If there’s one thing our culture loves to do, it’s glorify busyness. It’s all about the hustle, the grind, performing, achieving—until we hit a wall. Burnout sneaks up on us, and suddenly, we feel disengaged, exhausted, and flat. Then, the “solutions” that our culture gives us aren’t truly helpful, making us more likely to fall into that sneaky burnout yet again. It’s not about taking a break so you can dive back into the chaos. The real answer is micropauses: small but powerful disruptions that help you realign, reset, and move forward with purpose.
A micropause might not be what you think it is. It’s a chance for you to reconnect with yourself, challenge your limits, and step into the next stage of your growth. And there are three key stages to doing it right.
Stage One: Recognising the need to slow down
The first step to a micropause is recognising that you need one. Signs you’re here:
You feel disengaged, like you’re just going through the motions.
Your to-do list never ends, but nothing feels satisfying.
You wake up already exhausted, struggling to find energy or motivation.
You’ve lost your spark and you don’t feel like you.
This is where burnout creeps in. It doesn’t always show up as exhaustion. Sometimes, it’s just that low-grade, constant “blah” feeling. Thankfully there is a solution, which is to get outside. Nature is the antidote to burnout. Research shows that just 20 minutes a day outdoors can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost cognitive function. And if you’re really burnt out? Take an hour.
So if any or all of the above points apply to you, then step outside—without your phone. Sit in nature. Observe. Breathe. Let your mind wander. Let yourself just be.
Stage Two: Movement is medicine
We used to believe that when you were injured, physically or emotionally, you should rest. Stay still. Recover. But we now know movement is healing. Think about it: there are some surgeries that require stillness in the following weeks, but there are equally as many surgeries where the first thing doctors get you to do is move. The same applies to burnout, mental exhaustion, and emotional fatigue; the treatment required is more like the latter.
The solution here is therefore obvious: move! Specifically, move outdoors. Forget your gym. Forget your fitness trackers. Forget your heart rate zones. Instead, just move in a way that feels good and gets your body working. Go for a hike, ride a bike, go kayaking, take a run with a friend, dance like no one’s watching, or anything else that helps you feel alive. It doesn’t need to be structured. It just needs to be intentional and invigorating.
The goal:
Feel your heart rate rise not because you’re tracking it, but because you feel your body working.
Breathe heavily. Let your legs shake. Feel alive again.
Move with others because connection amplifies the experience.
When we move, our minds reset and our brains get a break from overthinking. We regain clarity. And most importantly, we shift from stagnation to momentum.
Stage Three: Lean into discomfort and growth
This is where the real magic happens, but can be the hardest step for some people. Once you’ve stepped into nature and started moving, the next level of a micropause is to challenge yourself. Not in a way that exhausts you, but in a way that wakes you up. How? By stepping into the unknown. Travel somewhere new, hike a trail you’ve never tried, join a group of people you’ve never met, or say yes to an adventure where things might go wrong.
Here’s the thing: Life isn’t meant to be predictable. Planes get delayed. The weather shifts. Your plans might fall apart. And that’s the point. When we embrace the unexpected, we normalise adaptability and resilience. We stop seeing challenges as threats and start seeing them as part of the adventure.
This is when we can break free of the burnout-recovery cycle.
Too often, we’re sold the idea that happiness comes from contentment and being comfortable. But the truth is that we are organic creatures, organic things don’t stay still, and growth isn’t tidy; it’s messy, unpredictable, and expansive. If you’re not growing forward, you’re probably regressing.
So, you get to choose: stay comfortable and stagnant or lean into movement, challenge, and adventure. Micropauses are the secret weapon to sustainable energy, engagement, and purpose. They help us avoid burnout not by resting, but by realigning. So, ask yourself: When was the last time you truly paused not just to recover, but to realign? Take a micropause, see what changes, and see what wakes up inside you. See what’s next.
