10 Ways to Recharge When You Feel Burned Out
Burnout is a real threat to entrepreneurs who are constantly juggling decisions, deadlines, and the pressure to always be “on.” When you are responsible for a business, it can feel impossible to step away, even for a moment. But pushing through exhaustion does not make you more productive. It eventually slows creativity, clouds decision making, and puts the business you have worked so hard to build at risk.
The good news is that a reset does not have to mean a long vacation or a major change in your business. Sometimes a few simple actions are enough to interrupt the stress cycle and help you return with clarity and renewed motivation. To gather practical ideas you can use right away, we asked entrepreneurs and executives how they recharge when burnout starts to creep in.
Their advice includes self-care from digital detoxes and breathing exercises to thinking days, strength training, and reconnecting with family. Each strategy is a reminder that caring for your energy is not simply a personal luxury. It is a smart business decision that helps you show up as the leader your work requires.
1. Schedule Thinking Days
The only thing that’s reliably reset my energy (and therefore my brain) is something I call scheduled “thinking days.” It sounds so lame. And yet for overambitious founders, it feels radical to block out a whole day, letting yourself off the hook for emailing or churning or Slack. The first time I did a thinking day, I went off in my car to the mountains with no phone, just a notebook, and by the end of it, I was thinking of three new directions for the product and two things we should definitely stop doing. Now I have monthly thinking day blocks on my calendar, when the only thing I have to do is think about the long game: Where are we going with the brand? What am I blinkered about right now?
But the biggest surprise was how much enthusiasm my team had for thinking days. Like any founder, I felt a little cringe about taking them. Wouldn’t that make me look unfocused? Then I realized they made me look the exact opposite. The team knew that after a thinking day, I’d return with sharper, bolder ideas. I became more explicit about what I was doing (“I’m going to be off Slack today, thinking about Cords”), and now it’s a quarterly tradition for all the leads. And leads taking thinking days has a palpable effect on the summer insane-pivot spike; since we instituted them, we’ve done one big pivot instead of the usual five.
As a season approaches when founders are typically most burnt, I like to take another page from the artist residency playbook and get some gratuitous play. Play has nothing to do with metrics or KPIs. Earlier this year, I flew to a different city with no plan except saying yes to wherever fun led me. Museums, walking, sketching jewelry I would never sell. How I pulled this off was by discharging all the pressure to be productive. My one job was to do something playful each day. After three days, I came back with a degree of vitality that no management book could’ve given me: my creative block was broken, I had a bunch of ideas for marketing that seemed playful instead of painful.
The pattern should be fairly obvious. By reserving time for thinking and play, founders can manufacture the kind of energy and insight you just can’t get from hustling harder. Even half a day could start a cascade.
Lexi Petersen, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Cords Club
2. Reconnect Mind, Body, and People
When I feel burnt out or hit a creative wall, my go-to move is to connect with my mind, my body, and my people.
To connect with my mind, I read my journals, reevaluate my why, and pour my heart onto the page. It helps me process my thoughts and feelings about my work and unburden my mind.
To connect with my body, I move physically. I walk, run, sit on a park bench in the middle of the day, and stare at the sky. It clears my mind and reenergizes me.
To connect with my people, I make time to intentionally play with my toddler. I’m not stressing when I’m listening to him say his numbers 1-100 or read ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go’ by heart. For those few minutes, I can just be.
If all these fail, I seriously consider if I’m on the right path, chasing the right goal, or setting the right vision.
Remi Roy Osi, Founder, PodGround
3. Protect Your Energy Before You Crash
When I feel burned out, I step away before I hit a wall. I’ve learned that the fastest way to show up fully for my coaching clients and my business is to protect my energy early. Burnout usually comes from pushing through the first signs, so instead of waiting until I crash, I reset the moment my body signals something’s off, like feeling unusually tired. In those moments, I’ll take the day off, walk my dog, or even watch a Netflix show to recharge. Every time I give myself that space, I come back clearer, more grounded, and able to coach and lead at a much higher level.
Luisa Zhou, Founder, LuisaZhou.com
4. Create Distance and Anchor to Your Purpose
When I feel burned out, I create distance from the situation. First, I acknowledge I may be too attached, then I let things settle so I can see it with calmness and objectivity. I remind myself with an internal dialogue: whatever happens today, I can overcome it. The situation is not bigger than myself. That space lets me act instead of react, and I use my values as the compass. Rushing and stress are terrible companions for distance, so I manage those first.
I also go to practices that reset my state. Scuba diving symbolizes deeper thoughts for me; underwater, I value every breath, bring that calm back to daily life, and gain perspective by disengaging to see things clearly. I reinforce the base with better sleep and a gratitude practice because both change mood and clarity. Finally, I re-anchor to my purpose: changing the world one conversation at a time. That focus lifts the fog.
Jesus De la Garza, Founder and CEO, Monarch
5. Detox Digitally and Practice Simple Breathing Exercises
My favorite reset is a complete digital detox paired with some breathing techniques. Running my business means I’m constantly connected in managing our global students and marketing. It’s the constant screen time that leads me to my fatigue. I unplug from all devices for a minimum of 48 hours. I find this immediate disconnection from the digital noise is key to my clarity.
I pair the digital silence with very simple Pranayama or breathing exercises. I just sit and focus on my breath for 10 minutes every morning. I follow basic Ayurvedic principles like eating warm foods and maintaining a strict sleep schedule. This practice is what keeps me grounded and able to serve our community.
Meera Watts, CEO and Founder, Siddhi Yoga
6. Use Quick Interrupters to Stop the Spiral
It’s important to distinguish real burnout from the everyday depletion of running a business. True burnout, which we saw after the pandemic, isn’t solved by tactics. It needs deeper restoration, trusted confidantes, reflective practices, real sanctuaries, and the basics of sleep, food, and movement.
Day to day, though, I rely on interrupters. These are quick, accessible breaks that stop the spiral. Everyone has their own. Some take a fast walk; others use VR for ten minutes. For me, it’s a compelling book on my Kindle. Fifteen minutes in another world shifts my emotional state, and that shift resets my system.
Kirsti Samuels, Founder and CEO, KS Insight
7. Switch to Family Mode
I step completely out of “CEO mode” and back into “mom mode.”
My kids have this magic ability to pull me back into the present, building forts, dancing in the kitchen, or just laughing over the chaos. That’s where I reset. I remind myself that I built my business to create memories, not to chase perfection.
Once I stop trying to do it all and just breathe for a bit, I come back with way more clarity and drive.
Helen Smith, CEO / Founder, Roo & You
8. Pedal Through Burnout
When I’m feeling burned out, I love getting on my bike for long rides. I pedal about 100 miles each week, and it really helps me reset mentally. There’s something about the physical challenge that reminds me of my entrepreneurial journey and shows me I can push through tough times. It’s become my favorite way to clear my head and come back stronger.
Brett Farmiloe, CEO, Featured
9. Reconnect With Yourself
My favorite way to recharge when I feel burned out is to step out of “doing mode” and reconnect with myself.
Sometimes that looks like a slow walk, a quiet car ride with no noise, or even five minutes of breathing with my hand on my heart. As a high achiever, I used to push through burnout. Now I pause, notice what I’m feeling, and give myself permission to reset.
Kamini Wood, Certified Life Coach, Kamini Wood
10. Resistance Training
My favorite way to reset is through resistance training, especially tackling a workout first thing in the morning, even when I don’t feel like it. Starting the day with something challenging sets the tone and makes me feel empowered, like I can conquer anything. It also encourages deep engagement and focus, which helps regulate the nervous system. It’s perfect for entrepreneurs running a business and navigating complex problems every day.
Shanielle Pabon, Holistic Health Coach & Gut Health Educator, TrueAuraHealing
Small Resets Can Create Big Results
Entrepreneurs are used to pushing forward, but burnout is often a sign that something needs attention. The strategies shared here prove that resetting does not require a major life change. A short break, a shift in routine, or a moment to reconnect with your purpose can restore clarity and motivation faster than grinding through another long day.
The most successful leaders know that rest is a strategic investment. When you take time to recharge, you return to your business with fresh ideas, sharper thinking, and more resilience to handle whatever comes next. The next time you feel your energy dipping, try one of these simple resets and notice the difference it makes in how you lead and how you feel.
