With everything you have on your plate , it ’ s no wonder you ’ re exhausted . Here , simple ways to refill your gas tank and reclaim your time

Stop beating yourself up The first thing to do when your energy dips ? Breathe , urges expert Brigid Schulte . “ Come back to your body to disrupt the swirl of external pressures .” This pause will give you clarity . “ We live in a world that says exhaustion is our fault , but it ’ s really our workloads that need to change . What ’ s driving overwhelm hides under the guise of personal responsibility , but it ’ s bigger than you are , and you ’ re not to blame .”

Listen to your body “ A lot of overwhelm is actually energy misalignment ,” says expert Laura Mae Martin , who advises listening to your body ’ s natural rhythms . “ I worked with a woman who was such a morning person , but when I asked her when she did strategic thinking ,

Brigid Schulte , author of Overwhelmed : Work , Love , and Play When No One Has the Time , is director of the Better Life Lab at New America , a nonpartisan think tank . she said at night . Just ensuring she had two interrupted mornings a week shifted her energy . Being as intentional as you can about when you do certain tasks makes a huge difference .”

Sneak in self-care Years ago , when Meriam Boldewijn was caring for her husband , she tried to conceal any vulnerability . But when a social worker asked how she felt , the question opened a floodgate of tears . She realized she needed activities she could turn to before she got tired . “ I love to dance , and I don ’ t mean a side step — I mean shaking what my momma gave me for 5 minutes ,” she says . “ When you ’ re exhausted , especially as a caregiver , you ’ re at the crossroads of frustration and acceptance . Joy comes not from mourning what you ’ ve lost but acknowledging what you have .”

Set friendly limits Lead with positive boundaries , encourages Martin , a self-described recovering “ say yes-er .” “ If you ’ re asked to do a task after work hours , for example , instead of saying , ‘ I don ’ t take meetings after 5 pm ,’ start with the affirmative : ‘ I take meetings from 8 am to 5 pm , and I ’ d love to talk with you at 4 o ’ clock .’” This is what Martin calls having a “ friendly shark mentality ”— fiercely yet kindly protecting your time and energy .

Celebrate just one to-do With so much outside of our control , it ’ s a fallacy that we can fully manage our time — but we can manage our expectations , declares Schulte . “ My to-do list used to be 72 items long ,” she

Laura Mae Martin , author of Uptime : A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing , is a personal productivity expert and Executive Coach at Google .

says with a laugh . “ Now , I still write everything out in one big brain dump . But then , from that list , I pick just one task that if I complete , I can say the day was a success .” This allows you to celebrate small wins , lifting your mood and energy instantly .

Reach out for support In the end , it often takes a village to curb exhaustion . When Boldewijn promised herself she would never return to “ burnout city ,” for instance , she began delegating caregiving tasks . “ I would tell a friend , ‘ You ’ re a great cook ; can you make a meal this week ?’ Or if a loved one could go to the hospital that day , it meant I could take a break . That ’ s how I began taking care of my health . Let yourself lean on the people who love you .”

Meriam Boldewijn , author of Caregiver 2.0 : From Burnout to Powerhouse , is a caregiver advocate , speaker and entrepreneur . More at MeriamBoldewijn . com .

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