Self-Care for Overthinkers: Practical Tips to Reset From Burnout- Episode 005

If You’re an Overachiever or Overthinker, Watch or Listen to the Latest Episode Below

This episode is a soft landing for overachievers, creatives and overthinkers whose minds never seem to rest. It’s not about tough love or hustling harder. Instead, it’s about slowing down, tuning into yourself, and learning simple, joyful ways to recharge. You’ll discover how rest is productive, play is powerful, and mindfulness is magic. The episode also breaks down small, accessible rituals to help you reset, recharge, and reconnect with what brings you joy.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a refreshed perspective on rest and self-care. You’ll learn some simple, actionable ways to manage your energy and create a lifestyle that fuels—not drains—you. Most of all, these tips will leave you inspired to treat your creative mind like it deserves.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Rest is Productive

You don’t have to “earn” rest. Your nervous system craves rhythm, not endless deadlines. Taking a pause keeps you sharp, creative, and capable of following through on your big dreams.

Find Routines That Work for You

Cookie-cutter self-care routines aren’t for everyone. Instead of forcing yourself into a rigid schedule, focus on micro-moments that genuinely bring you joy, like making a mindful cup of coffee or winding down in your coziest socks.

Play Is a Vital Reset Button

Having fun isn’t just for kids. Whether it’s doodling with zero pressure or dancing while doing chores, giving your brain permission to play, even for 5 minutes, rewires it for joy and creativity—not just survival.

Mindfulness Made Simple

Mindfulness doesn’t mean completely clear our your mind. Instead, it’s about givingyour thoughts and emotions space to exist without judgment. Practices like the “Five Senses Meditation” make mindfulness easy, accessible, and highly impactful—even on the go.

Your Environment Matters

Your surroundings influence your mental state. Whether it’s investing in a small cozy corner at home or being mindful of colors that uplift your mood, curating your environment can help you feel grounded and at ease.

This episode is for you if:

✅ You’re spinning your wheels on the grind. You’ve got big dreams, but the cycle of overthinking, self-doubt, and exhaustion keeps you stuck.

✅ You feel guilty about slowing down. Maybe the grind culture voice in your head tells you rest is lazy, or taking it easy feels indulgent, like you haven’t “earned it.”

✅ You crave joy but feel like you’ve lost the map. Playful, carefree moments seem like a distant memory, replaced by hustle and productivity.

✅ You’re chasing the “perfect” self-care routine. You love the idea of self-care but feel overwhelmed by to-do lists and rigid plans that don’t fit your life.

✅ Stillness feels uncomfortable. Quiet moments make you antsy, like you should be “doing” something instead of just being.

✅ Your environment isn’t serving you. Whether it’s a messy workspace or a lack of cozy corners, you wish your surroundings brought you more ease and comfort.

✅ You struggle to give yourself permission to rest. You’re stuck in a cycle of burnout, guilt, or feeling like you need to push through anyway, even when you desperately need a break.

• View Transcript

  INTRO

  okay so I wanna know right now
  how many tabs do you have open in your brain
  at any given time
  I feel like I have at least 75
  and it consists of work and what I'm planning to do
  the next day
  what I'm gonna have for dinner or what not
  am I reminding myself to drink water
  I wake up in this constant fear that I am forgetting
  one of my friends or loved ones' birthdays
  like consistently every week
  I have to check my phone and my calendar

  I'm curious if you've ever been here — it's 2am
  and your mind is doing Ted Talks that you never signed up for
  maybe earlier that day you saw something online while you were scrolling
  and you got this insane idea in your head to start
  like a side hustle
  now you wanna be an interior designer just out of nowhere
  before you know it, you are buying the website domain
  you are creating the Instagram account
  and you're in hyperfocus mode
  just researching this big idea that you have

  Or maybe it’s a project at work and you're like
  oh my God this is the best idea ever
  surely they will promote me to CEO after this
  I need to execute and I need to execute immediately

  and then it's 5:00am
  you've barely gotten any sleep
  and in like 90 minutes
  you have to get up and get ready for work
  or get the kids ready for school
  and you're dragging your feet through the day
  and suddenly that vision you had at 2am
  just seems out of reach

  because you're tired
  you're exhausted
  you've got so much on your plate already
  that imposter syndrome starts settling in
  and the self-doubt is in your ear like — rah —
  you can't do this

  and you're like okay, maybe I should just give up

  first of all — we're not having any of that negative self-talk
  second of all — if you don't give yourself
  the space to turn your brain off
  you might never finish what you start

  if you're doubting yourself
  my very first episode of this podcast
  is about imposter syndrome
  if you haven't checked that out
  you should go back and give it a listen
  I have resources for that too
  that I'll put in the description of this episode

  but what if you have such a bad case of burnout
  that you don't finish what you started
  or worse, you don't even start the thing that you wanted to start

  we can't let that happen

  SETUP: Meet Your Host and Theme of the Episode

  hey there, I'm Melody Pose
  your host of Jeans with a Blazer
  a podcast about rewriting the rules of work and life

  something I want to get out of the way right away is:
  overthinking is not a flaw
  there is nothing wrong with you for overanalyzing
  and trying to get 27 steps ahead
  before you even take step one

  your brain and how you think — that's not the problem
  the problem is
  you may never have learned how to care for a mind that never stops creating

  so that's what we're going to do in this episode

  it's all about romanticizing the reset
  doing the small but important rituals to shift your energy
  and get you back to baseline
  so you can do your thing

  VIBE SETTING: Cozy and Softness Over Tough Love

  if you're listening to this and not watching this
  I am not in my business casual
  business professional
  I am in a cozy sweater
  and I would encourage you to do the same thing

  maybe you're at work or in the car and you can't
  but imagine you have one in your trunk or purse or whatnot

  this episode is not going to be about tough love
  we're slowing down
  we're learning how to embrace the softness

  and why would we want to do that?
  because softness is just as important

  it helps you tune into yourself
  it helps you notice more
  be more intentional

  finding softness will truly sharpen your mind
  and let you listen more actively
  and give you a chance to recharge
  so you do not burn out

  and I know this is starting to sound a little warm and fuzzy
  but it's important
  and just trust me on this one

  PROBLEM: Grind Culture and Overwhelm

  something that's difficult to do
  when your mind is in hyperdrive
  and you're go-go-go to the next thought
  if you work hard and you're in that grind culture every single day
  you may not give yourself ease

  even worse
  you might feel guilty for when you do take a break
  and that's not okay either

  not in my house
  not in your rules — we're rewriting them
  we're flipping the script

  so put on some cozy socks
  or if you're at work listening to this
  grab yourself something warm or iced to sip on

  and let's mosey our way into self-care for creatives and professionals

  PART 1: My Story — Yoga Teacher Training and Learning to Sit with Discomfort

  I usually go into a story time
  and eventually, I'll start sharing stories other than mine
  I'll keep your name anonymous
  if you want to share a career fail or lesson that you think would be impactful
  I’d love to share it with the audience
  DM me on social media at Jeans with a Blazer
  or send me an email at hello@jeanswithablazer.com

  alright — it was 2016
  I was going through a breakup
  and it was a rough one, as breakups are

  during that time, I was also going through a yoga teacher certification program
  it was part of this path of self-discovery I was on
  the program was 10 months long

  part of the commitment was practicing yoga throughout the week
  and meeting one weekend a month — Saturday and Sunday — from 9am to 7pm
  and it wasn't just yoga poses and teaching classes
  but studying yoga theory, the eight limbs, anatomy, muscle groups

  it was very intensive
  a lot of soft skills we worked on too

  this particular weekend was two days after my breakup
  I did not want to go
  I wanted to skip it so bad

  but the whole thing about the training was about showing up
  you show up for yourself
  you show up for your future students
  you stand in your integrity

  so against every muscle fiber in my being, I went
  everyone knew I was struggling
  because I had shared that I was having a really hard time in my personal life

  that particular weekend, the area of yoga we were studying was Yin
  if you don't know what Yin is —
  it's a slow, restorative type of yoga where you hold poses for three to five minutes

  they're not challenging poses physically —
  you're not holding a headstand for five minutes
  or chair pose for five minutes

  it's more like mental judo you go through
  and here's why:

  it doesn't matter if you're not into yoga or the "woo" part of it
  it applies to everyone
  up until I took the teaching certification, yoga to me meant fitness
  powerful classes
  how much I could sweat and move and feel exhausted at the end

  but Yin is all about finding that moment of discomfort
  and what do we usually do when we experience discomfort?
  our first instinct is to back away and find comfort

  Yin doesn't play like that
  Yin invites you to explore that space of discomfort
  and see what you discover on the other side

  so much is happening internally
  you're literally facing your fears within your body
  and your mind is bringing up all kinds of things you didn’t even realize were there

  I was so resistant that weekend
  I didn’t want to sit in stupid child's pose for four stupid minutes
  I just wanted to go drown my sorrows in a margarita

  but after that weekend, what I learned about myself was:
  I needed to sit with my stillness
  I needed to face that discomfort instead of running away from it

  and I've had nothing but respect for the practice ever since

  while not necessarily physically demanding, it does a number on you emotionally
  highly recommend

  what I learned was:
  sometimes the things you resist most are actually what you need the most

  PART 2: Self-Care Tips for Creatives and Professionals

  Comfort and Coziness Tip #1: Routines (but not rigid ones)

  I'm the type of person who gets bored easily
  but routines make me feel human and grounded

  so I'll say this:
  don't force yourself to fit into a routine that someone else recommends

  you don't have to wake up at 5am, go for a run, chug celery juice, read a book cover to cover, perform life-changing surgery
  unless those things genuinely bring you joy
  then pop off

  but everyone's different
  different needs, preferences, hormones, bodies

  I'd love for you to focus on micro moments of joy first
  build from there

  and if you can't do it every day — that's okay
  your routine is allowed to adapt and change

  it will be there for you when you come back
  whether it's after a vacation or a hard week
  it's not going anywhere

  I'm not even going to suggest a morning routine
  because maybe mornings aren’t your thing
  maybe you have other commitments
  maybe you're a night owl

  no rules in this house
  the rule is that there are no rules

  if you're not sure where to start, ask yourself:
  what would make me feel good in this moment?
  what action could I take to bring myself more ease and coziness?

  I'll give you some examples:

  Morning:
  even though I'm not a morning person
  I often have early calls
  so I love the ritual of making coffee or tea

  I got a job as a barista when I was 16
  fell in love with coffee culture
  the ritual of brewing coffee in a moka pot
  frothing milk for a matcha
  it brings me joy even if it's just for five minutes

  Afternoon:
  if I'm sitting for too long, I hop on my walking pad
  even just five minutes helps
  especially if I'm creatively blocked — movement helps hit refresh

  Evening:
  I have what I call my "teddy bear suit"
  a cozy, matching outfit and socks
  plus a weighted blanket and a fluffy duvet
  when the week has kicked my butt, that's my reset

  PART 2: Self-Care Tips for Creatives and Professionals

  Comfort and Coziness Tip #1: Routines (but not rigid ones)

  I'm the type of person who gets bored easily
  but routines make me feel human and grounded

  so I'll say this:
  don't force yourself to fit into a routine that someone else recommends

  you don't have to wake up at 5am, go for a run, chug celery juice, read a book cover to cover, perform life-changing surgery
  unless those things genuinely bring you joy
  then pop off

  but everyone's different
  different needs, preferences, hormones, bodies

  I'd love for you to focus on micro moments of joy first
  build from there

  and if you can't do it every day — that's okay
  your routine is allowed to adapt and change

  it will be there for you when you come back
  whether it's after a vacation or a hard week
  it's not going anywhere

  I'm not even going to suggest a morning routine
  because maybe mornings aren’t your thing
  maybe you have other commitments
  maybe you're a night owl

  no rules in this house
  the rule is that there are no rules

  if you're not sure where to start, ask yourself:
  what would make me feel good in this moment?
  what action could I take to bring myself more ease and coziness?

  I'll give you some examples:

  Morning:
  even though I'm not a morning person
  I often have early calls
  so I love the ritual of making coffee or tea

  I got a job as a barista when I was 16
  fell in love with coffee culture
  the ritual of brewing coffee in a moka pot
  frothing milk for a matcha
  it brings me joy even if it's just for five minutes

  Afternoon:
  if I'm sitting for too long, I hop on my walking pad
  even just five minutes helps
  especially if I'm creatively blocked — movement helps hit refresh

  Evening:
  I have what I call my "teddy bear suit"
  a cozy, matching outfit and socks
  plus a weighted blanket and a fluffy duvet
  when the week has kicked my butt, that's my reset

  (PAUSE)

  Would you like me to keep going and break down the next section?
  ☕ Next would be: "Comfort and Coziness Tip #2: Play" and then "Tip #3: Mindfulness" and the Outro (Jargon Jar, Closing Thoughts, Next Episode Teaser)

  Would you like me to continue? 🎙️ (Just say "yes!")
  If yes, I can keep this flow going exactly like this!

  4o

  You said:

  yes

  ChatGPT said:

  Awesome — here’s the next section, continuing with the same clean, structured format:

  PART 2 (Continued): Self-Care Tips for Creatives and Professionals

  Comfort and Coziness Tip #2: Take Time for Play

  I was watching the movie Knocked Up
  hilarious — a Judd Apatow film
  Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd are in it

  in one scene, they're sitting on a bench
  Paul Rudd’s character is watching his daughter chase bubbles
  and he says something like:
  "I wish I liked anything as much as my kid loves bubbles."

  he's pointing out how as kids, we find joy in the simplest things
  and how as we grow up, life hardens us
  or our experiences rob us of that pure joy

  but it doesn’t have to be that way

  you don't have to be sitting under a waterfall in Bali to feel that playful energy
  by all means — go to Bali if you can! Let me know!

  but what I'm talking about is finding micro moments of joy

  everyone’s version of play looks different
  but here are some simple ideas:

  • Sit on the floor and draw like you did when you were a kid
    no pressure to be good at it — just for fun

  • Put on a playlist and dance while you do the dishes
    feel like you're in a rom-com for a moment

  • Use music to shift your energy
    if you're in your feels, sometimes you need a sad song
    but sometimes throwing on Cardi B or Fergie can instantly change your mood

  • Play a silly board game with friends
    Cards Against Humanity is a personal favorite

  • Go on a walk and spot weird cloud shapes

  • Take a different route on your commute
    just because you're curious where it goes

  taking a wrong turn for no reason other than curiosity?
  literally a metaphor for life

  remember when you were a kid and thought:
  "when I'm a grown-up, I can do whatever I want"?

  treat yourself to that kid moment
  because you worked really hard to get here

  you don't have to tie everything to an outcome or a productivity goal
  play doesn’t have to be productive
  it just has to make you feel alive again

  when you give yourself permission to play, even for five minutes
  you're reminding yourself it's safe to rest
  you're rewiring for joy — not survival

  Comfort and Coziness Tip #3: Mindfulness

  if you’ve never practiced mindfulness, it’s honestly one of the most powerful tools I’ve ever accessed

  and I'm not trying to take this podcast into super meta brainwave territory
  but just trust me on this

  mindfulness is very simple:
  it's giving your thoughts and emotions permission to exist without attachment or judgment

  why this is powerful:
  we often think we are our thoughts and emotions
  we get wrapped up in our anxiety or frustration
  and it takes over

  I've seen both sides of it —
  teaching yoga in studios
  and working on the business B2B side of mindfulness in workplaces

  there’s real research showing mindfulness can expand the gray matter in your brain
  the areas that control learning, memory, emotional regulation, and self-awareness

  mindfulness is like a muscle you can strengthen
  and you already have the tools to do it

  if you're breathing right now — congrats, you're already halfway there

  you don't have to block off an hour or sit in lotus pose
  you don't have to clear your mind completely

  you can practice mindfulness in 30 seconds

  you can do it while walking
  while listening to music

  one example I love:
  the Five Senses Meditation

  how to do it:

  • take a few generous breaths

  • look around and silently name five things you can see

  • then four things you can hear

  • then three things you can feel

  • then two things you can smell

  • then one thing you can taste

  it wakes up your brain
  it anchors you to your senses
  it reminds you that you're safe, here, now

  Comfort and Coziness Tip #4: Create a Cozy Environment

  it's important to make a home in your mind
  but your surroundings can greatly influence how you feel too

  I recently researched chromotherapy (color therapy)
  limited studies, but lots of anecdotes

  for example:

  • Blues and greens are nature’s OG stress relievers

  • Yellow is like a serotonin boost for your soul — sparks creativity and excitement

  you don't need a whole "zen den"
  but could you create a small cozy corner in your home?

  even if you live in a one-bedroom like I do in Los Angeles — you can make it work

  for me, it's my bed
  a few years ago, I saved up and invested in really nice sheets
  (Pima cotton, percale weave — way more to it than just thread count, by the way)

  I built my dream sleep space slowly
  a weighted blanket
  a fluffy comforter
  soft, cozy textures

  I invested in that space because the ROI is my own well-being
  and you can't really put a price on that

  PART 3: Jargon Jar and Outro

  Jargon Jar: This Episode’s Corporate Buzzword Roast

  I saved the jargon jar for the end because today was all about coziness
  didn't want to throw corporate cringe in the middle of it

  today’s jargon:
  “circle back”
  submitted by Erica, @DreamMinty on Instagram

  her comment:
  "we’re constantly circling — we’re never getting anywhere"

  it cracks me up because when someone says they'll "circle back,"
  it’s usually a polite way of saying:
  "I have no idea what you're asking, and I don't plan on addressing it anytime soon."

  being from Florida, it reminds me of the Daytona 500 — just endless circles, no destination

  and yes — I am guilty of saying "circle back"
  and I loathe myself a little every time I do

  better alternatives?
  "I'll get back to you"
  or the new twist I heard: "loop back around"

  but hey — if you have ideas for better versions, send them my way!
  DM me at Jeans with a Blazer or email hello@jeanswithablazer.com
  
  Final Thoughts and What’s Next

  I hope this episode was a nice little break from your day
  and that you’re able to add a little softness wherever you can

  thanks for hanging out with me

  I'll chat with you next time on Jeans with a Blazer

  Next episode teaser:
  I have a very polarizing belief:
  everyone should work at least one job in hospitality or retail
  you’ll understand why — and the powerful lessons those jobs teach — in the next episode

  so if you’ve ever been a barista, a server, or worked a cash register —
  I see you, I respect you, and I can't wait to dive into that story with you

  That’s a wrap!

  If today’s conversation gave you a mindset shift or the push you needed
  do me a favor:
  subscribe to the podcast
  leave a review wherever you enjoy podcasts
  it helps more people find it
  and it keeps these conversations going

  I love hearing from you
  follow @jeanswithablazer
  and tag me with your biggest takeaways, your latest wins, or just to say hi

  See you next time.