boredom & burnout.
We don’t leave much room for boredom in our lives anymore. There is always something to do, watch, scroll, listen to or accomplish. Even when we have nothing planned, we instinctively reach for our phones or find something to fill the space. We now have to intentionally make time to be bored.
Back in early June, I arrived in a sleepy surf town in Ecuador with a few family restaurants, one beach bar, one hostel and a handful of small local shops. I planned to stay for three days. I stayed for six weeks. It was exactly the kind of place I thought I needed. Slow mornings. Long walks. Nights reading in the jacuzzi. No schedule. No pressure to be anywhere or do anything. Boredom, finally!
I listened to a podcast about silence and how uncomfortable it can be when we aren’t constantly filling every empty space with noise, entertainment, work or people. That really stuck with me. Because when you have more space to think, you actually think. And that’s where ideas, creativity and mind-wandering live. So I did just that. I created space to think, to listen and to finally do some of the things I had been putting off.
Here’s the strange part: even with all that space, I still felt burnt out. I was exhausted for no obvious reason. Stuck. Unmotivated. Overwhelmed by things that normally wouldn’t overwhelm me. It didn’t make any sense. I was living in a peaceful place with very little stress.
My instinct, of course, was to fix it. I created more checklists and carved out time each morning so I could feel productive. I started thinking about new ways to market my business, find new clients, help people and get myself out of my own rut. I turned burnout into another thing I needed to accomplish. The more I tried to force productivity, the more drained I felt.
AI enters the chat.
I use AI. A lot. I am fascinated and scared by it, I see the value in it, and I absolutely believe people should be learning how to use it to make their work better. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t struggled with how it is changing things faster than humans can react. I dedicate time every day to learn about AI and the impacts on the recruiting world, the job market, and the work I had built my career around. I thought that maybe with more time to process it, I would feel less intimidated and overwhelmed by it.
I didn’t. If anything, the more I learned, the more I realized just how quickly things were changing. And now I need to change with it. What’s worse? There are new competitors everywhere, and they don’t need a salary, a vacation day, or a cup of coffee to do the work. AI can write the resume. AI can apply for the job. AI can screen the resume. AI can conduct the interview. And now we are hearing terms like “AI slop” to describe the flood of content that is polished, optimized, and increasingly difficult to distinguish from something a human actually wrote.
Where did the human part of Human Resources go? This might be a big factor as to why I am feeling burned out.
All of this has made my Career Essentials business harder to navigate. Clients are understandably more hesitant to pay for something they believe they can figure out themselves with a little help from AI. Honestly, I don’t blame them. AI can be incredibly useful. It can help you brainstorm, organize your thoughts, improve your writing, and make you more efficient both personally and professionally.
At the same time, a resume shouldn’t just be a perfectly optimized document stuffed with the right keywords. It should sound like the person who is going to walk into the interview. It should tell their story, capture their impact, and give a recruiter a unique reason to want to meet them. So now, recruiters are starting to recognize the problem from the other side. I recently read an article about recruiters becoming suspicious of resumes that are too perfect. They can tell when the human behind the document has disappeared.
Why does all this matter? Currently I am trying to figure out how to compete in a race where the rules keep changing. How do I run a business in a world where the thing I have spent years becoming good at can now be done, at least on the surface, in seconds? It doesn’t seem fair. And all this space and time thinking, brainstorming, and trying to come up with solutions, feels like time and money wasted.
It was starting to make sense why I felt so defeated. But how could I be burnt out when I was living on a beach with so much tranquility? Burnout isn’t always about doing too much. Sometimes it’s the mental exhaustion of trying to figure out what comes next…how to keep moving, adapting and growing when everything around you seems to be changing faster than you can keep up.
change of scenery.
I have spent 3+ years changing my environment whenever I needed a fresh perspective. I move somewhere new and hope the new scenery will create a new sense of motivation. It is one of my favorite tools and usually, it works. But this time, changing the scenery didn’t mean finding another foreign country to explore. It meant going home. To be around people that could give me comfort and love in a time where I feel so disoriented and defeated.
First stop on the U.S. tour 2026: Austin, TX! I was headed to spend time with some close college friends that I hadn’t seen in a while. I wanted to support them and be present for what they were going through. Somehow, I think I got just as much out of being there as they did. If not more.
Last stop on the U.S. tour 2026: Chicago, IL! I caught up with people I haven’t seen in 7+ years. I walked the lake front for hours dodging people and bikes and indulging in the nostalgia. I spent time in the sticks, AKA the burbs, doing puzzles and eating terrible, yet delicious, American fast food chains. I quickly remembered why I lived in Chicago for 10 years and had this feeling of “I could move back here”.
Being with people who know you deeply gives you permission to be real. You don’t have to explain every emotion or provide the backstory. You can just be where you are. I also realized that supporting someone doesn’t always mean showing up the way you think they need you to. Sometimes it means stepping back, listening and letting them tell you how they want you to show up. This is hard, but a great reminder for me.
They supported me without even realizing. They took me out of a slump. They gave me ideas, perspective, and encouragement to keep going. They reminded me that everyone is carrying something. You never really know what someone else is going through, which is why I think grace and empathy matter so much. You don’t always have to fix something. Sometimes you just need to show up, listen, and be present. Even if that is just for yourself.
deep roots.
I can’t come to the United States without spending time in Michigan with my incredibly beautiful family (did you see cover of this blog? I mean HOW BEAUTIFUL IS MY FAMILY??). After Texas, I made my way back home.
I split my time between my dad’s, my mom’s, my sister’s cottage and my hometown friend’s homes. And, as usual, I felt guilty. If I was spending time with one person, I felt like I was choosing them over someone else. Apparently, even after four years of living a nomadic lifestyle, I still haven’t figured out how to be in four places at once. If anyone has ideas on this, let me know!
During this trip I realized that home for me isn’t about a place anymore. It is about the people. Coming back always brings up a mix of emotions, memories, sensations, and thoughts that I don’t quite experience anywhere else. My family is incredible and loving in all the little ways that matter. They change their plans to make time for me. They hand over their car even if it means they’re stuck without one. They fill the fridge with the food and drinks I have been craving abroad. They make space for me without making me feel like I am asking for too much.
Of course, coming home isn’t perfect. There are disagreements, tension, and moments when we get on each other’s nerves. Like every family, we have our own problems. But maybe that’s part of what makes it home. I don’t need it to be perfect. I just need it to be mine.
As I get older, I have learned (and still learning) to accept people for who they are and where they are. To meet them where they are instead of wishing they acted differently. This time around I paid attention to the fact that my family met me where I am. I think it always happens like this, but I was too caught up in my own distractions to realize it. I am so grateful for their love and support. Because the people who love you will show up for you in the way you need (with or without asking them). Sometimes that means emotional support. Sometimes it means practical or physical help. Sometimes it means financial help. Sometimes it means helping you see something from a different perspective.
There is something incredibly powerful about being cared for, and I think I had forgotten what that felt like. While I may not have cracked the AI nut or figured out exactly how to continue building a business in an ever changing environment, coming home made me realize something much more important. I need to be somewhere long enough to build deeper relationships. The emotional and physical support that comes from having people who know you, care about you, and will show up for you is something I have been craving (even more than Chili’s chips and salsa).
things money can’t buy.
After a month in the U.S. prioritizing time with the people I went there to see instead of maximizing my work hours or learning more about AI, part of me felt guilty. As a business owner, when I don’t work, I don’t make money. I could have worked to find more clients. I could have made more money. I could have accomplished all the things on my to-do list.
Instead, I went to the mall with my nephews. I cooked dinner with my dad. I went for walks with my brother. I watched terrible and completely predictable Hallmark movies with my mom. I went to happy hour with my sister and brother in law. I went to the farmers market with my bestie and her kids. I tried to be fully present and not worrying about the future of my business or the overwhelming feeling of discouragement.
And somewhere along the way, I realized these activities were paying me too. Just not in dollars. They paid me in memories, connection, energy, perspective and feeling loved. What dollar amount do you put on that?
Maybe this is something we don’t talk about enough when we talk about career success. Not everything that gives you value shows up on a paycheck. Some investments pay out differently. The return is a stronger relationship. It is a clearer mind. A memory you will carry for the rest of your life. In a world where AI is constantly pushing us to be faster, more productive, and more efficient, I think it is important to remember that not everything valuable can be optimized.
Being present and creating space can be worth far more than a few hundred dollars. I hope you don’t miss that point.
the jen essentials for a home visit.
- Patience (Family has a way of driving everyone crazy)
- Candy & besitos (For my nephews, obviously)
- A borrowed car (the U.S. does not make it particularly easy to get around without one)
- Flexibility (Changing your routine can be surprisingly challenging when you are used to having no routine)
- Chili’s & Jet’s Pizza (mandatory stops)
- Big salads (mom has all the best toppings for daily loaded salads)
- Outlet malls & thrift stores (A fresh wardrobe might be one of the best TANGIBLE things about coming home)
- Puzzles (I LOVE PUZZLES. Traveling does not allow for them. This is a serious problem)
- Quality time with the people that will always have your back (Lots of long awkward hugs and “I love yous”)
- Hazy IPAs (Michigan and Illinois has some of the best around)
wrap it up jen.
I had a lightbulb moment. But not the traditional kind where everything suddenly becomes clear. Mine was more like one of those adjustable LED lights, gradually getting brighter as you find the right setting. The realization came slowly, revealing itself in different ways throughout different moments. Little by little, things started to make more sense. What I thought was burnout was only part of the story. My life is incredible and free. However, adventure takes energy, a different type of currency. Independence takes energy. Constantly adapting takes energy. Which creates burnout and fatigue.
I was lonely. I was craving familiarity. I needed to feel cared for. And I needed to stop trying to solve every problem on my own. Because at the end of the day, human connection is what holds us together. Now I know I am ready for a different kind of adventure and rhythm. One that includes a little more stability and a bit more routine. One that allows me to create a life where work is an important part of who I am but doesn’t define me.
I want to continue to grow and shift with AI but figure out how to keep the human element in the recruitment process. Even if that means changing and creating new ways of doing things. My work matters to me. I care deeply about helping people navigate their careers. I care about building my business. I care about creating something that is mine that gives me freedom to continue this nomadic lifestyle.
But I am also a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a traveler, a dancer, a puzzle lover, a salad enthusiast and someone who genuinely enjoys terrible reality tv. My life isn’t divided into “work life” and “personal life.” It’s just my life. Complicated, emotional, and messy. But it’s mine, and I’m creating it as I go.
Maybe life is a little like a boat ride. Sometimes it’s smooth sailing. Sometimes the waters are rough. Sometimes you’re holding on for dear life and feeling a little nauseous. Different people might get on and off the boat. But at the end of the day, I’m always happy to be on the boat. However, I do not want to live on the boat. I eventually need to get off the boat to reset, refuel, and feel grounded (physically and metaphorically). Then I will likely get back on in a better place than when I got off!
I’m headed back to Ecuador for the rest of the year to spend more time in a small beach town, dog sit, and figure out what this next chapter looks like. With a little more perspective and a little less pressure, I have a clearer understanding of what I need when I feel stuck.
To the people who have continued to show up for me, you know who you are. Thank you for being my deep roots. Thank you for reminding me that I don’t have to figure everything out alone. Thank you for letting me be exactly where I am and meeting me there. I promise to do the same.
Maybe that’s the real reset. Not figuring everything out, but giving yourself enough space to hear what you already know. My business is constantly changing. So am I. I don’t need to have everything figured out to appreciate where I am or be excited about where I’m going.
I am a WORK IN PROGRESS, and I am finally learning to be okay with that. To be grateful for how far I’ve come, while giving myself permission to keep changing, growing, and figuring things out along the way. And I want to bring my people along for the boat ride. Because life, work, travel, and growth are all better when they are shared with people you care about.
Being a work in progress isn’t a problem that needs to be fixed or turned into a to-do list. Maybe it’s the whole point.
Until next time,
Jennifer