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Best Books on Burnout & Recovery

Headshot of Melissa Boudin, PsyD

Written by: Melissa Boudin, PsyD

Headshot of Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP

Reviewed by: Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP

Published: June 2, 2023
Headshot of Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Written by:

Melissa Boudin

PsyD
Headshot of Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Reviewed by:

Trishanna Sookdeo

MD, MPH, FAAFP

Burnout is marked by chronic stress, a loss of motivation, a sense of failure, and feeling trapped by your job or circumstance. It can be a symptom of depression or other mental health issues and is often indicative of a larger problem. If you’re struggling with burnout from work or other circumstances, then these books on burnout recovery are here to help.

Choosing Therapy’s reviews are the result of first-hand testing, thorough research, and transparent methodology. Our reviewers are editorially independent so you can trust their recommendations. Some companies reviewed may also be marketing partners. We earn commissions from referrals to BetterHelp. Learn more about our editorial standards, review process, and advertising policy.

 Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle1. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

Burnout is no joke, especially for women. Emily and Amelia Nagoski’s book doesn’t just talk about how burnout seriously affects women, but also offers concrete advice and exercises to combat it. It shows how to get your body out of the stress cycle and into true relaxation in a world determined to tell you you’re not doing enough.

Can't Even: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation2. Can’t Even: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation

Whether you’re looking for validation or want more information on the wave of burnout that seems to be sweeping through the nation, this book delivers the cultural discussion and context needed to understand the issue. Buzzfeed columnist Anne Helen Petersen expands upon her viral article on the same topic with clarity and familiarity. Petersen outlines how burnout impacts millennial lives, the generational circumstances that got them there in the first place, and what burnout does to a generation in the long term.

52-Week Mental Health Journal: Guided Prompts and Self-Reflection to Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing3. 52-Week Mental Health Journal: Guided Prompts and Self-Reflection to Reduce Stress and Improve Wellbeing

This therapist-written guided journal is a solid tool for bettering mental health, including burnout recovery. Quick, guided prompts help you better understand yourself and provide you with tools to reduce your stress. You’ll also learn tips for finding your goals, healthy living, increasing your mental energy, and more.

Get support before you burnout! BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

Mindfulness for Stress Management: 50 Ways to Improve Your Mood and Cultivate Calmness4. Mindfulness for Stress Management: 50 Ways to Improve Your Mood and Cultivate Calmness

Not adequately managing your stress can lead to burnout. If quitting your job isn’t in the cards at the moment, it may be worthwhile to take a look at other ways to navigate your stress. This workbook specifically focuses on mindfulness to help you cultivate a more content, peaceful life.

Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving5. Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving

We live in a world where we are constantly told to do more: More at work, more at home, more with our friends. Our society rarely allows us to do nothing. The very idea usually implies laziness or something inherently wrong with us. Author Celeste Headlee argues these habits aren’t just burning us out—they’re deeply damaging and do more harm than good, and can even lead to depression.

The Art Of Saying NO: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted6. The Art Of Saying NO: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted

Saying no is a skill many don’t have. This can lead to burnout, stress, and anxiety. Learning how to say no to things you don’t care about (and making time for things you do care about) is an important step in your burnout recovery. This book provides tips, tools, and exercises to get you flexing your “no” muscles when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life7. Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life

When you’re used to people-pleasing, putting your needs last, or otherwise letting others be more important than you, the idea of establishing boundaries can sound rude and unkind. But setting boundaries is how you ensure your needs are met and that you’re being taken care of first and foremost, before you run up against exhaustion or social fatigue. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend take their years of research on the subject and offer practical advice for anyone attempting to draw more lines in the sand. Christians may find it especially helpful.

 Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less8. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Author Greg Mckeown challenges readers to consider exactly what they need in their life to be truly happy. The rest? Let it go.

By forcing readers to consider what is absolutely essential—and letting the rest fall away—there can finally be room for a stress-free life. For those struggling with burnout, this might be exactly what they need to reduce mental and emotional burnout.

The Burnout Fix: Overcome Overwhelm, Beat Busy, and Sustain Success in the New World of Work9. The Burnout Fix: Overcome Overwhelm, Beat Busy, and Sustain Success in the New World of Work

Psychologist and board-certified leadership coach Dr. Jacinta M. Jiménez provides a step-by-step, concrete guide to overcoming burnout in your career. It focuses on cultivating your personal pulse: the thing that motivates you, gets you out of bed and keeps you going. These pulses, Dr. Jiménez writes, keep you grounded while working and set you up for future success and prevent further burnout.

Burnout to Breakthrough: Building Resilience to Refuel, Recharge, and Reclaim What Matters10. Burnout to Breakthrough: Building Resilience to Refuel, Recharge, and Reclaim What Matters

Motivational speaker Eileen McDargh doesn’t just help you identify your burnout type, she provides the framework to recover from it. By better managing your energy, she writes, you become more resilient, which in turn helps combat stress, burnout, and more.

This book outlines how to recharge and refuel in ways that make sense for you while providing you with the tools you need to keep yourself happy and healthy in the face of burnout

Help For Depression

Talk Therapy – Get help from a licensed therapist. Betterhelp offers online therapy starting at $60 per week. Free Assessment


Psychiatry for Depression – Looking for depression treatment that prioritizes you? Talkiatry can help. Find an in-network psychiatrist you can see online. Get started with our short assessment.  Visit Talkiatry

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp and Talkiatry.

11. Overcoming Burnout: Real-life Strategies for Burnout Recovery and Prevention

Overcoming Burnout by David Greenwood tells stories of career burnout from the perspective of people in all industries. It details warning signs, habits to avoid, and tips for prevention. More importantly, Overcoming Burnout describes the best ways to recover from burnout.

Hear from marketing professionals, executives, and people in the customer service industry, among others. They tout the value of boundaries, time management, self-confidence, and getting aligned with your values. Many of them also describe having unidentifiable health issues that were caused by stress and burnout.

I'm So Effing Tired12. I’m So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life

This book is a guide to overcome burnout, manage stress, and increase your energy. Author Amy Shah, MD, wants readers to know that exhaustion isn’t normal. If you feel overworked, overstressed, and overtired, you are not alone. Fortunately, I’m So Effing Tired provides tips to transform your life for the better. To start, Shah recommends paying attention to what you eat, when you eat, and how you manage stress. She says that in two weeks, your energy will increase. In three months, you will feel like a whole new person.

Beyond Burnout13. Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You

Mental health expert and author Amy O’Hana uses Beyond Burnout as an opportunity to discuss vocational or job burnout vs. depression. From personal experience, she knows that burnout is both physically and emotionally draining, and the stress of it can affect your relationships, sleep, and health. Fortunately, there is hope! O’Hana encourages readers to connect or reconnect with God, or your version of a higher power or spiritual connection. Begin the journey to health, fulfillment, and happiness today!

Fixing Burnout14. Fixing Burnout: A Proven Plan to Recover From Burnout and Boost Your Energy

If you are mindful of your mental health, Fixing Burnout by Olivia Winter offers a unique perspective on ways to manage stress and burnout. Winter explains the importance of clarifying your purpose, building resilience, and developing focus in addition to taking care of your physical health. Readers will receive advice on how to recognize symptoms of burnout, understand their level of stress and how it’s manifesting, and plan for recovery. Ultimately, whatever is causing your low energy and mental exhaustion, you can beat it with a little guidance from this book.

Leading on Empty15. Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion

Pastor and author Wayne Cordeiro’s Leading On Empty offers a message of hope and encouragement for leaders who are running on empty. Though it focuses specifically on people working in ministry, it can be helpful for those working in any industry. When Cordeiro first dealt with job burnout, he felt like he would never feel normal again. After taking a year away from the church to recharge, he discovered new ways to restore balance, re-energize his spirit, and reignite his passion. Leading On Empty is his way of sharing his hard-earned wisdom.

When to See a Therapist for Burnout

While some cases of burnout can be recovered from with a better job or a break, other cases can be quite severe. If you’re struggling with burnout and find yourself depressed, anxious, or otherwise struggling, consider seeing a therapist. They can help you get to the root of your burnout, establish boundaries, and create a self-care plan for you. Find a therapist in your area today.

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for marketing by the companies mentioned below.

Talk Therapy 

Online-Therapy.com – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. Online-Therapy.com provides 45 minute weekly video sessions, and unlimited text messaging with your therapist for only $64/week. Get started 

Virtual Psychiatry

Hims / Hers – If you’re living with anxiety or depression, finding the right medication match may make all the difference. Get FDA approved medication prescribed by your dedicated Hims / Hers Healthcare Provider and delivered right to your door. Plans start at $25 per month (first month)*. Get Started

Stress & Burnout Newsletter

A free newsletter from Choosing Therapy for those interested in reducing stress and preventing burnout. Get helpful tips and the latest information. Sign-Up

Learn Mindfulness, Meditation, & Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness.com – Change your life by practicing mindfulness. In a few minutes a day, you can start developing mindfulness and meditation skills. Free Trial

Choosing Therapy Directory 

You can search for therapists by specialty, experience, insurance, or price, and location. Find a therapist today.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by Online-Therapy.com, Hims / Hers, and Mindfulness.com. *Hims / Hers Disclaimer: Subscription required. After first month, price is $85/month for a monthly subscription or $49/month for a three-month subscription ($123 for first order, $147 billed quarterly thereafter). Subscription automatically renews unless you cancel at least 7 days before renewal is processed.

For Further Reading

  • Mental Health America
  • National Alliance on Mental Health
  • MentalHealth.gov

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This content is sponsored By NOCD.

Update History

We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.

June 2, 2023
Author: No Change
Reviewer: No Change
Primary Changes: Updated for readability and clarity. Reviewed and added relevant resources. Added five new titles. New material reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD.
April 27, 2022
Author: Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Reviewer: Trishanna Sookdeo, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Show more

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