Imagine this: you’ve made it to Sunday. Your chores are done, the house is quiet, and the hobby you used to live for – whether it’s an unfinished canvas, a beaded earring set, or those running shoes in the corner – is sitting right in front of you. Instead of feeling excited, you just feel heavy. Looking at it feels like looking at a pile of unwashed dishes. You find yourself thinking, “I really should do that,” before sighing and doomscrolling on your phone for three hours instead. If your favorite hobbies suddenly feel like an obligation, you aren’t losing your passion, and you aren’t being lazy. You are experiencing burnout. 

When your brain is stuck in chronic, long-term stress, it enters survival mode, prioritizing keeping you afloat over everything else. Burnout depletes dopamine – the chemical responsible for motivation and pleasure – making the things you logically love fail to spark joy. Behind the scenes, your brain is out of gas. We live in an “always-on” digital world full of texts, emails, and loud screens that leave our nervous systems overwhelmed. If your day is spent taking care of everyone else – like kids, coworkers, or customers – your emotional battery is left at zero. Feeling like you have no control over your schedule at work drains your energy further. When you finally get a free hour, you feel a deep sense of guilt and pressure, worrying that you are wasting time when you “should” be cleaning, sleeping, or prepping for the next busy day. 

Unfortunately, you can’t force your way out of burnout. Pushing yourself to “just do” your hobby will only make you resent it more. Instead, you need to learn to lower the stakes entirely. If you don’t have the energy to create, try shifting from creating to consuming. Watch someone else do your hobby on YouTube or look at what friends and family are making. Let yourself be a fan of your craft before trying to be a creator again. 

You can also give yourself permission to make something terrible. Knit a messy, uneven square and unravel it, or paint something using only ugly colors and paint right over it. Removing the goal of a “good outcome” instantly strips away the mental pressure. And if your old hobbies still carry too much pressure because you remember how good you used to be at them, try something completely new. Pick something where you have no experience, like buying a clay kit, coloring book, or trying a new recipe. Being a total beginner naturally lowers your expectations because you aren’t supposed to be good at it yet. 

Above all, give yourself grace. Your creativity hasn’t vanished permanently; it is just resting. Your brain needs deep, unstructured quiet time before it can rebuild its energy. Listen to it. It’s okay to put the project back in the closet, curl up on the couch, and trust that the spark will return when your battery is actually recharged. 

Here’s to your good health! 

It’s okay not to feel okay. 

If you or someone you know has been struggling with their emotions, behaviors, or substance use please reach out to us. We can help you find appropriate tools and services that could help you overcome obstacles in your life. We are here for you. Please contact the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division at 970-563-5700 for more information or to set up an appointment to see a counselor or therapist. 

Reminder: If you need to talk to someone, please reach out. 

And for those interested in opioid use education, harm reduction, and support, please contact us for quick Naloxone (Narcan) training and fentanyl test strips. We can schedule individual, family, or friends training times at our Southern Ute Behavioral Health Building, or we can come to you, and the training is around 30 minutes. Please call us at 970-563-5700 to set up a training appointment.  

Brianna Henderson is the Suicide and Substance Use Prevention Coordinator for the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division.