When You’re Running on Empty: Low-Effort Ways to Feel Human Again

So, full disclosure here… For the past few weeks, I have really been in the pressure cooker, dealing with everything I write about here and more.

One crazy day leads to the next and somehow weeks have gone by and I feel like I haven’t had time to breathe. Just that constant go that leaves you depleted and functioning on autopilot—because you can’t stop, because things still have to be done.

There’s no time to recover and recharge, and the pressure cooker somehow seems to keep intensifying.

When I first started working on this post, life was just ordinary, everyday stressful and busy. But when it came time to finish it, I found myself struggling.

Sometimes life just gets overwhelming. Sometimes you just need a break from it all. I found myself thinking that the easiest way to feel human again would be to:

• Quit my job
• Disconnect the internet
• Put my phone in the freezer
• Go live in a cabin in the woods
• Grow my own food and forage for wild plants

Ah, the dream.

And the dream is nice, but for me, right now, it’s not realistic or doable.

In many ways, escape fantasies are a good way to feel human again and definitely low effort.

But alas, we live in the real world.

Fortunately, in real life, we can still find ways to restore our sanity—even if we are always pressed for time and stuck in the pressure cooker.

These are some things that have really helped me get through the last few weeks. They may seem simple and obvious, or too difficult to fit into a crazy life, but you don’t have to do anything perfectly. If something seems too difficult to fit into your life, just change it up to suit you… or do what you can.

Sometimes you really cannot take time to fit much self-care into your life, and if the goal is just to make it through the day, these things can help.

Remember, this is coming from someone who is literally in the trenches and relying on these tricks right now. I hope they are as helpful for you…

Enjoy Something Herbal

There are so many different ways to incorporate herbalism into your life. Teas and tinctures are the most obvious choices for stress support.

Aromatherapy is another easy way to benefit. If you have a diffuser and can safely use it, things like lavender and chamomile can be calming, while citrus can feel energizing. There are also all sorts of wearable products you can use to travel with your scents if you cannot diffuse because of a pet or other reasons.

If you have the time and enjoy crafty projects as well as herbalism, your options are unlimited. You can make anything from baked goods to body butters to sleep sachets with varying levels of effort and difficulty. Not only will you get to use and enjoy your herbal creation, but there is something about creating that helps you feel accomplished and normal.

Seek Out Water

Getting outside is almost always helpful to feel more refreshed and relaxed. There are actual studies that support the many benefits of spending time in nature.

And there is something about water that is especially soothing and rejuvenating.

Are you near an ocean? A lake? A river?

If yes, can you get there easily? Go and spend some time allowing yourself to immerse in a sensory experience. If you can touch the water or get in, that’s even better.

If not, a bath or a shower can be amazingly restorative and you can make that into a sensory experience as well. Try using fragrant bath bombs or aromatherapy to enhance your experience.

Give Yourself Permission to Do Nothing

Sometimes when you have a million obligations, it can be hard to justify doing nothing. “Sitting around” is usually looked down upon as lazy, and that makes us feel guilty—like we should always be doing more, especially when there’s more to be done.

But you’re not being lazy and you’re not sitting around doing nothing… You’re resting and recovering, even if just for a few minutes.

Rest isn’t something you earn after everything is finished. Sometimes it’s the thing that allows you to finish it all.

If you can find a way to work in more “do nothing” time, it can really help you feel less stressed and more refreshed (so you can tackle the next task with a better mindset and more strength).

Dance Around Your Living Room

Almost everybody has a favorite song or two that could be considered a “power song”—one they instantly have to sing and dance along with.

Put that song on and do exactly that. Listen to the song and get lost in it. Allow yourself however many minutes the song is to detach from reality and get lost in the music.

You’ll get joyful movement and a mental reset at the same time.

Step Outside for Five Minutes

This can be the quickest and easiest way to detach from the pressure cooker and reconnect with yourself and the world around you.

This goes along with seeking out water, but sometimes you need relief right now… and you feel like you can’t wait until the end of the day or the weekend.

Take five minutes and go outside. Feel the sun and the breeze on your face, listen to the birds, watch the clouds. Be fully present while taking in the world around you.

I think it’s worth mentioning that a few rounds of box breathing exercises here can also be extremely helpful in managing those stress levels.

In Summary

Most of my blog posts are ideas and suggestions about various ways of managing perimenopause, stress, and midlife in general, along with things that I have learned and am still learning as I go.

I actually work at the things I write about, the same way I suggest you do.

But this week, I’ll admit there was a part of me that felt like a bit of a fraud writing about this stuff when the only vegetable I ate this week was the lettuce and tomato on a chicken salad sandwich. (And no, that chicken salad was not on whole-grain bread…)

But, I am a work in progress just like everyone else.
And in a moment of clarity, I asked myself, “Would I expect perfection from someone I love during a season like this?”

Of course not!

So why do we find it so hard to support ourselves?

I can tell you that for me, it seems like I am looking for permission to relax. I don’t know who I am looking for permission from, I just know that I feel guilty if I take five minutes for myself because that five minutes could be better spent doing something else.

But I know that those five minutes can make the difference between me being able to go for another five hours or fizzling out and leaving me with more guilt (and more to do tomorrow).

So I’m giving myself permission because truthfully, that’s the only person I need it from. I think you should give yourself that permission as well… You deserve five minutes.

Take them.