[falicon]

I think the trick isn't so much in the down time (or the length of it)...it's in what you do with any free time.

Burnout is generally a result of getting stuck doing lots of stuff you don't want to the majority of your time...and generally very little of what you do want to be doing...

So in my experience you only get over burnout by focusing and rediscovering what you were truly passionate about in the first place (or at the very least what you are insanely passionate about now).

Then, once you can figure out what excites you, start getting small wins in that direction however you can...and before you know it, you'll be full of energy and near impossible to stop again.

[LifeQuestioner]

Yeah I realised this was very much how I got into a state of burnout in the first place - and I was staying in a role through guilt, not enjoyment.

I guess from your comments and my situation it should mean not returning to the role.

[falicon]

It's very rare that "going back" ever turns out well or as people hope (there are a few exceptions).

Keep in mind that you left for a reason...and the only thing you can really change is you...have you changed so much that you are missing it? That you can't move on without it?

My advice, as long as you have other reasonable options, take one of those paths instead...

[ruraljuror]

I think this is an important concept for discovering happiness overall. You can work on this by keeping a rough journal of how you spend your time and then reflect on whether they are important/enjoyable.

Then try to increase the amount of time you spend on those things that important/enjoyable and decrease the others.