How I’m Learning to Slow Down Before I Burn Out
Why I Needed to Slow Down
Life has been a little hectic lately. This past week, I found myself rushing my son to sleep at night so that I could quickly catch up on work that I’ve left unfinished. Come to think of it, I always have unfinished work, and always will; it’s just the nature of work!
On several nights, while waiting (impatiently) for J to fall asleep, I even brought in my laptop so that I wouldn’t “waste” time sitting and waiting with him in the dark. Spoiler alert: this doesn’t work well because the boy’s now curious about what’s on my screen. Total backfire.
I recognize this feeling; this quiet tug. In this moment, where I’m forced to stop doing anything, God finally had my attention, and he was revealing my heart condition.
Finally, on one of these nights, as I was working away in the dark beside my fidgeting toddler, I slapped the laptop cover shut in frustration. Why won’t this kid go to sleep, ugh! I warned him that I would leave if he still didn’t lay down and shut his eyes. He quickly scrambled into position and stayed still. Eventually, he did fall asleep, though way past his bedtime.
A wave of regret and guilt came over me. Shucks, these are the last things he remembers before falling asleep: Mama scowled at me with displeasure. Mama threatened to leave me. Mama’s having screen time again. Mama’s upset and unhappy again.
There, in the dark, something was nagging in my gut. I recognize this feeling; this quiet tug. In this moment, where I’m forced to stop doing anything, God finally had my attention, and he was revealing my heart condition. It was a whisper in my heart, but I definitely recognize His voice:
Hey, take care, you’re about to burn out. Your body and emotions are giving you signs.
Warning Signs That I’m About to Burn Out
Up until then, I hadn’t stopped to tune in to my body. Yes indeed, now that I think about it, there are so many:
Obvious, Visible Signs
Feeling exhausted throughout the day even after a full night’s sleep (actually, who am I kidding, I’ve been sleeping late!)
My old dry cough is acting up (not an illness, but just how my body typically reacts to fatigue)
I can’t easily fall asleep at night
I’m neglecting my nightly skin care (even though it’s just a simple routine)
I’m looking for comfort in junk food and soft drinks
I skip meals, or eat while working
I’m always on my computer, using up any and every free time to catch up on work
I work right up to the last minute before I leave the house to fetch J from school, not taking time to unwind and refresh my state of mind
Less Obvious signs
I get disgruntled at interruptions to my day
I feel irritable and easily get agitated (poor Lem will attest to this)
I become more forgetful and scatterbrained
I neglect my plants (they’re in a sad unwatered state right now)
I skip certain house chores, and clutter is accumulating throughout the house
I neglect to read my Bible
My mind is never at rest
My day-to-day priorities are all out of whack
When I’m with my son, I’m not really there. I’m often wishing I could do something else, like catch up on work or chores.
Realizing I Needed To Surrender
These telltale signs are my “old friends” who I’m very familiar with. There have been so many times before that I didn’t heed the warning signs and headed straight into a state of burnout. Once I’m there, it takes a long while to pick myself back up. Often, burnout for me feels similar to depression. Everything feels heavy, the outlook on the future is bleak, and I have pervasive feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.
For me, prayer is an act of surrender, a yielding of my will and my need for control. Prayer helps me exchange my worries for God’s guidance.
Enough. I need to make a change.
Let’s go back to the moment where I’m sitting with my toddler who is now drifting off to dreamland.
I prayed: “Lord, I’m sorry. Thank you for flagging this to me. I’ve been proud to think that if I just work harder, things will all fall into place, as if things are under my control. In my worry about the future, I’ve forgotten that You’ve always provided for our needs, and You will continue to provide still. I’ve been impatient to reach for outcomes that aren’t ready yet; to try and grab fruits for eating that aren’t ripe yet. I’m not in control of my life, You are. I am limited, but Your strength and wisdom is not. Help me return to You, to operate in my daily life from a place of rest and assuredness in You. Help me turn this around before it’s too late.”
For me, prayer is an act of surrender, a yielding of my will and my need for control. Prayer helps me exchange my worries for God’s guidance. I didn’t walk away with a perfect solution or an action plan, but something shifted that night. It felt like my soul could finally breathe, like I had been holding it all in without realizing how tight my chest had become.
Over the next few days, small, gentle steps came to mind—not grand overhauls, just little shifts to help me realign. I’m sharing them here, partly to hold myself accountable, partly as a reminder that change doesn’t have to be drastic to be meaningful. And if you need a nudge to slow down too, maybe this was your reminder, and we do this together.
My Anti-Burnout List
Baby steps, Sam. Baby steps.
🌱 Set alarms and honour them:
10:00 AM – Mid-morning break to tend to plants
12:30 PM – Lunch (an actual, intentional meal)
3:00 PM – Stop work and get ready to fetch J
🌱 Reintroduce small habits that help me feel better, physically and spiritually:
Bring back my nightly skincare routine (cleanser, toner, moisturiser—it’s really not that hard, Sam)
Take a 15-min power nap if needed during the day
Aim to sleep before midnight
Read a bit of the Bible before starting work. One verse or one chapter, on my phone or a physical copy, any amount is better than none.
Put worship music on when I need to change the tone of my day
🌱 Protect my time and presence:
No phone or computer while eating
Similarly, no phone or computer in J’s bedroom during bedtime
Buffer 30 minutes before pickup to unwind from work mode and transition into mum mode
Change doesn’t have to be drastic to be meaningful.
I know that change won’t happen overnight, and I’m not striving for perfection. Change doesn’t have to be drastic to be meaningful.
These small steps will help protect my well-being and help me be present for things that actually matter – my family, and my soul. I’m choosing not to let “tired and busy” be my default, and I’m definitely choosing to u-turn from the path to burnout!
How are you doing? Do you know your telltale signs of burnout?
Hey, if you’re in the same boat: feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or just plain exhausted, I hope this encourages you to take a breath, to pray and ask for guidance. Maybe this post was just the nudge you needed to slow down too.
And be gentle with yourself, really! Simplifying and savouring daily life as a mother happens with small steps and humble beginnings. I’m right there with you, mama. If you feel moved to drop me a note to share a struggle that we can pray together, you can reach me at @thehearthmakers on Instagram, or email me at hellohearthmakers@gmail.com. I generally don’t take too long to reply :)
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