Burnout-Proofing my January

After turning my life upside down in the best possible way, I thought I’d got quite good at noticing the signs of burnout.

In 2024 I left my career as a secondary school teacher in pursuit of an ADHD-friendly lifestyle, after a frightening stint signed-off sick with chronic burnout. Since then, I’ve worked part-time pastorally in Further Education while growing my business, which has afforded me time to rest, recover and regulate my poor, frazzled nervous system.

I’ve felt more present, happy and fulfilled than I ever have for creating this very intentional lifestyle shift and can’t begin to articulate the benefits of this change. Therefore, I thought (in hindsight, rather naively) that I’d gotten the jump on burnout.

Until December, where I decided that submitting an essay, celebrating numerous birthdays, festive plans and moving house could all coincide without consequence.

The final week of term, despite having a fantastic team and a relatively easy time of it, felt like wading through treacle; most evenings, I could be found asleep on the sofa, or tearfully stress-cleaning my new flat. Something I haven’t done since my teacher days.

So, what could I have done differently? Looking forward to January, I’m sharing my burnout-proofing tips to help you intentionally centre your wellbeing in the new year.

1.        ROUTINES PLEASE

Yes, novelty is great for ADHD-ers… to a point. After weeks of sleeping in different beds, travelling up and down the country and having dinner and drinks out on a weeknight, I am firmly fed up and ready to move on.

Getting back into good habits - a regular bedtime, an exercise slot in my schedule, going to my clubs & societies again – will help me enormously in the long run.

2.        Intentionally… ‘NO’

After Christmas, everyone is lost in a haze of chocolate and can’t remember what day it is. And before the big day, the false urgency to get round the family or go to a work’s do means an overfull calendar of events.

I’ll happily be a social butterfly in December… but in January, I’m reversing into cocoon mode. If I am to schedule social engagements, it will firmly be something that fills my cup and will fit intentionally around existing, strategic commitments that I know benefit my health and wellbeing. Otherwise, I’ll be in my heated blanket for the foreseeable.

3.        Sleep hygiene

Alcohol before bed, limited exercise, social stimulation and enormous cheese plates are a real cocktail for poor sleep. Throw in two weeks of 12am bedtimes and my internal clock is in a different time zone.

I know why I did it; I sacrificed the gym to ensure I could attend the event in time. I ate the cheese because… well, it’s Christmas! And I’ve been settling into my new flat with my lovely partner – it has been time well spent.

But it’s unsustainable. I will be prioritising a high step count and an early bedtime going into January to ensure I am fighting fit in ’26.

4.        Nutrition first

As much as I’ve enjoyed my sugar-fuelled reverie, I know it’s not helped me think straight, or my hormones do their thing. So I’m prioritising protein for January.

That doesn’t mean restriction or going to chicken and rice in punishment for my overindulgence… it just means instead of a chocolate orange segment for breakfast, I’ll go back to porridge ASAP.

And I’ll still dopamine eat… it will just look like a snack plate with veggies, nuts, oat cakes AND leftover Christmas chocolate rather than Buddy the Elf’s spaghetti dish.

5.        Easy Boundaries

To please families, to celebrate ‘properly’ and to ‘make the most of it’, I have been more amenable than normal.

Usually, my boundaries are sky-high, but Christmas often calls for a certain amount of negotiations, compromises and leniency, especially when socialising with people with different expectations and conventions. And I’m truly happy to do that to ensure a joyous, celebratory and conflict-free time for all.

But I am aware that fitting in and people pleasing comes at a heavy cost. I will be entering 2026 prioritising my wellbeing and surrounding myself with like-minded individuals (not great-aunt Joan who thinks mental health is a myth). This will make staying ‘on track’ or burnout-free more attainable, as I won’t have to keep explaining why I’m stopping after one glass of wine or getting an early night.

I have no regrets about how I spent my December, but I’m pleased to be learning from my ‘mistakes’; I hope this insight has inspired reflection for you through a compassionate lens.

If you’re looking to burnout-proof your life, you can access my free resources or book a discovery call with me via the home page of my website. I so look forward to working with you.

Onwards and upwards,

Alice xox