Ever notice how, when you’re burned out, your brain feels like it’s working against you? Psychologists describe this as “cognitive overload”. When stress and fatigue crowd out the mental space you need for creative thinking. Instead of fresh ideas, you get racing thoughts, distraction, or worse… nothing at all.
Burnout doesn’t just drain your energy. It actually disrupts how your brain processes information. The prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for focus, decision-making, and creativity slows down under pressure. That’s why scrolling on your phone feels easier than finishing the work you know you should do.
Here’s where meditation comes in. Studies show that even a few minutes of mindful breathing can calm the stress response in your brain, lower cortisol levels, and re-activate the pathways linked to focus and idea generation. It’s not about emptying your mind, but about creating just enough space for clarity to return, by anchoring your attention to the present moment and the simple rhythm of your breathing
Let’s try the quick 3 steps method of mine in reality, it only takes 5 minutes, and you’ll feel a boost of energy:
1 - Focus on Your Breathing
2 - While your eyes are closed, imagine a color, memory, or moment that makes you smile and feel happy.
3 - At the same time, repeat a positive affirmation, for example, “I am creative,” “I am brilliant,” or anything that uplifts you.
By the end of this 5-minute practice, you’ll feel calmer, more focused, and ready to tap back into your creative flow.