How to Maintain Your Health When You’re Burnt Out or Busy

You’re not failing.

You’re not lazy.

You’re probably just... tired.

If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll “start Monday,” but Monday keeps moving to "next Monday"—you’re not alone. Most of us aren’t sitting around lacking willpower. We’re managing schedules, emotions, expectations, and exhaustion. We’re not being lazy or willfully ignoring our goals. We’re just overloaded.

And here’s the part nobody says loud enough:

You can take care of yourself without having everything perfectly in place first.

The All-or-Nothing Trap

You’ve probably fallen into it before.

“If I can’t work out for 45 minutes, what’s the point?”

“If I already had fast food today, I might as well keep going.”

We treat health like a switch—on or off. In reality, it’s more like a dimmer. You don’t have to blast it on full brightness. You just need to turn it up one click.

Small decisions matter. Especially when they’re made on purpose.

Discipline isn’t about being intense—it’s about having direction.

What Taking Care of Yourself Really Looks Like (Right Now)

If you’re juggling work, caregiving, bills, stress, anxiety, and still trying to figure out what to eat for dinner… this is how it is for many adults in 2025. Here’s the truth: taking care of your health doesn’t require a mood board or a morning routine with a sunrise yoga flow.

Sometimes it just looks like this:

• Drinking a glass of water before you get caffeinated

• Eating something that grew from the ground today

• Sitting down to eat instead of eating in your car

• Choosing beans over chips. Fruit over candy. That’s it.

• Saying “no” to something that doesn’t actually matter

These aren’t “wellness hacks.” They’re quiet, unglamorous decisions that signal to your nervous system: Hey, I’ve got you.

The Burnout-Friendly Health Toolkit (ASSFACE Style)

This is where the ASSFACE Diet comes in—not as some strict system, but as a low-barrier strategy. The kind that works even when you’re low on energy and mental bandwidth.

Here’s what it offers:

• No added sugar – not because sugar is evil, but because it’s draining

• Real food – fruit, veggies, legumes, dairy if you want it

• No obsessing over perfection – eat the bread if it’s whole grain, eat the rice if it’s brown, eat the yogurt if it’s not dessert

This isn’t keto. It’s not Paleo. It’s not tracking macros and weighing spinach.

It’s just about choosing food that supports your brain, your energy, and your sanity—especially when you’re operating at only 40%.

But What If You’re Too Tired to Start?

Then start smaller. Like, microscopically smaller.

Here’s a moment from my life:

There was a day when I rolled out of bed, walked to the kitchen, grabbed a protein bar and a bottle of water, and went right back to bed. That was all I could do.

But I did it. And that counted.

Not because it was impressive, but because it was intentional.

When I drink water first thing instead of an energy drink or coffee with caffeine and a ton of sugar, I’m not dieting. I’m just acting like someone who gives a damn about herself. That identity shift is what keeps the momentum going—even when everything else is on fire.

Stack One Win a Day

Let go of the idea that you need to “fix everything” to be healthy. Start with one win, one choice, one signal to your body and mind that you’re on your own team.

Today, that might look like:

• Putting a whole food in your body before 11 a.m.

• Choosing fruit instead of a cookie or chips when the afternoon crash hits

• Drinking water before reaching for caffeine

• Eating protein with your carbs, not just carbs alone

• Not skipping meals and calling it “being good”

You don’t need a perfect meal plan or a fancy tracker.

You just need to do one good thing on purpose—and then do another tomorrow--and then add in more good habits until you slowly change your life.

You Can Take Care of Your Health Even When Things Aren't Perfect

You’re allowed to take care of yourself even when:

• The house isn’t clean

• The laundry isn’t done

• Your inbox is full

• Your spouse and you are arguing

• You feel like you're behind at work

• Your kid is melting down

• You’re overwhelmed

Especially, when you’re overwhelmed.

So, if you’re trying to get your health back on track but don’t know where to start, start here:

Ditch the added sugar. Eat real food. Keep it simple.

That’s what the ASSFACE Diet is. Not a punishment. Not a trend. Just a plan that works for people who are tired of overthinking.

What the Science Says About How to Maintain Your Health When You're Burnt Out

Burnout isn’t just in your head—it’s in your hormones, your immune system, your metabolism, and your brain. Research shows that chronic stress and emotional fatigue can alter how your body processes food, how well you sleep, and how likely you are to make healthy choices.

• Cortisol overload (your main stress hormone) can increase cravings for sugar and ultra-processed foods, especially late at night.

• Burnout is associated with elevated inflammation and reduced insulin sensitivity, both of which can make weight gain and fatigue worse over time.

• A 2019 review in Frontiers in Psychology found that burnout significantly reduces self-regulatory behavior—meaning it’s harder to follow through on productive habits, even if you want to.

• Sleep deprivation, which often accompanies burnout, has been shown to impair decision-making and increase emotional eating.

In short? It’s not “just in your mind.” To maintain your health when burnt out, it's essential to realize your body is trying to survive chaos. The solution isn’t shame or more pressure. It’s small, supportive actions that rebuild your capacity over time—starting with the foods you eat.