Feeling burnout? These are the 3 productivity tips you didn't know you needed.

Thanks to our brand partner, InstantScripts

Let's be honest, we're all exhausted. We're all on our second coffee before 9am. We're all staring at our screens wondering if this is really what life is supposed to feel like.

Literally half of all Australians surveyed this year by Beyond Blue said they had experienced burnout in the past year.

When we feel like this, the world loves to tell us to just "work smarter, not harder." Thanks, babe — revolutionary. Other groundbreaking advice usually includes "try yoga," "buy this $80 planner" or "have you considered just... stressing less?"

If you've tried all the hacks to cure your burnout and still feel like you're wading through cement (and done with it impacting your mood, sleep, mental health, physical health…), it might be worth checking if something else is quietly sabotaging you.

So, here are three practical, non-obvious tips for reclaiming efficiency when you feel like you have none left.

1. Leave the frog.

When I'm burnt out, the frog is the size of a Toyota Yaris. I will stare at the frog, make coffee to avoid the frog, reorganise my pantry to procrastinate on the frog, and then end the day having done nothing but fear the frog.

So, I instead 'leave the frog.'

Instead of the hardest task, do the easiest one. The silliest one. The one that takes five minutes. Answer one email. Pay one bill. Book one appointment (online!). Tidy one corner of your desk.

Productivity isn't just about output; it's about momentum. When you're burnt out, your brain is starved of feelings of accomplishment. Leaving the frog to do something much, much smaller, gives you a tiny, stunning little dopamine hit of "I did a thing!" And sometimes, that tiny win is the only thing that gives you enough momentum to tackle the next, slightly bigger task. Stop trying to eat the frog… just have a bite instead.

This is where being time-poor and value-driven (me, lol) meets 2025 convenience. If you're struggling to find time to even think about booking a doctor's appointment, using apps like InstantScripts are a massive help. InstantScripts is Australia's largest online medical clinic, offering affordable online healthcare at your fingertips. You can speak to a doctor 24/7, request a script, medical certificate or even a blood test, all from the comfort of home.

It's a 10/10 recommendation to bite that frog.

Watch: Burnout and the micro-retirement trend. Post continues below.

2. Stop 'managing' your time. Start 'budgeting' your energy.

If I hear the phrase 'time-blocking' again, I'm going to throw my laptop out the window. My calendar looks so uncomfortably hectic it has now become my sleep paralysis demon.

The problem is that we treat all hours as equal. But an hour-long, high-stakes presentation is not the same 'cost' as an hour of quiet, deep work. One drains you completely; the other can actually energise you.

I've stopped thinking about my day in terms of time and have started thinking about it in terms of an energy budget.

• You wake up with, say, $100 of energy.

• That should-be-an-email-but-isn't team WIP meeting? That costs $40.

• Writing that complex report? $50.

• Replying to mindless emails? $5 (but $20 if it's from that certain coworker that makes you want to EXHALE loudly).

• Arguing with your partner about which way the forks face in the dishwasher? $30.

When you're burnt out, you're starting the day with $50, or maybe even $20. You simply don't have the budget for the $40 meeting and the $50 report. This isn't a failing on your behalf, it's just bad maths.

This specific reframing of organising your day based off your energy levels is life-changing. It stops you from saying "I didn't have time" (which feels like a lie) and allows you to say "I don't have the energy budget for that right now" (a bit cringe but much better for you). It moves the feeling from one of personal failure to one of strategic allocation.

3. Make a 'Done List'.

My To-Do list is not a helpful tool. It's an anxiety-inducing map of my own failures. It's a needy, judgemental document that follows me around, whispering "you still haven't done that thing from three weeks ago."

I can't take credit for this tip as it came directly from my therapist when I was going through a particularly harsh bout of burnout. She told me, "You only see what you haven't achieved."

Enter: The Done List.

At 5pm, instead of looking at the sad wasteland of your To-Do list, open a blank document and write down every single thing you did get done. And I mean everything.

• Attended three meetings (and stayed awake (bonus points)).

• Ate breakfast (not just 3 cups of coffee).

• Wrote 200 words of that report.

• Filled that script I've been meaning to at the pharmacy.

• Emptied the dishwasher.

• Remembered to take my vitamins.

• Didn't have a breakdown while trying to parallel park.

When you see it written down, you realise you didn't actually do "nothing" all day. You did HEAPS of things. You survived. You functioned. Even thrived. The Done List is tangible proof to fight the "I'm useless" narrative that burnout loves to feed you.

Look, these tips won't magically cure burnout. It's a complex beast. But they can help you feel less like you're drowning and more like you're treading water. Good luck!

Check out InstantScripts to request scripts or speak to a doctor.

This information is general in nature and does not replace tailored medical advice from your own healthcare professional. As with any medical condition, always seek personalised health advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Feature image: Supplied.

InstantScripts is Australia's leading online clinic with doctors available 24/7. Whether you need medical advice or a script for your medication, InstantScripts is a simple and convenient way to ensure you get the care you need, when you need it. That's why over 2 million people have turned to InstantScripts for their healthcare.