How to Stop Running on Empty: The Science-Backed Guide to Overcoming Exhaustion and Reclaiming Energy

If you are reading this, chances are you are feeling exhausted now, or have felt exhausted in the past and want to learn how to deal better with it, or you are being proactive and want to avoid getting there.

I’ve been there, I felt exhausted in the past but didn’t exactly know how to deal with it. I just thought that I was fatigued, that I needed more rest, that it was just a matter of taking more time off…

But the thing is, exhaustion isn’t only physical—a good nap or coffee won’t fix it. 

It runs deeper: emotional flatlining, mental slurry, spiritual emptiness. And ignoring it isn’t harmless. It can stealthily erode your productivity, clarity, and even your decision-making. Forget burnout—it’s what lies beneath that keeps us stuck in cycles of reactivity and autopilot.

When I learned this it changed the way I dealt with exhaustion, it wasn’t a matter of just managing my sleep, I learned how to find activities that energized me, stop doing things that didn’t. I learned how to take restorative breaks, how to use breathing, and even how to use boredom for productivity.

But let’s start at the beginning, first things first, you need to identify if you are exhausted. 

The Unseen Signs of Exhaustion

You see, your exhaustion didn’t happen all at once. There wasn’t a dramatic collapse or a breaking point.

It was more like… a slow unraveling.

First, it was the mornings. Waking up already tired, staring at the ceiling wondering how the day could feel so heavy before it even began. At work, you felt agitated in meetings—not because people were wrong, but because everything felt off. You smiled and nodded anyway, thinking, “It’s fine. I’m fine.” But underneath, there was friction. A quiet misalignment between what you were saying and what you were actually feeling. That’s not just frustration—it’s cognitive dissonance. And it chips away at your energy more than you realize.

Then came the shift in your emotions. Projects you once loved? You now power through on autopilot. Things that used to light you up feel... flat. You tell yourself you’re just busy, maybe in a rough patch—but really, it’s not stress anymore. It’s emotional numbness. And that numbness isn't resilience. It's a sign that your system is overwhelmed and pulling the plug on feeling anything at all.

Your body, faithful and intuitive, starts sending messages too. That tension in your shoulders? It never really goes away now. Your stomach? Constantly tight or unsettled. And that nagging pain in your lower back? It’s no longer from the occasional long workday—it’s chronic now. Physical symptoms become your body’s final attempt to get your attention when you haven’t listened to anything else.

And the environment around you? It plays its part. The open-plan office that used to feel energetic now feels like static. The clutter on your kitchen counter feels like one more thing you should have handled. And even texts from friends can feel like demands instead of connections. When your environment is chaotic, overstimulating, or emotionally draining—it compounds your fatigue quietly but steadily.

You might call it being busy. But it’s not. It’s exhaustion. And it’s sneaky. It doesn’t always scream—it whispers.

The problem is, when we don’t recognize these whispers early, they grow louder. That mismatch in your thoughts, the numbness in your feelings, the tension in your body, the noise in your surroundings—they’re all pointing in the same direction: you’re running on empty.

But here’s the truth that many high-achieving women never hear: exhaustion is not your fault. And it doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. And it’s reversible—when you learn to read the signs and respond with care, not more pressure.

The Science Behind Exhaustion

If you’ve ever felt like your brain just won’t cooperate—like even the simplest task takes too long, or the creative ideas just aren’t clicking—you’re not broken. You’re exhausted. And here’s what’s really going on under the hood.

Imagine your brain as a company.

At the top, you’ve got the CEO—your prefrontal cortex. She’s responsible for making the big decisions, regulating emotions, focusing attention, and keeping things running smoothly.

But if you’ve been under prolonged stress, that CEO hasn’t slept in weeks. She’s overworked, foggy, and honestly? Starting to panic. Her team is scattered. Her judgment is off. She can’t keep all the meetings straight. This is what happens to your brain under chronic stress: the prefrontal cortex starts glitching. That’s why it feels harder to think clearly, be creative, or even decide what to eat for lunch. It’s not your willpower—it’s your wiring under strain.

Then there’s dopamine—your internal drive system. It’s what fuels motivation, helps you feel pleasure, gives you that sense of “yes, let’s do this.” But stress burns through dopamine like a bonfire. When it’s constantly depleted, you stop feeling that spark. You might still be moving, still showing up, still checking off the boxes—but inside, everything feels flat. It’s not laziness. It’s chemistry. And your brain chemistry needs support, not hustle.

Finally, let’s talk about your energy. It isn’t like a faucet you turn on in the morning and expect to run all day. It’s more like a tide—rising and falling depending on the hour, your hormones, your sleep, your food, even how connected you feel to your work.

But most of us try to push through as if we’re machines—ignoring the cues, overriding the crashes, and wondering why we can’t sustain momentum. The truth is, if you start tracking your energy throughout the day, you’ll begin to see a pattern. Peaks where you’re sharp and focused. Troughs where everything feels heavier. That’s not a problem to fix—it’s a rhythm to work with.

When you understand how your brain actually works under stress, everything shifts. You stop blaming yourself for being “unproductive” and start designing smarter ways to work with your mind—not against it.

Because this isn’t about working harder.

It’s about working aligned.

So, how can we start working aligned with our energy and getting ourselves out of “running on empty” and back to a “full tank”?

How to Stop Running on Empty and Start Working with a Full Tank

Step 1: Rethink What Recovery Looks Like

Most people think of recovery as a full stop. A weekend off. A nap. Watching your favorite Netflix series. And yes—passive recovery like sleep, stillness, and rest are essential. Especially if you’ve tipped into burnout.

But the real shift happens when we implement a process that really enhances our recovery process.

Active recovery—the intentional activities that gently re-engage your mind and body activating your parasympathetic nervous system —can pull you back online. A walk without your phone. A short meditation. Gentle restorative yoga.

Start asking: What fills me up? What quietly drains me?
Then scatter your day with micro-recoveries—little pit stops that keep your tank from hitting empty.

Five minutes of deep breathing.
Walking outside in the sun between Zooms.

On-purpose pauses. That’s where restoration starts.

Step 2: Shift the Mindset That Keeps You Depleted

Running on empty often stems from a belief that stopping is weakness. That rest is indulgent. That slowing down means falling behind.

But here’s what I want you to consider: it’s not soft to protect your energy. It’s strategic.

That’s what I call a “dangerous” mindset.
Not reckless—but radically committed to your wellbeing.

It means saying no before you’ve hit your wall.
It means walking away from productivity guilt.
It means rewriting the rules, even when it makes others uncomfortable.

And in that space—where you stop filling every moment with input—you create room for something powerful: boredom.

Not the kind that scrolls through Instagram, but the kind that lets your brain wander. Daydream. Imagine.
That’s where creativity hides. It doesn’t shout. It waits.

Add to that a gratitude ritual—not because it’s trendy, but because it rewires your focus. When you start noticing what’s working, your brain becomes better at building on it. Gratitude literally primes your system for momentum. That’s not just emotional fluff—it’s neuroscience.

Step 3: Align Your Days With Your Energy, Not Just Your Calendar

Let’s get practical.

Energy is not a steady current—it pulses. And if you’ve ever tried tackling a high-focus task at 4 p.m. when your brain is already fried, you’ve felt the consequences.

Start mapping your natural biorhythms.
Notice when you feel mentally sharp (maybe it’s 9–11 a.m.). Protect that time for your high-leverage work—strategy, writing, problem-solving. Push admin, emails, or low-lift calls to your energy valleys.

Reduce cognitive load.
If your brain feels heavy, it’s probably juggling too many loose threads. Pick one signature focus for the week that aligns with your bigger goals. One guiding question. One priority. Let everything else orbit around it.

Redesign your evening to support recovery.
Sleep doesn’t need to be perfect—but it can be smarter. Just a few changes can deeply affect your rest quality: turn down lights 90 minutes before bed, cool your bedroom, and keep a wind-down routine sacred. These small rituals? They compound.

Step 4: Build an Ecosystem That Supports Your Energy

This isn’t a solo mission.

When you’re surrounded by people who equate “busy” with “important,” it’s easy to internalize the same.

But rest isn’t laziness.
It’s fuel.

Make space for conversations where you can admit, “I’m tired.”
Start normalizing breaks in your team culture. Walking meetings. Quiet time blocks. Real lunch hours.

And in your personal life? Choose people who don’t compete over exhaustion. Who hold space for your pauses. Who remind you that your capacity is sacred—not infinite.

This is how we begin to work from full.

Not because life suddenly got easier, or the responsibilities went away. But because you stopped abandoning yourself in the name of productivity.

So today, let this be your pivot.

Choose one practice.
And let it be the beginning of a different way forward.

Call to Action: Ignite Your Energy & Alignment

If you’ve read this far, you deserve a guide to help you implement these strategies without overwhelm.

You weren’t meant to run on fumes. If you’re ready to build a life that operates from clarity, alignment, and full-tank energy… let’s talk.

👉 Book a free coaching call with me here.

With love,

Sofia