Don’t Let Burnout Creep Back In—Here’s What Helps
Have you ever noticed how burnout feels quieter in the summer?
You’re not imagining it. With longer days, more sunlight, relaxed routines, and a cultural pause in urgency, many of us find it easier to regulate. We sleep better, move more, and feel slightly less pulled in all directions.
But as the seasons shift—more schedules, less daylight, cooler weather, and the return of intense workloads—we often slide back into old patterns of depletion without even realizing it.
🧠 The Neuroscience
Why Fall Can Trigger Stress
The end of summer can spark a perfect storm of burnout triggers:
Less sunlight = lower serotonin levels, which impact mood and motivation.
Shorter days disrupt circadian rhythms, affecting sleep quality.
More structure (school, meetings, pressure to “get back on track”) increases cortisol production.
Social shifts—from outdoor gatherings to isolated indoor routines—reduce oxytocin, our bonding hormone.
Even if nothing major “goes wrong,” our nervous systems take a hit. And when our capacity starts shrinking, even small challenges feel bigger.
⚒️ Resilience Tools with CAMP:
A Seasonal Burnout Buffer
Before the demands pick up speed, set a baseline for resilience.
Reconnect with your non-negotiables. What fills you up in summer? Nature time, flexible mornings, fewer obligations? Choose one thing to protect this season.
Get daylight in your eyes before 10 a.m. This simple habit stabilizes your internal clock, boosts alertness, and improves sleep.
Block 2 hours per week just for you. Not chores. Not appointments. Just something that returns you to yourself—without guilt.
Recommit to your “why.” Why does your work matter to you? What brought you to it in the first place? The more connected we are to meaning, the more resilient we become.
We don’t wait for the storm to start boarding up the windows. Resilience is built proactively.
So this season, we’re focusing on helping frontline workers and caregivers stay grounded, even when the pace picks up.
You deserve to be full from within—because the world needs you well.
