Burnout & the little fixes

How 2025's favorite buzzword turned into a year of small, human ways to cope with exhaustion

- Nitin S

If 2025 had a dictionary of overused words, burnout would be right on top.

Everyone was talking about it, in offices, over brunches, and in group chats. It wasn't just about being tired anymore; it was the kind of exhaustion that crept into everything. According to several studies, most of the professionals were feeling burned out most weeks. And honestly, it’s easy to see why longer hours, endless emails, and the pressure to ‘do more’ made rest feel like a luxury.

“I think 2025 was a stressful year. Work got faster, expectations were higher, and when things peaked, most of us weren't resting. We just kept pushing, even when our capacity was gone. That constant chase made us more vulnerable to everything,” says Hanish Sugandh, a 32-year-old working professional.

His words hit home for anyone who spent the year surviving more than thriving. Between work pressures, digital overload, and a never-ending scroll of “productivity hacks,” people were burning out faster than ever. But amid the chaos, many found small, personal ways to cope that didn’t require therapy apps or expensive retreats, just simple human reactions that brought a bit of calm back.

Cry it out