My burnout started a few months into the pandemic. The parts of my job that I enjoyed the most — working with innovative teams, interacting with the public and planning for the future — were

all cut off. As a solar physicist at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I had several responsibilities, from mentoring a handful of students

and half a dozen postdocs to doing research, programme management and science operations for a suite of instruments. This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature

readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. COMPETING INTERESTS K.K. owns Korreck Retreats, a company that focuses on yoga-based life coaching for