Mar 12 2025 25 mins
Access the S.T.O.P. Plan here, Friend.
- This is a free resource to support your journey toward a more sustainable rhythm of life
Welcome to another episode of the Disrupting Burnout podcast where we give you the strategies for pouring out purpose without burnout. I am Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson, but you can call me PBJ.
We think we're taking breaks throughout our day, but most of what we consider "breaks" are simply different forms of information consumption. Scrolling social media between tasks? That's not rest—it's just a different cognitive load. Even meaningful conversations with colleagues don't give our brains the downtime needed to process, release toxins, and reset. True restoration requires intentionally creating spaces where your mind can recover.
Silence has become a luxury we rarely experience. As I walk my dog Bella, I have to consciously remind myself not to reach for headphones, not to fill the space with podcasts or music—to simply be present in the moment. This constant stream of information is exactly why many of us live in perpetual overwhelm.
Your brain is miraculous in its ability to heal itself, much like how your body repairs a cut or recovers from surgery. But this natural restoration only happens when we allow it time. Throughout this episode, I share practical strategies for incorporating effective micro breaks into your daily rhythm—from the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique to conscious breathing exercises, from rediscovering the power of stretching to embracing simple, kindergarten-like activities that require presence without complex processing.
After decades of overworking and overachieving, learning to take effective breaks requires practice. But I challenge you to try: step away from problems that feel like brick walls, give your brain true rest, and watch how it rewards you with improved focus, creativity, and solutions that previously eluded you. Download my STOP plan through the link in the show notes and start incorporating these restorative micro breaks today. Your overwhelmed mind deserves this gift of recovery.
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