Avoiding Summer Burnout and recovering from it.
Navigating Summer Burnout, Reclaiming Your Energy and Finding Your Way Back to Health.
When we think of burnout, we usually picture dark winter mornings, pouring over spreadsheets in freezing weather, or staggering toward the December finish line for Chrimbo. We don't tend to associate it with sunshine, beer gardens, and long, balmy evenings.
But summer burnout is a very real, very exhausting thing.
As a counsellor, I see it every single year around June and July. There is a cultural expectation that summer is supposed to be the "fun season." We are bombarded with pressure to say yes to every barbecue, plan the perfect holidays, the end of term school calendar, entertain children on school holiday, worry about how we are going to pay for everything, keep up with social gatherings, and somehow maintain our usual work schedules—just because the sun is out.
If you are feeling completely depleted right now, I want you to take a deep breath. You are not failing, and you are not ungrateful. You are simply running on empty, and it is time to extend a bit of grace to yourself.
Why Summer Saps Our Energy
Burnout happens when the demands on our emotional, physical, and mental energy outweigh our resources. In the summer, our boundaries often take a hit. We stretch ourselves thin trying to make the most of the daylight hours, often sacrificing sleep and quiet downtime. hot weather too impacts sleep and as our Summers get hotter this becomes more real.
We also fall into the trap of "forced fun"—the feeling that if we spend a sunny Saturday on the sofa resting, we’ve somehow wasted it. This guilt keeps us on a continuous hamster wheel of doing, leaving very little room for just being.
How to Avoid the Summer Crash
Preventing burnout isn't about clearing your diary completely; it's about putting some boundaries around your energy.
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Audit your "Yes." Before agreeing to an invite, ask yourself: “Do I actually have the capacity for this, or am I saying yes out of obligation?” If it’s the latter, a polite “I’d love to, but I need a quiet weekend to recharge” is a complete sentence.
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Protect your sleep hygiene. The extended daylight can disrupt our natural circadian rhythms. Invest in good blackout blinds, keep your bedroom cool, and wind down with a somatic grounding practice (like a tepid bath or a book before bed.
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Schedule "White Space." Literally block out time in your calendar where absolutely nothing is planned. No chores, no socialising, no errands. Treat this time as sacred.
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Lower the bar. Perfectionism is the fuel that fires burnout. The summer holidays don't need to look like a Pinterest board. A simple picnic in the local park can be just as meaningful as an expensive, highly coordinated day trip. Laugh at yourself, forgive yourself quickly and give permission to feel FREE.
What to Do If You're Already Burnt Out
If you’ve read this far and realised you are already past the point of prevention, the focus shifts to recovery. You cannot pour from an empty cup, so we need to slowly refill it.
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Stop and Acknowledge It: The first step in any therapeutic healing is acceptance. Acknowledge that you are tired. Tell your close circle, "I am feeling really overwhelmed and depleted right now, so I might be taking things a bit slower."
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Somatic Grounding: Burnout leaves our nervous system stuck in a state of high alert. Bring yourself back into your body. Spend five minutes barefoot on the grass, focus on the sensation of a cold drink, or practice deep, slow belly breaths. I'm finding 10 minutes every day meditating with the 'PAUSE' app a great help.
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Prioritise Micro-Rest: You might not be able to afford jet off to a secluded island for a month, but you can find five minutes of micro-rest. Close your eyes between tasks, sit quietly with a cup of herbal tea, or step outside to feel the sun on your face and look at the plants in the garden instead of your phone.
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Simplify Everything: What can be dropped right now? Can dinners be simpler? Can the washing and cleaning wait an extra day? Give yourself permission to do the bare minimum until your energy starts to return.
- Self care kit: Treat yourself to a lovely, natural self care kit, with counselling tools, and use the attached
Be kind to yourself this season. The sun will still shine tomorrow, even if you choose to spend today resting.
Sending a virtual hug
Amanda Waring MBACP MACC
Integrative Counsellor & Founder of MJ Artisan Gift Co.
