Books, podcasts and talks on burnout, rest and recovering from overwork. Everything here is something we have used or been sent by someone who has. Nothing is sponsored and nothing needs a login. Some links may earn us a small commission. It never changes what we pick. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Not sure how toasted you are? Toast of the town is our free burnout guide.
Rest, food and being looked after in the weeks after birth.
Long interviews with well-known Australians, often about grief, burnout and starting over.
A teenager who got a mental health day law passed. Good for anyone who feels silly asking for rest.
Long guided non-sleep deep rest. Good for the nights you have given up on sleeping.
On completing the stress cycle rather than removing the stressor. Explains why a finished to-do list is not relief.
The name for not failing but not thriving, and what to do about it.
The case that rest is part of the work, with the history to back it.
Why a whole generation is exhausted, and why it is not a personal failing.
A history of overwork and a practical way out of it.
A sleep therapist on why exhaustion and racing thoughts go together.
Burnout is not the same as being tired. It is what happens after a long stretch of stress with no real recovery: exhaustion that a weekend does not fix, feeling cynical about work you used to care about, and a sense that nothing you do makes a difference.
The first step is noticing how far along you are. Our free guide Toast of the town starts with a quick check-in, then works through what is draining you and where to set boundaries. Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski explains why rest alone often is not enough.
Recovery is usually less about a big change and more about small, repeated ones: finishing work at a set time, saying no to one thing a week, and getting something back that is just for you.
If burnout has tipped into low mood, panic or not being able to get out of bed, talk to a GP. Many workplaces also offer free, confidential counselling through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Everything here is something we have used or been sent by someone it helped. Nothing is sponsored, and none of it replaces advice from a GP or psychologist.