Burnout is a common experience, leaving you feeling overwhelmed as well as emotionally drained. If you feel this way, be assured you’re not alone. Burnout can creep up on anyone, but the good news is that plenty of resources can help, including books that provide practical advice with fresh perspectives and emotional support.
This list of must-read burnout books offers something for everyone—especially if you’re looking for practical strategies and inspiring stories or a deeper understanding of burnout’s causes and how to overcome it. Get yourself comfy and choose some of these insightful reads, as books can be an effective method to help you navigate your way through burnout.
1. The Upside of Stress
By Kelly McGonigal
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5 (1,400+ ratings)
Stress is unavoidable, but Kelly McGonigal offers a refreshing perspective in The Upside of Stress. She states that it’s not the stress itself that harms us but how we perceive and react to stress. She teaches that embracing stress and learning to use it as a tool for growth can dramatically change how we experience it.
“The best way to manage stress isn’t to reduce or avoid it, but to rethink and even embrace it.” —Kelly McGonigal
This book is perfect for those who want to shift their mindset and find ways to turn stress into a positive. McGonigal’s approach, backed by research, can help transform the way you cope with life’s pressures.
Buy this book on Amazon.
2. The Power of Habit
By Charles Duhigg
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5 (38,000+ ratings)
The Power of Habit, by award-winning reporter Charles Duhigg, explores the science of habit formation and how understanding habits can help reduce burnout. With this in mind, you can regain control over your life by identifying and altering the habits that contribute to our stress and fatigue.
“Change might not be fast, and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.”—Charles Duhigg
This book offers practical insights into how small changes in routine really can lead to significant improvements in mental well-being.
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3. Burn Rate
By Andy Dunn
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5 (600+ ratings)
In his book Burn Rate, Andy Dunn shares his deeply personal story of building a startup while dealing with bipolar disorder. The book is a realistic look at the intersection of entrepreneurship, mental health and burnout, providing readers with both inspiration and a reminder that success does not always come without struggle.
“Connective tissue was forming in my head around entrepreneurship and the notion of being my own boss — and, perhaps, the ability to go to a Bulls game with a wad of hundos in my pocket.”—Andy Dunn
If you’re an entrepreneur striving to achieve ambitious goals, this book provides great insights into taking good care of your mental health while also pursuing success.
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4. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
By James Nestor
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5 (29,000+ ratings)
James Nestor’s Breath is an interesting exploration of how something as pure and simple as breathing can have positive, and sometimes life-changing, effects on your health and well-being. He says that proper breathing techniques can reduce stress, improve focus and even help you recover from burnout.
“No matter what we eat, how much we exercise, how resilient our genes are, how skinny or young or wise we are—none of it will matter unless we’re breathing correctly. That’s what these researchers discovered. The missing pillar in health is breath. It all starts there.” —James Nestor
This book is a must-read for anyone looking to holistically manage their burnout by tapping into the body’s natural ability to heal.
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5. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
By Susan Jeffers
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5 (8,600+ reviews)
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway is a classic self-help book that encourages you to face your fears head-on and take accountability rather than burying your head in the sand—something we can all be guilty of. Susan Jeffers provides tools to help you confront the barriers leading to burnout.
“The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and do it.” —Susan Jeffers
“Taking responsibility means never blaming anyone else for anything you are being, doing, having, or feeling.” —Susan Jeffers
This uplifting book is perfect for those seeking to regain control and overcome the fears that exacerbate burnout.
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6. Untamed
By Glennon Doyle
Amazon Rating: 4.5/5 (14,500+ reviews)
Glennon Doyle’s Untamed is a wonderfully freeing self-help guide. It tackles the theme of burnout by exploring how the expectations around us can often push us to the brink. Doyle encourages readers to remove these constraints and live a life that’s true to themselves.
“We can do hard things.” —Glennon Doyle
This extremely empowering book is for anyone feeling trapped by expectations and looking for inspiration and encouragement to find true freedom and joy in their life.
Buy this book on Amazon.
7. The Burnout Society
By Byung-Chul Han
Amazon Rating: 4.4/5 (900+ reviews)
In The Burnout Society, philosopher Byung-Chul Han highlights how modern society’s insistence on productivity and success can lead to burnout. His approach shows how societal structures and modern convenience can easily contribute to exhaustion, depression and burnout and what we can do to resist.
“Depression is the sickness of a society that suffers from excessive positivity. It reflects a humanity waging war on itself.”—Byung-Chul Han
This book provides deep insight for anyone wanting to explore further how today’s instant-gratification society can lead to burnout.
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8. Do Nothing
By Celeste Headlee
Amazon Rating: 4.4/5 (1,300+ reviews)
Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee assures us that rest and relaxation are not only important but also necessary for living a fulfilling life. She argues that feeling like we need to be continuously productive is damaging to our mental health and that taking time to “do nothing” or giving ourselves treats and things to look forward to can lead to more happiness and less burnout.
“We can and must stop treating ourselves like machines that can be driven and pumped and amped and hacked. Instead of limiting and constraining our essential natures, we can celebrate our humanness at work and in idleness. We can better understand our own natures and abilities.”—Celeste Headlee
This book is perfect for those looking to repurpose their time and protect their mental health by embracing a slower pace of life.
Buy this book on Amazon.
9. Boundaries
By Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5 (23,700+ ratings)
Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend is an essential read for anyone struggling with burnout due to overcommitment. The authors explain how important it is to have clear boundaries to protect your time, energy and well-being and offer practical advice on how to say no without feeling guilty.
“It takes wisdom to know what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t. We can’t do everything.” —Henry Cloud and John Townsend
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the demands of others, this book will help you regain control of your life and prevent burnout.
Buy this book on Amazon.
Reduce Burnout And Reclaim Your Health
These books give insight, practical advice and inspiration to help you deal with burnout. Whether you’re looking for scientific, personal or philosophical angles, you will find a book here to help guide you through your struggles. Even if you aren’t suffering from burnout, these books can give you ways to spot it and potentially prevent it from happening in the first place. Start your journey to recovery and better mental health by picking up one of these life-changing reads today!
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