Here's where we start. These mindful practices build upon each other. By creating small interruptions to stress, then support the body, and gradually shift into a more sustainable way of working.
#1: Make the Practice Your Own I used to get caught up in doing practices exactly as prescribed. Mindfulness isn't about perfection, it's about consistency. My yoga instructor would say: we are what we repeatedly do, so success is habit, not chance.
That idea helped me release the pressure to do things as prescribed so I could focus on meeting myself where I was, and determine what actually works for me.
Adapt practices to your lifestyle, your schedule, and your energy. - Meditation isn't for everyone? Try journaling.
- Don't have 20 minutes? Do it for 5.
- Can't stand yoga? Just stretch.
Release judgment about how it "should" look or how long you "should" do it. Listen and learn from others, but remember — you know yourself best. When you give yourself what you actually need, you're far more likely to stay consistent.
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#2: Take a Break For years, I pushed through the work day without a true break.
A break isn't grabbing lunch between meetings, a quick bio break, walking to get coffee while still on a call, or answering emails while eating. A real break means letting your brain unplug from work — giving it actual rest.
And it doesn't have to be long to be effective. Even 2 minutes every 2–3 hours can help reset your nervous system. That's 8–15 minutes of your workday. We can all gift that amount of time to ourselves.
This can look like staring at a wall or out a window. Gently notice your breath, stretch your neck, back and shoulders, or listen to music.
There's no phone, no chatter, no worrying "what do I need to get done?" on a brain rest break.
We all want energy left at the end of the day. Taking a brain rest is one of the simplest ways to recover that energy.
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#3: Hydrate Burnout recovery isn't just mental — it's physical too. Hydration supports energy, focus, and mood regulation.
Drink water, tea, or coffee throughout the day. Limit sugar, alcohol, and excess dairy, which can cause inflammation and energy spikes followed by crashes, sort of like adding an unstable ingredient to an already sensitive system.
A simple reset when you feel overwhelmed: take a sip of water. It's surprising how much our mood, focus, and energy shifts when we're simply dehydrated.
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#4: Create a Baseline for Calm I'll be honest — I didn't understand the point of mindfulness exercises until I noticed how much faster I could recognize when I was on high-alert or activated.
When stillness becomes familiar, awareness follows. It's like walking into a room in your house and sensing something is off before you can name it.
Choose one intentional mind-body activity per week — yin yoga, journaling, meditation, quiet reflection, or music that brings a sense of calm or release.
Start small: 5 minutes, 5 sentences, 5 words, or 5 breaths.
These practices help you reconnect with your body's baseline state of calm (aka the rest and digest state). Once that baseline feels familiar, it'll be easier to notice when your stress begins to rise — and how to gently guide yourself back.
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#5: Be. Don't Do. Our default mode is stuck on "doing." Our environment, even our language, is locked into productivity, output, deliverables, and planning. All measurable. All evaluated.
Shifting into "being" mode takes intention and a little retraining.
For most of my life, when someone asked "how was your day?" I immediately recounted everything I did — as if my day's value was measured by my output. Try creating one moment each week where that doesn't apply: no productivity goal, no planning, no outcomes, no pressure to achieve.
Just be present while watching TV, chopping vegetables, being with family, or doing something creative.
Some ways that have supported me in being present are: - Use your 5 senses to ground you in the moment
- Take a large conscious breath in with an extra long exhale reminding yourself "you're here to be"
- When I feel uneasy, for instance while watching TV, I will either make myself tea or do my nails to prevent myself from moving into "doing" mode
- When I notice my mind wandering, I remind my myself, "there is nothing that needs to be optimized, fixed, or solved in this time and space."
- My phone-computer is either in another room or on DND so I don't get pulled back into doing.
These are here for you to play with or try out.
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