The Art of Finding Joy and Relaxation in Your Everyday Chaos

Habits for winding down in today’s hustle culture.

Anangsha Alammyan
Publishous
Published in
7 min readJan 27, 2024

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Image from the author’s Instagram

When I quit my job to be a full-time writer in 2021, I had some major realizations.

Being self-employed was a new experience, and I had the freedom to work on projects that interested me. But when you come from a middle-class family, leaving a stable full-time job isn’t an easy decision.

It came with the baggage of working harder than before. Taking a break felt like cheating on myself. I prioritized work over my social life, health, and family.

Everything went well for a while. I managed to —

  • Develop a writing routine,
  • Establish my personal brand,
  • Get freelancing projects and brand deals.

Amidst ticking off goals on my to-do list, I started feeling constantly exhausted. No matter how much I achieved, the hollowness in my chest kept expanding.

This listlessness was confusing. I was finally doing something I was passionate about. Then what went so wrong?

I finally took it to my therapist and had an intensive session. I was diagnosed with early signs of burnout.

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