Mary Kearl Freelance writer Mary Kearl has taken two breaks from working full time after burning out. Rather than rely on long vacations like before, she now focuses on moments of rest every day. Being patient with herself and others and doing one thing at a time has helped her avoid stress. I've taken not one but two breaks from working full time, both related to burnout. The first time, after working myself to the point of sheer exhaustion as the social media lead for a major sports organization, I took a few months off to bike across the country and relocate from New York City to LA.