a doctor. It's a normal thing to bring to a doctor, and you don't need to have it worked out first.

• Hard-day prompts25 that don't ask you to cheer up
• Relaxing soundspress play and do nothing
• Breathing timerthe circle counts for you