Gifts for Someone Who Is Burnt Out: 10 Calming Ideas

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We only include things we think are genuinely useful.

Know someone who's running on empty? The best gifts for burnout don't add another task to their list. They give permission to rest: a cosy evening, a quieter mind, a better night's sleep.

Here are ten calming gift ideas for a friend, partner or yourself, at a range of budgets.

1. BEST GIFT FOR A BUSY MIND

The Overthinking Reset Journal OUR BOOK

by More-Self

Our own 90-day guided journal: five minutes a day to notice the loop and take one small step forward.

Best for: the friend who can't switch off

See it on Amazon →

2. BEST GIFT FOR STRESS THEY FEEL IN THEIR BODY

The Nervous System Reset Workbook OUR BOOK

by More-Self

Our own 30-day workbook of gentle practices to come back to calm, ten minutes at a time.

Best for: the friend who is wired but tired

See it on Amazon →

3. BEST BOOK ABOUT BURNOUT

Burnout: The Science-Backed Guide for Women to Reduce Stress

by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

A warm, practical read about completing the stress cycle and recovering energy.

Best for: someone who needs to hear it's not their fault

See it on Amazon →

4. BEST BEDTIME TREAT

Pukka Night Time Herbal Tea (camomile & lavender)

by Pukka Herbs

A caffeine-free evening tea to make winding down feel like a ritual.

Best for: an easy, thoughtful add-on

See it on Amazon →

5. BEST BATH-TIME RESET

Westlab Mindful Bath Salts (bergamot & geranium)

by Westlab

Bath salts for a long, warm soak at the end of a hard week.

Best for: the bath lover

See it on Amazon →

6. BEST COSY-EVENING GIFT

Yankee Candle Large Jar (Lemon Lavender)

by Yankee Candle

A long-burning scented candle that turns any evening into a slower one.

Best for: making home feel calm

See it on Amazon →

7. BEST FOR BETTER SLEEP

MyHalos Blackout Sleep Mask

by MyHalos

A comfortable contoured mask that blocks light without pressing on the eyes.

Best for: light sleepers and nap-takers

See it on Amazon →

8. BEST FOR A QUIETER BEDROOM

Dreamegg D11MAX White Noise Machine

by Dreamegg

A small, portable sound machine with soothing sounds to mask noise at night.

Best for: noisy streets and busy households

See it on Amazon →

9. BEST BIG COMFORT GIFT

Brentfords Weighted Blanket (8kg)

by Brentfords

Gentle, even pressure that many people find calming on the sofa or in bed.

Best for: a bigger budget

See it on Amazon →

10. BEST READY-MADE CARE PACKAGE

Hallby Hug In A Box Pamper Gift Box

by Hallby

A ready-to-send self-care box, handy when you can't be there in person.

Best for: sending love by post

See it on Amazon →

Add the gift that costs nothing

Offer to take one job off their list this week: a meal, the school run, an errand. For someone who is burnt out, time is the kindest present of all.

Keep going with More-Self

• The free 5-Day Calm Mind Journey
• Overthinking articles
• Stress & Calm articles

These are self-help tools for everyday stress and worry, not medical advice or a substitute for professional support. If anxiety, low mood or exhaustion is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional. Product details can change, so check the listing before you buy.

Best Books and Tools to Calm Your Nervous System

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We only include things we think are genuinely useful.

Wired but tired? Snapping at small things, then crashing on the sofa? That's your nervous system stuck in stress mode. The good news: small, regular practices help it come back to calm, and the right book or tool can make those practices easier to stick with.

Here are our favourite books and everyday tools for calming your nervous system, from easy reads to things you can use tonight.

Books

1. BEST 30-DAY PRACTICAL PLAN

The Nervous System Reset Workbook OUR BOOK

by More-Self · paperback & Kindle

Our own workbook. Eight plain-language chapters, 18 gentle practices (long-exhale breathing, humming, grounding, slow walks) and a guided 30-day reset with daily before-and-after check-ins.

Best for: turning ideas into a simple daily practice

See it on Amazon →

2. BEST INTRODUCTION TO POLYVAGAL THEORY

Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory

by Deb Dana

A clear, compassionate guide to how your nervous system shifts between safety, fight-or-flight and shutdown, with practices to help you feel anchored.

Best for: understanding why you react the way you do

See it on Amazon →

3. BEST PRACTICES YOU CAN PICK UP ANY TIME

Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm and Change

by Deb Dana

A deck of short practices you can shuffle and pick from. Handy to keep on your desk or bedside table.

Best for: quick ideas when you feel overwhelmed

See it on Amazon →

4. BEST ON THE VAGUS NERVE

The Nervous System Reset: Overcome Pain, Trauma and Stress Using Your Vagus Nerve

by Jessica Maguire

Explains the vagus nerve in everyday language and offers exercises to help regulate stress.

Best for: readers who want the science explained simply

See it on Amazon →

5. BEST ON BURNOUT AND THE STRESS CYCLE

Burnout: The Science-Backed Guide for Women to Reduce Stress

by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

A much-loved book about completing the stress cycle, with practical ideas like movement, breathing, connection and rest.

Best for: anyone running on empty

See it on Amazon →

Everyday tools

6. BEST FOR UNWINDING AFTER A LONG DAY

PRO 11 WELLBEING Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set

by PRO 11 WELLBEING

Lie on it for 10–20 minutes to help your body relax. Many people use it before bed as part of a wind-down routine.

Best for: a screen-free wind-down ritual

See it on Amazon →

7. BEST FOR DEEP-PRESSURE COMFORT

Brentfords Weighted Blanket (8kg)

by Brentfords

Weighted blankets give gentle, even pressure that many people find calming at night. Choose a weight that suits your body size.

Best for: restless evenings and settling to sleep

See it on Amazon →

8. BEST FOR DARKER, DEEPER REST

MyHalos Blackout Sleep Mask

by MyHalos

A contoured mask that blocks light without pressing on your eyes. Useful for naps, early mornings and travel.

Best for: light sleepers

See it on Amazon →

Start with one practice

Try this tonight: breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six, for two minutes. A longer out-breath is one of the simplest signals of safety you can give your body.

Keep going with More-Self

• The free 5-Day Calm Mind Journey
• Overthinking articles
• Stress & Calm articles

These are self-help tools for everyday stress and worry, not medical advice or a substitute for professional support. If anxiety, low mood or exhaustion is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional. Product details can change, so check the listing before you buy.

7 Best Journals for Overthinking and Anxious Thoughts

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We only include things we think are genuinely useful.

When your mind won't switch off, writing it down is one of the simplest things that helps. A journal gives the loop somewhere to go: you name the worry, look at it on paper and decide on one small next step, instead of replaying it at 2am.

Here are seven journals and workbooks we'd happily recommend, from gentle daily prompts to structured CBT-style exercises. Pick one that matches how much time and structure you want.

How to choose a journal for overthinking

• Prompts or blank pages? If a blank page makes you freeze, choose a guided journal with a question for every day.
• Five minutes or deeper work? Short daily pages build the habit; workbooks with exercises go deeper but need more time.
• Something you'll actually open. The best journal is the one that lives by your bed or kettle and gets used.

1. BEST FOR BREAKING THE OVERTHINKING LOOP

The Overthinking Reset Journal OUR BOOK

by More-Self · paperback & Kindle

Our own 90-day guided journal. Every day has one prompt, a gentle reframe and one small action, built around four simple tools: Name It, Fact or Feeling, the Worry Window and One Small Step. Weekly reviews help you see what is changing.

Best for: replaying conversations, what-if thinking and a busy mind at night

See it on Amazon →

2. BEST EVERYDAY GUIDED JOURNAL

No Worries: A Guided Journal to Help You Calm Anxiety, Relieve Stress, and Practice Positive Thinking Each Day

by Bella Mente Press

A popular guided journal with short daily prompts and positive-thinking exercises. Easy to dip into for a few minutes a day.

Best for: beginners who want gentle structure

See it on Amazon →

3. BEST FOR EMPTYING YOUR HEAD

Write It Down, Let It Go: A Worry Relief Journal

by Chronicle Books

A small, friendly journal designed for writing worries out of your head and onto the page, with prompts that help you let them go.

Best for: quick worry dumps before bed

See it on Amazon →

4. BEST POCKET-SIZED EXERCISES

The Anxiety Journal: Exercises to Soothe Stress and Eliminate Anxiety Wherever You Are

by Corinne Sweet

Short, practical exercises from a psychotherapist that you can do anywhere, on a commute or a lunch break.

Best for: calming down on the go

See it on Amazon →

5. BEST CBT-STYLE DAILY JOURNAL

Clever Fox Mental Health & Anxiety Journal (CBT prompts)

by Clever Fox

A structured daily journal using CBT-inspired prompts to notice thoughts, check them and plan small actions, with a sturdy cover that lasts.

Best for: people who like a planner-style layout

See it on Amazon →

6. BEST FOR A CALMER MORNING AND EVENING ROUTINE

6-Minute Diary

by UrBestSelf

Three minutes in the morning and three at night: gratitude, intentions and reflection. A simple routine that shifts your focus away from worry.

Best for: building a short daily habit

See it on Amazon →

7. BEST WORKBOOK TO GO DEEPER

The CBT Workbook for Mental Health

by Sarah Fader

Evidence-based exercises to spot unhelpful thinking patterns and practise new ones. More of a workbook than a diary, so set aside a little more time.

Best for: working through thought patterns step by step

See it on Amazon →

A simple way to start tonight

Set a timer for five minutes. Write down everything on your mind, circle the one thing you can act on, and write the smallest next step. Then close the book. That is the whole habit.

Keep going with More-Self

• The free 5-Day Calm Mind Journey
• Overthinking articles
• Stress & Calm articles

These are self-help tools for everyday stress and worry, not medical advice or a substitute for professional support. If anxiety, low mood or exhaustion is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional. Product details can change, so check the listing before you buy.

The Nervous System Reset Workbook

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Wired but tired? Snapping at small things, then crashing on the sofa?

Our first More-Self book is here. The Nervous System Reset Workbook explains, in plain words, how your nervous system shifts between calm and steady, revved up and running on empty. Then it helps you build a simple daily practice to come back to steady, ten minutes at a time.

Get the Workbook on Amazon →
Paperback (88 pages) and Kindle

What's inside

• 8 plain-language chapters on your three everyday states, stress signals, triggers and glimmers, breathing, body-based resets, rest and sleep, each with a fill-in exercise
• 18 gentle practices, from long-exhale breathing and humming to grounding, wall pushes and slow walks, with how long each takes and when it helps most
• A guided 30-day reset in four phases (Notice, Settle, Build, Sustain) with before-and-after check-ins every day
• Weekly reflections and a 30-day reflection
• Trackers: 30-day calm tracker, glimmer log, sleep and wind-down log, and a weekly energy budget

Who it's for

Anyone who feels on edge, drained or stuck in stress mode and wants a calm, practical way back to steady. It also makes a thoughtful gift for a friend who is running on empty.

Get the Workbook on Amazon →

Free guides that go with this book

• Stress & Calm articles
• Burnout & Energy articles
• The 5-Day Calm Mind Journey

Also new: The Overthinking Reset Journal, 90 days of guided prompts to quiet your mind.

Written and designed by More-Self with the help of AI tools. This workbook is a self-help tool for everyday stress, not medical advice or therapy. If stress, anxiety, low mood or exhaustion is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional.

The Overthinking Reset Journal

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Can't switch off? Replaying conversations? Stuck on every decision?

The Overthinking Reset Journal gives you five minutes a day to notice the loop, check your thoughts and take one small step forward: a fresh prompt, a gentle reframe and a tiny action for every day of a 90-day reset.

Get the Journal on Amazon →
Paperback (148 pages, 6 x 9 in) and Kindle

What's inside

• 90 unique daily prompts across 13 weekly themes, from replaying conversations and what-if thinking to decisions, people-pleasing and the night-time mind
• Four simple reset tools: Name It, Fact or Feeling, the Worry Window and One Small Step
• A 60-second calm practice you can use anywhere
• Weekly reviews to see your progress
• Toolkit pages: worry window, thought checks, decision helper and your own calm plan

How to use it

1. Pick a regular five minutes, such as with your morning coffee or before bed
2. Answer the day's prompt and read the reframe
3. Take the one small step, then tick it off
4. Use the weekly review to notice what is changing

Get the Journal on Amazon →

Free guides that go with this journal

• Overthinking articles
• Journaling articles
• The 5-Day Calm Mind Journey

Also new: The Nervous System Reset Workbook, a 30-day guide to calm your body and feel steady again.

Written and designed by More-Self with the help of AI tools. This journal is a self-help tool for everyday worry, not medical advice or a substitute for professional support. If worry or low mood is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional.

New: The More-Self Collection (Mugs, Prints, Tees and Tote Bags)

Something new: the More-Self Collection is here.

We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about small, steady changes. One small step. Calm as a skill you practise. Progress, not perfection. Putting the phone down. Breathing. Becoming more you.

Now those reminders come on mugs, wall prints, T-shirts and tote bags, so you can keep one where you will actually see it: on your desk, your kitchen wall or your shoulder on the way out.

Calm Is a Skill

£22.79 on Etsy

View on Etsy →

Phone Down. Life Up.

from £29.99 on Etsy

View on Etsy →

There are six designs in total, each printed to order by our UK print partner and sold through our Etsy shop.

See the whole collection →

Designs created by More-Self with the help of AI tools.

The More-Self 2027 Digital Planner (Hyperlinked iPad & Tablet Planner)

Plan your year, month, week and day in one calm, simple planner, and jump anywhere with a single tap.

The More-Self 2027 Digital Planner: a calm, simple, fully hyperlinked planner for your iPad or tablet. 527 pages.

Get the 2027 Planner on Etsy →

What's included

• 2027 year at a glance (every date is clickable)
• My Goals for the Year (6 life areas) and My Vision page
• 12 monthly calendars with focus & key dates
• 12 monthly Plan & Habits pages with a habit tracker and monthly review
• 53 weekly spreads (Mon–Sun) with week focus, top 3 and habit checks
• NEW: 365 daily pages (schedule, top 3, to-do, gratitude, water & mood)
• NEW: 53 Sunday reset & weekly review pages
• NEW: 12 monthly budget pages
• NEW: 4 goal planners (steps, deadline and progress tracker)
• NEW: Trackers hub
• Year in Pixels tracker, My Year in Review and 8 notes pages
• Bonus: How-to-use guide (PDF)
• NEW bonus: 58 digital stickers (transparent PNG)

Hyperlinked features

• Coloured side tabs for every month, plus Year, Goals, Habits, Trackers and Notes
• Tap any date to open its daily page
• Next / previous day and week buttons, plus quick links back to the week and month
• Breadcrumbs at the top of every page

Format: Landscape, 4:3, Monday start. Works in GoodNotes, Notability, Noteshelf, Xodo, Samsung Notes and other PDF annotation apps. You need a tablet and a note-taking app (not included). Instant digital download from Etsy. For personal use only.

Get the 2027 Planner on Etsy →

Free guides that go with this

• Goal Setting articles
• Daily Routines articles

The 30-Day Phone Detox Tracker (Printable Screen Time Challenge)

Picking up your phone without thinking? Take back your time and attention in 30 days.

The 30-Day Phone Detox: a simple screen time tracker and 30-day challenge to take back your time, focus and attention, one small step a day.

Get the 30-Day Phone Detox on Etsy →

This isn't about quitting your phone. It's about using it on purpose, not on autopilot. Measure where your time goes, make small changes to your phone and habits, and replace mindless scrolling with things you actually enjoy.

What's included

• Welcome & how it works (plus where to find your screen time on iPhone and Android)
• Screen-Time Baseline
• App Audit: keep, limit or delete
• My Phone Rules & Settings checklist
• 30 Daily Detox Challenges (one small change a day)
• Daily Screen-Time Log (Days 1–15 and 16–30)
• Screen-Time Bar Chart to colour in
• Urge Log
• Phone-Free Activity Ideas
• Weekly Detox Review
• Screen-Time Year in Pixels
• Thirty-Day Reflection
• My Keep-Going Plan
• NEW: Family & Partner Phone Agreement
• NEW: Shared 30-Day Family Tracker
• NEW: 6-Month Maintenance Tracker
• NEW: 3 lock-screen reminder wallpapers (PNG)

How it works

1. Purchase and download instantly
2. Print your pages
3. Complete one small challenge a day and log your screen time each evening

Format: A4 and US Letter PDFs · print at home or use on a tablet. Instant digital download from Etsy. For personal use only.

Get the 30-Day Phone Detox on Etsy →

Free guides that go with this

• Attention & Phone Control articles
• Daily Routines articles

The Calm Body Reset (Printable Nervous System Reset Workbook)

Racing heart, tight shoulders, wired but tired? Your body has been working hard.

The Calm Body Reset: a gentle nervous system reset workbook to help you notice stress sooner and come back to calm, one small practice at a time.

Get the Calm Body Reset on Etsy →

What's included

• Welcome & how to use (the three everyday states)
• My Three States Map: calm & steady, revved up, running on empty
• Body Stress Signals map
• Triggers & Glimmers
• Glimmer Hunt (7-day log)
• My Calm Menu: for revved-up and running-on-empty days
• Breathing Practices (5 practices)
• Grounding & Body Practices (6 practices)
• Daily Check-In (3 days per page)
• 30-Day Calm Tracker
• State Colour Calendar
• My Calm Daily Rhythm
• Drains & Chargers
• My Hard-Day Reset Plan
• Weekly Reflection
• Thirty-Day Reflection
• NEW: Sleep & Wind-Down Log (7 nights)
• NEW: Weekly Energy Budget
• NEW: One-Page Calm Plan (two cut-out copies)
• Closing note with words to come back to

How it works

1. Purchase and download instantly
2. Print the whole workbook, or just the pages you need
3. Reprint the daily, weekly and tracker pages as often as you like

Format: A4 and US Letter PDFs · print at home or write on a tablet (GoodNotes, Notability, Xodo and similar). Instant digital download from Etsy. For personal use only.

Get the Calm Body Reset on Etsy →

Free guides that go with this

• Stress & Calm articles
• Burnout & Energy articles

This workbook is for everyday stress and self-care. It is not medical advice or therapy. If stress, anxiety, low mood or exhaustion is affecting your daily life, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional.

Calm Coping Cards (48 Printable Cards for Stressful Moments)

When stress rises, it's hard to remember what helps. Pick a card and try one small thing for about a minute.

Calm Coping Cards: 48 printable cards with quick, simple ways to calm your mind and body, whenever you need them.

Get the Calm Coping Cards on Etsy →

What's included

• 48 coping cards in 6 colour-coded categories:
• Breathe: long exhale, box breathing, 4-7-8 and more
• Ground: 5-4-3-2-1, feet on the floor, colour hunt and more
• Move: shake it out, wall push, one song and more
• Think: fact or feeling, zoom out, in my control and more
• Kind to me: soft words, permission slip, unclench and more
• Reset: phone down, brain dump, one tiny task and more
• Matching card backs (for double-sided printing)
• 8 blank cards to write your own
• My Calm Plan page
• Try It & Rate It tracker (2 pages)
• Welcome page with printing and cutting guide
• NEW: My Calm Kit checklist (what to keep in your bag, desk and bedside)
• NEW: Trigger & What-Helped log to spot your patterns
• NEW: 6 calm phone wallpapers (PNG) so a calming idea is always one glance away

How it works

1. Purchase and download your PDF files instantly
2. Print at home on thick paper or card (200–300gsm works well)
3. Cut along the dashed lines
4. Keep a few in your bag, wallet or desk, and the rest by your bed

Format: 17 pages + 6 phone wallpapers · A4 and US Letter PDFs · cards are 86 × 62 mm (8 per page). Great for adults, teens, families, teachers and calm corners. Instant digital download from Etsy. For personal use only.

Get the Calm Coping Cards on Etsy →

Free guides that go with this

• Stress & Calm articles
• Overthinking articles

These cards support everyday stress and are not medical advice or a replacement for professional support. If you feel unsafe or in crisis, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis line.

The Dopamine Menu Planner (Printable Feel-Good Activity Menu & Phone-Free Swaps)

Bored, tired or putting something off, and reaching for your phone again? Plan better options in advance.

The Dopamine Menu: plan feel-good activities you'll actually enjoy, set out like a restaurant menu, so you reach for something better than your phone.

Get the Dopamine Menu on Etsy →

When you're bored, tired or putting something off, it's easy to default to scrolling or snacking. A dopamine menu gives you better options in advance, so when the moment comes you just pick from your menu.

The five courses

• Starters: quick boosts (1–10 minutes)
• Mains: deeper fun (30+ minutes)
• Sides: make boring tasks better
• Desserts: enjoy, with limits
• Specials: bigger treats to look forward to

What's included

• Welcome & how to use
• Example dopamine menu (for inspiration)
• My Dopamine Menu (fill-in)
• Phone-Free Swaps
• The Boredom Bank: 60 ideas to tick
• Weekly Menu Planner
• Today's Menu (3 days per page, with mood before & after)
• Task & Reward Planner
• 30-Day Menu Tracker
• Weekly Menu Review
• Cut-out Pocket Menu (2 cards)
• NEW: Mood & Energy Log (see which activities really help)
• NEW: Fridge Menu poster
• NEW: Weekend & Seasonal Specials
• NEW: 3 dopamine menu phone wallpapers (PNG)

Format: A4 and US Letter PDFs · print at home or use on a tablet. Instant digital download from Etsy. For personal use only.

Get the Dopamine Menu on Etsy →

Free guides that go with this

• Attention & Phone Control articles
• Daily Routines articles

This planner is a self-development tool, not medical advice.

The Digital Sunset Night Routine (Printable Phone-Free Evening & Better Sleep Kit)

Scrolling in bed until late? Switch off your screens and build a calmer evening you actually look forward to.

The Digital Sunset Night Routine helps you pick a time to put your phone down, plan what you'll do instead and quiet a busy mind before bed. 17 printable pages.

Get the Digital Sunset kit For Free →

• My evening audit
• Pick your sunset time
• Wind-down routine builder (60 / 30 / 10 minutes before bed)
• Phone parking & charging setup
• Instead of scrolling in bed menu

• Before-bed brain dump and worry parking
• Evening reflection and calm for a busy mind
• Tomorrow's top 3 planner
• 14-night digital sunset tracker and sleep log
• Weekly review, two-week reflection and sunset plan card

Format: Instant-download printable PDF in both A4 and US Letter. Print at home or fill in on a tablet with any PDF annotation app. Daily pages are made to print again and again. For personal use only.

Get the Digital Sunset kit For Free →

Free guides that go with this

• Attention & Phone Control articles
• Burnout & Energy articles

General self-development, not medical advice.

The Burnout Restart Planner (Printable Energy Recovery & Gentle Routine Planner)

Running on empty? Recover your energy and rebuild your routine gently, at a pace you can keep.

The Burnout Restart Planner helps you notice what's draining you, lower the load, protect rest and rebuild slowly. 20 printable pages.

Get the Burnout Restart Planner For Free →

• What burnout can look like (plain-English guide)
• Burnout self-check (for reflection, not diagnosis)
• Energy audit: drains & chargers
• Rest or push? daily decision guide
• My Minimum Viable Day planner
• 4-week gentle rebuild: stabilise, rest, rhythm, protect

• Boundary scripts for work and home
• Weekly capacity planner
• Daily energy check-in (full and quick versions)
• Sleep & energy tracker
• 'Signs I'm slipping' early-warning plan
• Weekly review and my support map

Format: Instant-download printable PDF in both A4 and US Letter. Print at home or fill in on a tablet with any PDF annotation app. Daily pages are made to print again and again. For personal use only.

Get the Burnout Restart Planner For Free →

Free guides that go with this

• Burnout & Energy articles
• Stress & Calm articles

General self-development, not medical advice. If you're struggling, please talk to your GP or a qualified professional.