Why You Can’t Build Habits When You’re Burned Out

Overwhelmed by expectations, an overachiever hides their face in their arms amidst a sea of open books, underlining a moment of intense pressure and mental fatigue.

💡 Burnout makes habit-building feel impossible—but there’s a behavior-based way to restart from survival mode.

For years, I kept trying to change my habits— but nothing stuck.

I’d start strong, carry on for a couple of months, and then something would happen— stress, life, exhaustion— and BAM, I’d slip right back into old patterns. The cycle repeated over and over. Each time, I’d put on more weight, feel more stuck, and blame myself harder. I didn’t realize the truth:

I was trying to build on a foundation of burnout.

Burnout doesn’t just make you tired— it narrows your behavioral bandwidth. It tanks motivation, increases avoidance, and makes reinforcement less effective. When your nervous system is in overdrive and your environment is filled with demands, it's nearly impossible to make new habits stick.

🔁 My Burnout Story

I started in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a recent college graduate with a degree in psychology. I had no idea what to do next— until a chance conversation with an old high school friend led me to a job as a behavior therapist.

I was trained on the job and quickly realized I had both a passion and a talent for this work. Seven years later, I completed my master’s in ABA, packed up my life, and moved across the country to step into the world of full-time BCBA life.

It was exciting… until it wasn’t.

Five years (and a pandemic) later, I found myself completely burned out. I had lost my full-time childcare, my work-life balance was nonexistent, and my nervous system was constantly in fight-or-flight mode.

I pivoted to being a stay-at-home mom, trying to make ends meet with side gigs. But within two months, I was sitting in a doctor’s office because my stress and anxiety were through the roof.

My body was screaming signs of imbalance. I was breaking out with hormonal acne, experiencing random histamine reactions, and found myself frozen during moments of overload. I couldn’t focus. I was emotionally numb. I was overwhelmed— and deeply dysregulated.

My labs came back “normal,” but nothing about my experience felt normal.

I was prescribed anxiety meds and referred to therapy. And while therapy helped, something was still missing. I had the behavior tools, the knowledge, and the clinical experience— but I wasn’t applying them in a way that truly honored my health and wellness as a whole person.

That’s when I began rebuilding. Slowly. Intentionally. Through health, habit-building, and a return to the values I had lost sight of.

✅ What To Do Instead

If you’ve ever found yourself in the loop of "trying to fix it" while totally depleted, here’s what I’ve learned— both professionally and personally:

1. Normalize the Burnout First You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re trying to operate with a system that’s completely overworked. Start by naming it. Burnout changes the contingencies around everything— especially your ability to follow through.

2. Focus on Energy Restoration Before you overhaul your habits, restore your baseline. Sleep, hydration, quiet time, boundaries— these are your foundational reinforcers. Without them, even the best habit systems collapse.

3. Start Small: Mini Habits & Momentum Use behavioral momentum to your advantage. In behavior analysis, this means building up “quick wins” to increase the likelihood of sticking with harder tasks. Pick one tiny action that feels doable even on your hardest days. Reinforce it immediately. Stack small wins. Then, build from there— slow and steady is the process.

💡 Ready to Begin Again?

If this sounds like you— exhausted but ready for something to change— start here.

Today, I combine my background as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Precision Nutrition Certified Coach to help professionals rebuild their habits, reduce burnout, and live in alignment— with their values and their biology.

I created a free Mini Mindset Reset for people exactly like us: burned out, overwhelmed, but still holding on to hope that something better is possible.

👉 Download the Mini Mindset Reset Designed to help you restart with clarity, compassion, and sustainable behavior change.