Still Running on Empty: The 8-Week Reset for People Who Can't Switch Off
You took the holiday.You've been going to bed earlier.You've cut back on caffeine, started a morning routine, maybe even tried meditation.And you're still exhausted.Not normal tired. Bone tired. The kind where rest doesn't seem to work anymore, where Sunday evenings feel like dread, and where you come home from work with nothing left for the people you actually care about.Here's what nobody tells you: that's not a willpower problem. It's not laziness. It's not weakness.It's burnout. And burnout is a nervous system problem — which means it requires a system to fix, not more effort.─── WHAT THIS BOOK IS ───────────────────────Still Running on Empty is a practical, no-fluff 8-week guide for burned-out professionals. No jargon. No toxic positivity. No advice that ignores the fact that you still have to show up to work tomorrow.It's written in plain, conversational language — like a friend who figured this out and is walking you through it step by step.─── WHAT'S INSIDE ───────────────────────────Chapter 1 — The Burnout Loop Nobody Explains to YouWhy rest stops working. What cortisol actually does to your body. A quick self-assessment to see where you are right now.Chapter 2 — The High-Functioning TrapThe most dangerous burnout has no visible symptoms. If you're still performing at work while falling apart inside, this chapter is about you.Chapter 3 — The Off SwitchA 15-minute shutdown ritual that tells your nervous system the workday is actually over. With a specific phone setup so work can't ambush you in the evenings.Chapter 4 — Sleep That Actually Recovers YouIt's not about hours. It's about quality — and your stress response is sabotaging it. Three evening changes that make a measurable difference within a week.Chapter 5 — Micro-RecoveryHow to rebuild your energy throughout the day, not just overnight. The 90-minute rhythm your brain runs on — and how to work with it instead of against it.Chapter 6 — From Irritable to PresentBurnout doesn't stay at work. It comes home with you. This chapter explains why, and includes a word-for-word script to explain it to the people you love.Chapter 7 — Why Time Off Didn't Fix ItThe three structural causes of burnout that a holiday can never touch — and how to address them, including an exact script for the conversation with your manager.Chapter 8 — Boundaries Without GuiltWord-for-word scripts for the five most common boundary moments at work. How to say no, push back, and protect your energy without damaging your reputation.Chapter 9 — The 8-Week Reset PlanOne change per week, in the right order. No overwhelm, no willpower required — just a sequence that builds on itself.Bonus — The Burnout Early Warning SystemA monthly 10-minute self-audit so you catch the next slide before it becomes a crash.─── THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF ─────────────────→ You've taken time off and come back just as exhausted→ You can't seem to switch off after work, even on weekends→ You're still performing at work but feeling hollowed out inside→ You snap at people you love and then feel awful about it→ You've tried the surface-level fixes and they haven't stuck─── WHAT YOU GET ────────────────────────────✓ Full ebook (EPUB — Kindle-compatible + all e-readers)✓ Bonus: Monthly burnout self-audit (printable)✓ Instant download─── ABOUT THE AUTHOR ────────────────────────Alex Maren writes about burnout recovery, nervous system regulation, and building a working life that doesn't cost you everything else. Still Running on Empty is their first book.
Get it → alexmaren.gumroad.com