When your brain feels fried, advice like “just relax” can feel wildly unhelpful. Mental overload doesn’t usually come from one big thing, it builds slowly from screens, responsibilities, noise, and never really turning off. So instead of vague solutions, I asked professionals a simple question:
What is one thing you do to reset your mind when it feels overworked?
Their answers were refreshingly practical, and were just realistic ways to give your brain room to breathe again.
Ground Yourself in the Present Moment
Amanda New, Founder of Cash For Houses Girl
When your mind is racing, Amanda recommends sensory grounding, which is an easy exercise that pulls your attention out of your thoughts and back into the present.
The method is simple:
- Name five things you can see
- Four things you can touch
- Three things you can hear
- Two things you can smell
- One thing you can taste
This technique works because it interrupts worry loops and grounds you in what’s happening right now, not what might happen later.
Amanda also suggests something even simpler: take a short walk without your phone. Just ten minutes away from screens can reduce stress and help you return to work thinking more clearly. Sometimes, the most effective reset isn’t doing more, it’s just about stepping away.
Create Real Separation After Work
Eli Zimmer, CEO of Luxaire HVAC Services
For Eli, mental recovery starts after the workday ends. While we can’t always control how demanding our jobs are, we can control how much we let work spill into our personal time.
His reset habit is unplugging in the evenings, putting away the phone and laptop, and even limiting TV when possible. That separation creates psychological distance from work, allowing the brain to recover instead of staying in a low stress mode all night.
The result is better mental clarity, less burnout, and a stronger boundary between work mode and actual rest.
Break the Routine Completely
Steve Schwab, CEO of Casago
When mental overload runs deep, Steve believes the best reset is a change of scenery. That doesn’t always mean an expensive or long vacation.
Sometimes it’s:
- A quick overnight trip to a nearby city
- A weekend camping trip
- Any short getaway that removes you from your normal routine
By leaving familiar environments behind, your brain is forced to shift patterns. Instead of reacting to the same cues and responsibilities, you get space to rest, explore, and focus on enjoyment. Even brief escapes can have a large impact on mental clarity.
The Common Theme: Intentional Disconnection
While these strategies look different, they all share one theme—intentional disconnection. Whether it’s from screens, routines, worries, or physical spaces, resetting your mind often requires stepping away rather than pushing through.
Mental clarity doesn’t usually come from doing more. It comes from giving your brain permission to pause.
If your mind feels overworked lately, try one of these resets this week. Start small. Even a few minutes of intentional space can make a noticeable difference.