From burnout to balance: what I changed
Shahad Al Nouri
How I recovered from burnout and rebuilt my week around energy instead of hours.
Three years ago I was answering emails at midnight, skipping lunch and sleeping badly. I told myself it was a busy season. It lasted eighteen months.
Small rules, kept every day
I did not quit my job or move to the mountains. I set a fixed end to my workday at six, took a twenty-minute walk after lunch and kept one evening a week completely free of screens.
Planning by energy
I now put deep work in the morning, when I think most clearly, and meetings after lunch. Difficult conversations never go on a Thursday afternoon.
What happened
My productivity went up, not down, and my manager noticed before I did. If you recognise yourself in the first paragraph, start with one rule this week, and talk to a doctor if the tiredness does not lift.