Key points

When we feel lacking in time and energy, we often cut what we see as "non-essential" activities.

But these tend to be the activities that give us energy. Work tends to cost energy, aggravating the deficit.

Instead of energy austerity, we need to reinvest into joy- and energy-giving activities.

To recover from burnout, we need to add the right kinds of activities and the right kind of rest.

Energy-austerity aggravates burnout Source: Igor Omilaev / Unsplash

If I had to sum up my burnout philosophy , it would be this:

When we fall behind with our work, feel hopelessly overwhelmed by our to-do list, and grow increasingly anxious about our energy and time, we cut activities from our lives. We put a stop to what appear to us to be non-essential activities, and spend al

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