#Burnout and Work-Life Balance:

[byclaudine]

Never Trade Your Health for Wealth – The Ultimate Power Move

Hi, my loves,

Yes, you scrolling through—stop for a second. You’ve got 99 problems, but sacrificing your health for your wealth shouldn’t be one of them. Let’s talk, human-to-human.

Gift Time: First things first, here’s your freebie: Close your eyes, take a deep breath in (hold it for 3... 2... 1...), and exhale. There. That breath? You’re welcome. It’s yours, forever free. (Just don’t forget to use it often!)

Now that we’re besties, here’s the tea:

A recent study revealed that 62% of high earners experience burnout before they hit their 40s. Wild, right? That corner office might come with a view, but does it come with peace of mind? 

“Oh, I’ll take care of myself later,” you say. Newsflash: Your body didn’t get the memo. That coffee-fueled hustle now could cost you years later.

But hey, I’m not here to guilt you. (Promise!) I’m here to hype you up for the REAL glow-up: Taking charge of your wellness like the boss you are.

Here are my favorite ways to avoid burnout and take care of myself:

Schedule Breaks Like Meetings.Your body deserves as much time as your inbox. Put a reminder in your calendar to step away, breathe, and reset—it’s not optional.

Invest in Joy.Ever tried a dance break during work hours? Trust me, it’s life-changing. Not only does it help release stress and emotions stuck in your body, but it mirrors how animals shake off tension after a fight-or-flight moment. (I’ve even got a favorite video on this—DM me if you want it!)

Start with Gratitude or Meditation.No emails first thing. Period. Instead, I meditate, read, or practice gratitude to boost serotonin. Research shows serotonin helps calm the brain and reduces the need for constant dopamine hits throughout the day. Your heart and mind will thank you.

Remember Wellness Is Your Secret Weapon.Most people wait to lose their health before making a change. Don’t make the same mistake I did—don’t wait until you’re too exhausted to enjoy your success. Your health is your real wealth.

Go take care of YOU. Seriously. If you’re curious about my top wellness tools (including the ones that helped me survive corporate chaos), shoot me a message. No pressure—just love.Love & Fun, Clau xox

[thepeacefulgarden]

[unbfacts]

[gomzdrawfr]

having a keyboard going clicliclicliclicalcalcalcalcalclclalcalcl does boost my productivity

[palettepainter]

[bitchesgetriches]

Season 2, Episode 4: “Does My Career Have to Define Me? Or Can I Just Clock Out?”

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[vividdreamer]

My (somewhat) controversial takes about employment in today's world:

1. Requiring a visa sponsorship is evil, scammy, destroys people's lives, keeps immigrants hopeless, anxious, and extremely obedient to authority... and all the justifications for it are utter bullshit. This system is only designed to make it nearly impossible to obtain legal status, creating a high risk for many workers ALREADY WITHIN THE STATE to become undocumented if they switch jobs, are laid off, or fired for stupid reasons (like "poor time management" and it's someone who had a sickness or injury), because it could take YEARS to find another sponsor. The incentive here for businesses? Undocumented workers can be exploited and abused to no limits.

2. Remote or hybrid work is a win for people who either can't commute to their work or need to save the costs of commuting anyway. But it's not the solution for a healthy work-life balance. Working 8 hours in your home is not a life.

3. The work days in a week need to be reduced YESTERDAY because how are millions of people supposed to be happy and healthy when they are legally unburdened by work for just TWO DAYS.

[whataboutyouisamascot]

I am allowed to take time off, my entire day does not have to be dedicated to doing work, it's healthy for me to have some time in my day that's meant for relaxing, nobody will think I'm a fraud or undeserving or not working hard enough if I don't spend every waking moment working or studying, these are expectations I am putting on myself, even my professors have told me to log the fuck off and take time for myself, being unproductive isn't an inherent failing-

[scary-grace]

not me being SO READY to fight about the mental health diagnosis of a fictional character who will never go to therapy

[echosandroses]

Adult life means you get to have no life

[aquamarignis]

Spooky season

The internet: It’s the spooky season! Here, have this scary artwork of a supernatural creature.

Me: …

My calendar: Okay, let me present to you your 307 work hours this month.

Me: AAAAAAAH-

[thepeacefulgarden]

[phoenixplans]

How to Reset Your Productivity After Burnout

Feeling stuck? If burnout has drained your motivation, you’re not alone. Rebuilding your productivity after experiencing complete exhaustion can feel impossible—but I promise, it’s not. I’ve been there. In September 2024, I hit my lowest point.

I was working a job that demanded everything from me—long hours, too many responsibilities, constant stress—while being underpaid and undervalued. At the same time, I was fighting a terrifying cancer diagnosis, enduring treatments that left me in unbearable pain. The weight of it all became too much. My mind and body shut down, and I found myself staring at my computer screen, unable to move forward.

But something changed when I made the decision to start over. Phoenix on Fire was born from that breaking point. It was my way of reclaiming my creativity, my passion, and my self. It wasn’t an overnight transformation, but step by step, I reignited my motivation and built a new way forward.

If you’re feeling lost in the aftermath of burnout, here’s how you can do the same.

Burnout isn’t just feeling “tired”—it’s total mental and physical exhaustion. Before you can rebuild, you need to stop pushing yourself and allow real rest. I had to unlearn the guilt of resting and remind myself: Rest is productive. It’s necessary.

1. Give Yourself Permission to Rest

Try This:

Take a guilt-free break from productivity tools, schedules, and deadlines.

Prioritize deep rest (sleep, light movement, meditation, or just doing nothing).

Set boundaries—say no to anything that drains you further

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2. Reconnect with What Matters

After burnout, your old goals might feel wrong—or you might not even know what you want anymore. That’s normal. Take time to reflect on what truly excites you. For me, that was reclaiming creativity through design and helping others organize their lives.

Try This:

Journal: What do you miss doing? What used to bring you joy?

Mind Map: Write down interests, passions, and new possibilities.

Reconnect with Your ‘Why’: What motivated you before burnout? What has changed?

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3. Start Small—Tiny Wins Matter

One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was trying to jump back in at full speed. That only led to frustration. Instead, start small—even the tiniest actions can rebuild momentum.

Try This:

Set a 5-minute timer and work on something you enjoy. Stop when it feels like too much.

Pick one small, low-pressure task to complete each day.

Celebrate small wins—checking one thing off your list is progress!

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4. Create a New Routine That Works for You

Old productivity systems may not work after burnout. I had to completely redefine how I structured my day to avoid falling back into old habits.

Try This:

Build in flexibility—allow time for rest and creative breaks.

Focus on one priority per day instead of overwhelming to-do lists.

Use a planner or journal to track progress, not just productivity.

(I designed my Flocks of a Feather Planner to help with this—combining self-care, project planning, and creative space to prevent burnout.)

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5. Protect Your Energy Moving Forward

Recovering from burnout isn’t just about restarting—it’s about not ending up there again. I now protect my energy fiercely: setting boundaries, listening to my body, and refusing to take on more than I can handle.

Try This:

Check in with yourself daily—how are you feeling mentally and physically?

Learn to say no without guilt.

Create a "burnout prevention" plan—list signs of burnout and your action steps to address them early.

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You Can Rise Again

If you’re in the middle of burnout, I want you to know—this isn’t the end of your story. Just like a phoenix, you can rise from the ashes, stronger and more intentional than before. Start where you are, take small steps, and be kind to yourself.

You’ve got this.

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Let’s talk—have you ever recovered from burnout? What helped you most? Drop a comment or reblog with your thoughts!

[undeadentropy]

Just realized that a weekly upload of a 100 day minecraft challenge is basically a full work schedule when you factor in editing as well, and still full time if you just count the streaming length. I don't know how long editing takes and all the side hours, but some of these gamers need to chill before they burn out I think.

[grid-daisies]

Breaking news: not working three jobs/a job with poor boundaries means you have time AND energy. More than you know what to do with it

[artemisvexing]

Catch me popping M&Ms like back pain meds for a divorced middle aged father