Grounded. 7 Strategies to Prevent Burnout and Improve Well-Being

Because sometimes a nap isn't enough.

I was born in 1989, and I was part of the last generation that played outside until the street lights came on. I remember the anticipation of award shows and public addresses that would capture our attention, events that we would discuss in detail for at least a week afterward in schools, beauty salons, and workplaces. It felt like we had more time in our days, but time was not slower in the 1990s; there were simply fewer distractions.

We were able to be present with ourselves and with each other. Patience was built into our everyday lives, TV shows had commercial breaks, and you had to wait until Thursday night to watch your favorite television show. It was almost impossible to multitask, and if you wanted to be on your phone while washing dishes, you better have a long phone line. Let’s not forget the arguments that ensued when someone had to use the phone but you wanted to use dial-up internet.

We spent time outside in nature, communicating with people in real-time, being in the community, and making memories. Being outside, touching the grass, and breathing non-recycled air grounded us. Now, all the fun has been extracted from our lives. Life expectancy is low in America because we live like we don’t expect to be here long. We rush from one obligation to another, never pausing or resting, reducing our lives to coffee, adrenaline, and stressed commutes.

If you are neurodivergent and have experienced burnout, you quickly find that a nap and a face mask aren’t enough. In fact, to be the most effective, rest and grounding must be a daily practice. After being diagnosed as Autistic a couple of years ago, I found the words to describe the burnout and skill regression I was experiencing. I was afraid that I would never be the person I was before corporate life took its toll on me.

While scrolling on TikTok, I found a video describing the seven types of rest; I was relieved. I later learned that they were developed by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a physician who also happens to be a black woman. There are seven types of rest that can help you rediscover who you began “standing on business”: physical, mental, emotional, creative, spiritual, sensory, and social.

Obstacles to Rest

• Fear

• Lack of Adequate and Safe Support Systems

• Physical Limitation

• Mental Limitations

• Relational Limitations (loneliness, abuse)

• Negative Feelings about self-worth

• Work Stress

• Lack of self-discipline

• Busyness

These obstacles are real and result in trauma, which facilitates disconnection within the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual body. These situations allow you to remain in your head, ignoring your body’s call for rest, leading to discomfort that pushes you to rely on being busy or distracted for survival. Moreover, living in survival mode blocks your creative expression, which is needed for your soul’s expression.

Trauma occurs when you suppress your emotions in exchange for emotional connection and physical safety.

Reflecting on the 1990s and my desire to live a slow life, I see rest in a capitalistic world as a radical decision for my well-being. Being grounded is not an option for me. It’s bigger than a checklist. It’s the difference between life and death, literally and figuratively. My hope is that this post helps you center rest in your life, recover from burnout, and reclaim yourself.

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1. Physical Rest

Physical rest can be passive or active. Passive rest includes naps and sleep. Active rest is mindful, low-impact movement. Nature walks, especially around 2 p.m. after lunch, are my favorite type of active physical rest.

🚶🏽‍♀️Walking

🧘 Yoga

🛌🏽 Laying Down

💆🏼‍♀️ Massage

👐 Physical Touch

2. Creative Rest

Creative rest happens when you create or take in the creation of others.

🎨 Art Museums

🎵 Listening to Music

🎨 Creating Art

🤽 Play

🪴 Enjoying Nature

💃 Dancing

🪩 Stimming

Note: Stimming is repetitive movements or noises to manage or cope with overwhelming situations. This is often seen as a childlike trait that many adults suppress. However, I believe that stimming is a form of creative expression used to ground into the body and thus consider it rest.

3. Emotional Rest

Emotional rest occurs in any space where you can express yourself freely without fear. If you find yourself easily triggered by others, you may need emotional rest.

🧑‍⚕️ Therapy

👯 Taking with a friend

📖 Journaling

✌️ Letting Go

4. Mental Rest

Mental rest is the ability to quiet the mind and focus on what matters. This is often difficult, especially if you are neurodivergent and struggle with decision fatigue, disorganization, hyperactivity, and anxiety.

🧘 Meditation

📜 Delegating

⛔ Setting Boundaries

🤪 Daydreaming

🤒 Mental Health Day

TIP: Mental rest must happen throughout the day to be effective. I have created systems, rituals, and routines to support mental rest throughout my day. I look forward to sharing those during this series.

5. Social Rest

The ability to socialize with those who fill your cup and limit time with those who drain it and the wisdom to know the difference.

👯 quality time with loved ones

🛀 intentional alone time

📹 Turn the camera off on Zoom calls

📴 Time away from phones and social media

6. Sensory Rest

If you have the ability to experience intense sensory experiences through sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell, it is important to understand your own energy and reduce over-simulation where possible.

✌️ Social Media Unplug

🎧 Headphones

👃 Aromatherapy

🕶️ Intentional Darkness

💡 Soft Lighting

🪴 Nature (Fresh Air, Sun, Grass)

👕 Soft Clothing

7. Spiritual Rest

Activities that connect you to yourself, a larger purpose, and the world around you.

🥳 Affirmations

🧓 Genealogy/ Ancestral Praise

🤲 Prayer

💌 Manifestation

⛪ Church

🧘 Meditation

🪴 Nature

📖 Journaling

Note: The main purpose of spiritual rest is to re-establish your sense of belonging. How you do this is very much dependent on your personal beliefs.

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Over the seven weeks, I will elaborate on how I meaningfully incorporate each rest type into my life. These posts are leading us to the release of my first e-book, Grounded: A Guide for Spiritual Beings in a Physical World. As an expression of gratitude paid subscribers will receive the e-book for free.

I appreciate every subscription, and I am still in awe of the community built over only a few weeks. I look forward to additional posts as we build our space one post at a time.