From Burnout to RECOVERY: The Power of Habit Stacking
After attending to things I couldn’t avoid—like grocery shopping, driving my children to school, or doctor's appointments—I often found myself wanting to crawl back into bed, completely exhausted. Other times, I felt like a zombie, aimlessly wandering around the house, doing nothing. Was it guilt that kept me from resting? What is my mindset? Or had I simply forgotten what to do to take care of myself?
Probably all of the above.
But it wasn’t until I started incorporating small, daily self-care practices that I began to recover—slowly but surely. One of the most effective methods I found to do this, was something called "habit stacking."
What is Habit Stacking?
Habit stacking is a simple but powerful technique where you attach a new habit to an existing one. By linking a new, positive habit to something you already do every day, it becomes easier to make that new habit a part of your routine.
For example, after your first coffee, you might take a few minutes to meditate. After dropping your kids off at school, you could go for a mindful walk. The key is to combine something that’s already part of your day with a new self-care practice.
My Journey to Recovery
When I was in the depths of burnout, I realized that I had to make self-care a priority if I wanted to regain my energy and motivation. It wasn’t easy at first, but by habit stacking, I started to see small improvements.
If like me you feel like a zombie, here’s are some things I started combining to take care of myself:
Exercise/Relaxation/To Do: A mindful walk with my dog, yoga or horseback riding in woods after dropping my kids to school in morning.
Relaxation/Nutrition : Practice mindfulness while eating your meals.
Hygiene/Relaxation/Gratitude/Rest: After my bath, writing a gratitude journal for avoiding rumination and creating positive thoughts for the next day before sleeping at night.
Relaxation/Pleasure: Breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or bodyscan after drinking my first coffee in the morning.
Confidence/Hygiene: Mirror work with affirmations after brushing my teeth
Rest/Pleasure: Naps after watching a netflix series
Social Connection/To Do: going for a coffee with a friend before getting the kids at school in afternoon
The Path Forward
If you’re struggling with burnout, remember that recovery is a journey. By using habit stacking to build new self-care routines, you can start to regain your energy and motivation. It might take time, but with each small step, you’re moving closer to a vibrant, purposeful life and becoming your ‘formidable’ self again! You got this!