Burnout isn't inevitable

It’s easy to believe that staying healthy means overhauling your entire routine. But often, the most effective changes are the ones that are easiest to repeat — small one percent shifts, layered gently into the rhythm of your existing daily routine.

If you're juggling work, life and everything in between, here are five low-effort, high-impact habits that support your energy, immunity, focus and long-term wellbeing — without the burnout.

1. START WITH WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING, THEN STACK ONTO IT

Behaviour change sticks best when it builds on habits you already have. This is called habit stacking — and it’s the secret to making healthy routines feel effortless.

Already have a mid-morning snack? Choose one that does more. A high-fibre bar, like the INDI Gut Bar, gives your gut something to work with and provides your daily recommended dose of vitamin D — especially important during the darker UK months. That’s two boxes ticked in one bite.

Already take a daily walk or stretch? Pair it with a few deep breaths or a podcast that inspires you. You’re not starting from scratch — you’re stacking on what’s already there. 

2. YOUR BODY NEEDS MORE FIBRE (NOT JUST MORE PROTEIN)

Protein has had its moment. Fibre deserves one too.

While most UK adults eat more than enough protein, 96% do not meet the recommended daily intake of fibre (1). That’s a problem — not just for digestion, but for heart health, blood sugar balance, and risk of cancer.

Choosing snacks with 7–8g of fibre per serving (like INDI’s Gut Bar) is a simple way to help close that gap without overthinking your meals. Bonus: fibre also helps regulate appetite and sustain energy, reducing those 4 pm crashes.

3. MOVE YOUR BODY, EVEN A LITTLE 

You don’t need to spend hours at the gym to unlock the benefits of movement. Even brisk walking can help improve one's mental health, blood pressure control, may support irritable bowel syndrome, and increase life expectancy (2,3,4,5).

If your usual routine feels out of reach right now, start small or use a programme. The NHS Active 10 and Couch to 5K app can help you with that.

Think of movement as an investment in your health bank account, not as a distraction from all the work you have to do.

4. RETHINK HOW YOU REST

Rest is more than sleep, but sleep is a good place to start.

Simple sleep hygiene tweaks — like dimming lights after 9 pm, cutting caffeine after midday, and keeping phones out of the bedroom — can help you get a better night's sleep. We often hear that sleep is for the weak — but in reality, 7h-8h sleep is essential for long‑term health (6,7).

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why sleep might feel out of reach. If these simple measures aren’t helping, it’s worth speaking with your GP — support is available, and you don’t have to navigate it alone.

5. PRACTISE GRATITUDE EVEN IN SMALL MOMENTS

What if instead of reaching for your phone when the kettle is boiling, you took a moment to pause and practice gratitude? Gratitude has been linked to improvements in emotional wellbeing, resilience, and even physical health. It’s one of those rare habits that feels simple and is scientifically supported (8,9)

If you cannot resist taking your phone out, use it to write down one thing you are grateful for. At the end of the year, you’ll have a list of 365 micro moments of gratitude.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

You don’t need to chase complicated health routines to feel better. Start where you are. Add one small tweak. Let it become part of the day. And when you're ready, add another.

Dr Laureen Jacquet is an NHS GP specialising in lifestyle medicine and a coach. She co-leads Channel Your Serenity, a holistic coaching service blending movement, somatics and practical coaching designed for ambitious professionals who want to thrive without burning out. You can find her on Instagram @drljacquet and @channelyourserenity. 

Sources:

1. National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023: Report (2025) GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023-report (Accessed: 07 January 2026).
2. Yu, Danny J et al. “Comparison of moderate and vigorous walking exercise on reducing depression in middle-aged and older adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial.” European journal of sport science vol. 23,6 (2023): 1018-1027. doi:10.1080/17461391.2022.2079424
3. Malem, Rehmaita et al. “Brisk Walking Exercise Has Benefits of Lowering Blood Pressure in Hypertension Sufferers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Iranian journal of public health vol. 53,4 (2024): 774-784. doi:10.18502/ijph.v53i4.15554
4. Nunan, David et al. “Physical activity for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 6,6 CD011497. 29 Jun. 2022, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011497.pub2
5. Chudasama, Yogini V et al. “Physical activity, multimorbidity, and life expectancy: a UK Biobank longitudinal study.” BMC medicine vol. 17,1 108. 12 Jun. 2019, doi:10.1186/s12916-019-1339-0
6. Chaput, Jean-Philippe et al. “Sleep duration and health in adults: an overview of systematic reviews.” Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme vol. 45,10 (Suppl. 2) (2020): S218-S231. doi:10.1139/apnm-2020-0034
7. Irwin, Michael R. “Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective.” Annual review of psychology vol. 66 (2015): 143-72. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205
8. Diniz, Geyze et al. “The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil) vol. 21 eRW0371. 11 Aug. 2023, doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2023RW0371
9. Tolcher, Katherine et al. “Evaluating the effects of gratitude interventions on college student well-being.” Journal of American college health : J of ACH vol. 72,5 (2024): 1321-1325. doi:10.1080/07448481.2022.2076096