It happens to the best of us.

At some point, you’re bound to feel burnt out. Daily responsibilities, to do’s, dreams, juggling the many hats you wear, and wishing you could clone yourself to be in multiple places at once or that time could be paused like in the movie Click. It’s overwhelming and completely exhausting; feeling so swamped all the time.

The question to ask yourself is this: what do you do when you’re trying to do too much and start to feel burnt out and overburdened?

Self-awareness (and doing something with that awareness) is the catalyst to change.

Consider implementing some safeguards per se, the next time you notice yourself being stretched too thin, bordering on burnt out. Here are 6 (of the many) things you can do:

Quality “brain off” time

Whether it’s alone or with someone you love, chisel out some quality time, whatever that may look like for you: cooking dinner at home, having a game night, a spontaneous date day, curling up with a book, rewatching a favorite movie, ordering a comfort dessert. Anything that fills your cup and allows you to turn your brain off for the time being and be present.

An extra good for the body meal

Burnout creeps in when you’re consistently neglecting yourself. You have a lot on your figurative plate, but how about your literal plate? How have your meals been; consistent? Have you been eating enough?

To support your body in times of higher stress, look for ways to boost the benefits in your current meals by adding extra nourishment through honey, seeds, leafy greens, microgreens, even the minerals in sea salt, and other nutritious foods.

Or try incorporating a smoothie into your day. It’s quick, can be had on the go, and most importantly, is chocked full of yummy, nutrient dense ingredients (and the perfect way to sneak vegetables in such as frozen spinach or kale)!

A combo of nurturing + rejuvenating acts

Unsurprisingly, the impacts of burnout go beyond the brain. To ease the physical toils, focus on your environment and recovery; cultivating a cozy, calming space around you and doing some TLC to rest, recharge, and recover better. This could look like: massage gun, jade rolling your face, spraying thieves or a lavender spray, rolling out your back and feet, using a CBD cream or muscle balm, a <10 minute yoga video, or putting a heating pad on sore or tense muscles.

Be on the lookout for how you could sneak in these practices, such as stretching or doing neck cars while your food is heating up, deep box breathing while washing your hair, diffusing calming oils while working from home, or taking a walk while making calls.

Try to cut back on phone time

How many times have you felt LESS burnt out after being on your phone? Not that many times, if any, feels like a rather safe assumption for the majority of us- myself included. (Evidently it’s called doomscrolling and rotting for a reason!)

Be conscientious of the time spent on your phone (and other devices) and how it makes you feel afterwards. Time limits can be placed on social media apps and there are also apps specifically for managing and minimizing screen time. [Flora is my preferred app of choice (zero affiliation by the way), I love anticipation of the next stop on the world tour, planting your virtual garden, and the option to plant real trees in exchange for screen-free time.]

Assess your sleep

At the very least, are you getting 6 hours a night? Improve the quality of sleep by making your room as dark as possible, turning the air down or a fan on to make it cooler, limiting screen time and light exposure before bed, and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine to properly wind down.

Express your creativity

It can be both incredibly soothing and revitalizing to tap into your creative side. Revisit childhood hobbies, tackle a DIY project, recreate a Pinterest pin, sign up for an art class – do anything that sounds fun and a little out of your normal comfort zone.

And remember, the most fruitful creative endeavors are the ones free of perfectionism.

Often, burnout gradually accumulates due to an absence of self-care in service – tending to the needs of others and doing things for other people without pausing to take care of yourself. Which selflessness is admirable, but not at the cost of your own wellbeing.

Self-care and service go hand in hand; in a way, service is an extension of yourself. And as the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. But you can serve others best (and all around be at your best) with you prioritize you and your needs along with serving and taking care of others.