Among the beauty of life and the wonders of our existence, there will occasionally come a moment when you realize life has been too much lately, and that you’re in dire need of a long overdue break from all the noise. This is where I find myself now. A period of emotional overwhelm at my full-time job and my beloved cat’s never-ending health problems have left me overstimulated and emotionally drained. The world feels too loud and too fast right now. One more challenge, and I swear I’ll scream.
So today’s post—sponsored by my mental exhaustion—is an ode to seeking refuge from the noise in the times when the world is too much to take in. This isn’t a fix-it workshop, but a safe space for when you find yourself overwhelmed and craving silence and stillness.
What I Do When Life Gets Too Noisy
My ideal remedy for burnout would involve taking a week or two off work and dedicating this time to things and activities that feed my soul. However, it’s not always possible, and the good news is that even a few consecutive evenings or a weekend spent hiding from the world can help you recharge and reset emotionally. And even if you still feel tired and reluctant to return to the hectic realities of your life, it is always good to give your overwhelm a space where it’s allowed to exist without shame or criticism.
Now that my mind needs quiet, I’ll be turning to my personal tried and tested self-care practices that have proven in the past to provide comfort and soothe my nerves.
1. Quiet Solitude as a Comfort Zone
Even as I look at myself and my friends, I can see how much our ways of dealing with stress or hardships can differ. To someone, recharging is about socializing, attending events, or hosting a dinner for friends. Me, I go in the opposite direction.
When the world feels too loud and the sensory overload kicks in, all I want is a quiet space to reset in my own company. I am predominantly an introvert. If I feel emotionally overstimulated, I retreat into physical and emotional quiet by staying home, surrounding myself with comfort, and removing any sensory triggers.
I dim the lights and close the windows if any street noise tries to seep into my apartment. I allow incoming texts to stay unanswered for a bit longer than I normally would. And whatever problems are still unsolved, whatever tasks are still to be completed, I let them stay that way for a day or two longer unless it’s truly urgent.
Because you can’t pour from an empty cup, and that’s what I am right now—an empty cup.
2. Calming Rituals to Speed Up Recovery
The beauty of taking time off to recharge is that you can do whatever your heart desires. My heart normally desires tiny self-care rituals that, insignificant though they may seem at first, have powerful restorative effects when combined.
Ordering takeout from my favourite Indian restaurant frees up time for an extra episode of my go-to comforting show.
Lighting a candle and journaling about all my frustrations—without any expectations as to how articulate my thoughts will sound on paper—is the very definition of giving my emotions a safe space to exist.
Playing video games is, in my opinion, one of the most bulletproof methods of turning your brain off and disconnecting from your mental load for an hour or two.
And reading in bed before going to sleep, with a cup of tea on the nightstand and a soothing reading playlist in the background, is a shiny cherry on top of the pie of self-care rituals—and that’s a hill I will die on.
3. Listening to Validating Voices
Exhaustion and burnout rarely come alone. They are often accompanied by guilt or shame or even anger that we might feel when we’re reminded we’re not unbreakable. It’s sad, really, that we sometimes see our need to rest as a failure. I, for one, have a very outspoken inner critic who, until recently, would jump at any opportunity to point out how deficient I am, and once she started, there was no way of shutting her up.
In such emotionally sensitive moments, hearing someone talk about these experiences in a way that validates and normalizes them can be instrumental to changing the way we treat ourselves. Sometimes a gentle explanation of why what we’re going through is totally normal is all it takes to stop us from punishing ourselves for feeling low. Other times, it’s hearing a favourite podcast host or an influencer we’ve admired for years share that they, too, get overwhelmed sometimes and feel the need to disappear for a bit.
These are some of the voices I turn to when I need help in validating my emotions on low-energy days:
- The School of Life offers thoughtful, empathetic reflections on the emotional struggles we all face, presenting complex human experiences with kindness, gentleness, and deep understanding. Their videos feel like a calm, wise voice reminding you that you’re not alone in what you’re feeling.
- The Psychology of Your 20s. Hosted by Jemma Sbeg, this podcast blends scientific insights with relatable storytelling, offering thoughtful explanations for the emotions and challenges we face. By sharing her own experiences alongside research, Jemma creates a validating and compassionate space that encourages listeners to approach themselves with greater understanding and kindness.
- Mantra, another podcast hosted by Jemma Sbeg, focuses on one meaningful mantra per episode, offering thoughtful reflections and personal insights to explore its deeper meaning. Through gentle storytelling and relatable examples, Jemma helps listeners understand how these simple phrases can offer guidance, comfort, and perspective in navigating everyday life.
Whether I need an explanation why I feel the way I do or a reminder why it’s okay to feel this way, these voices feel like quiet and meaningful company—a refreshing change in a world full of meaningless noise.
Disconnecting as a Way to Reconnect
Allowing myself to disappear temporarily whenever the world starts feeling too loud has taught me valuable lessons that I would have never learned otherwise.
My emotional capacity is not a flaw, and needing a break from people, places, and activities doesn’t mean I’m pushing others away. The ability to recognize and respect my own limits has actually helped me enormously to set boundaries more compassionately, which in turn helped me build more fulfilling relationships.
We don’t always need to be available, responsive, or visible. When we feel that life has become too much, taking the space we need is a form of self-respect, especially if we do it to find our way back to ourselves, and not to withdraw from life permanently.
Even when I’m tired, I never stop being part of the world. But from time to time, I need to step out of the thick of it and just hold myself in the quiet of my own presence, before I’m ready to burst right back in with a renewed enthusiasm for all that life has to offer.
Questions to Sit With
- What signs indicate that I’m approaching emotional or sensory overload?
- In what ways can I create a personal sanctuary—a space or routine—that allows me to retreat and recharge?
- How do I perceive rest and solitude: as indulgences, necessities, or something else entirely?
- What internal narratives arise when I choose to step back from responsibilities to care for myself?
- How can I offer myself compassion during times of burnout, acknowledging my needs without judgment?
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