Burnout: How to Rebuild Day to Day? 8 Landmarks to Get Your Energy Back
Recognising the signs, talking to your doctor, accepting rest, sleep, movement, calm, loved ones, return to work: 8 landmarks to recover from burnout.
Burnout, or occupational exhaustion syndrome, is exhaustion that is physical, emotional and mental all at once. It sets in gradually, often without you noticing, until you no longer recognise yourself. Recovering from burnout takes time, and that time is built with your doctor. Here are a few landmarks for day-to-day life.
1. Recognise the signs
The French National Authority for Health (HAS) describes several groups of signs: anxiety, muscle tension, sadness or lack of drive; fatigue and sleep problems; memory and concentration difficulties; withdrawal, irritability. What should alert you is the break with the person you were before.
2. Talk to your doctor
Your GP is the first person to see. Sick leave is usually necessary, and its length is adapted to your situation. It is not an admission of weakness: it is the start of recovery.
3. Accept the time it takes to rest
In the first weeks, you often feel drained and guilty about doing nothing. That is normal. Don't set yourself a date to "be better" and don't fill your time off with new obligations.
4. Get back to a sleep rhythm
Sleep problems are part of burnout. Go to bed and get up at regular times, get daylight in the morning and put screens away in the evening, especially work emails.
5. Bring movement back, gently
A short walk every day, at your own pace, with no performance goal. Your body needs to move to relax, and going out also helps break the isolation.
6. Give yourself calm moments
Relaxation, mindfulness meditation: the HAS lists these approaches among the possible forms of support, along with psychotherapy. A few minutes a day is enough to start.
7. Don't stay alone
Withdrawal is one of the signs of burnout. Stay in touch with one or two trusted people, even for a simple coffee. You don't have to explain everything.
8. Prepare your return to work
In France, the return is prepared with the occupational doctor, during one or more pre-return visits while you are still on leave. This visit is compulsory after more than three months off. It is the time to talk about your job and what needs to change.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if fatigue, sadness or anxiety persist, get worse or stop you coping with daily life: burnout can come with depression or an anxiety disorder that needs treatment.
If you have dark thoughts or thoughts of suicide, in France call 3114, the free national suicide prevention line, available 24/7, or 15 in an emergency. Elsewhere, contact your local emergency number or crisis line.
Rest appointments, designed for people recovering from burnout
I designed the Recovery & energy listening programme for people recovering from burnout or a period of exhaustion who want to relearn how to take breaks, step by step: 18 quiet minutes, preferably lying down, headphones on, one session every 5 days over 45 days, with no effort and no goal to reach. My advice: don't try to "do the session right"; if you fall asleep, your body needed it. It does not treat burnout and does not replace your doctor's support. To discover the method, the first session of the Anti-Stress programme is free.
Éric Rosati, osteopath with 30 years of experience. This article is for information and does not replace your doctor's advice.
Sources (in French): HAS, Identifying and managing occupational burnout (updated 2025) · Vidal, Burnout: HAS recommendations
🎧 Recommended programme: Recovery & energy · after burnout
To listen to with headphones, in a quiet place, at your own pace.