Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg - A book Review

A Reset Button for Burnout

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or caught in a cycle of constantly “pushing through,” Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg may be exactly the reset button you need. Burnout is often rooted in the small, everyday behaviours that drain your energy without you even noticing and this book offers a simple, science-backed way to rebuild healthier habits one tiny step at a time. Instead of demanding big changes or intense motivation (which most working women simply don’t have when burnout hits), Fogg’s method shows how micro-habits can gently restore balance, rebuild confidence, and help you create lasting burnout-proof routines that actually fit into real life.

Why Burnout Often Roots in Habits & Behaviours

Burnout doesn't appear overnight, it builds up through repetitive patterns of overwork, poor rest, irregular self-care, and constant “doing.” Habits shape much of our daily experience including how we start the morning, what we eat, how much rest we give ourselves and how we respond to stress. Many habits and behaviours can also significantly contribute to burnout, think people pleasing, multitasking and other unhealthy working styles . So when our habits work against us, are unsupportive, or just misaligned with our needs, it’s no wonder we end up exhausted. Tiny Habits recognises this and offers a solution.

The Simplicity of the Behaviour Model — Why “Motivation” Alone Isn’t Enough

At the heart of Fogg’s method is the model often summed up as B = MAP: Behaviour = Motivation × Ability × Prompt. Fogg argues that for a habit to form all three elements need to converge at the same time.

Motivation, while important, is unreliable. It fluctuates, and when we’re depleted, motivation often dips so you can't rely on it alone.
Ability is how easy a behaviour is to perform. This matters more when motivation is low. By making habits tiny and manageable, you can lower the barrier to action.
Prompt is a trigger or cue that reminds you to act . Without a prompt, even the simplest habit can slip.

This model reframes habit-change not as a heroic act of willpower, but as a gentle design process. That’s especially reassuring when you’re already exhausted.

Untangling Bad Habits — And Gently Planting New, Nourishing Ones

One of the most liberating ideas in Tiny Habits is that you don’t need to overhaul your life. Instead, pick tiny, sometimes almost laughably small, actions that feel almost effortless. For example: floss a single tooth, do two push-ups, or take one deep breath. By building these tiny actions right after an existing routine, say, after you brush your teeth or before you make your coffee (“anchor moments”) you give yourself a cue without adding burden. This approach is especially helpful for women recovering from burnout as the thought of sweeping life-style changes can feel overwhelming, even triggering. But the idea of a 30-second habit? This feels manageable.

Starting Small — Why This Is the Best Strategy When You're Overwhelmed

When you’re drained, time-poor, or emotionally spent grand self-improvement plans often feel impossible. You will see the ethos of Tiny Habits in my Ultimate Anti-Burnout Plan for Women and my 7 Day Back-to-Basics Burnout Re-set. Both of these plans offer small steps, with options to just tackle one issue at a time. Tiny Habits can help you be more successful with both these plans as it gives you the tools to start small. Yet over time, those small acts accumulate. Your confidence builds, energy rises, little wins restore a sense of agency. As Fogg himself demonstrates with personal anecdotes, a tiny daily habit can naturally expand over time, without pressure.

For someone healing from burnout, this is the difference between “I can’t do more right now” and “I can do a tiny thing — and that’s enough.”

Key Takeaways for Working Women

Small changes add up where energy is low. When you're drained, trying to overhaul your life feels impossible. Tiny, manageable habits — like a single push-up, a deep breath, or a sip of water — bypass exhaustion and help rebuild routines gently.
Motivation alone isn’t enough. As Fogg argues, even strong motivation fades when you're overwhelmed — but simplicity (easy habits) + consistent prompts make change sustainable.
You don’t need grand plans — just tiny steps. Starting small removes the pressure to “perform” or “fix everything now.” That means you get to reclaim small wins without guilt or burnout.
New habits don’t require huge willpower — just design. By anchoring tiny habits after existing routines (e.g. after brushing your teeth, or before coffee), you avoid friction and make the new habit “automatic.”
Recovery from burnout starts with self-compassion, not self-improvement mania. Tiny Habits gives you permission to go slow, to respect your current limits, and to rebuild confidence through consistency — a kinder, gentler path to wellbeing.
Sustainable change beats quick fixes. Because tiny habits are easy to repeat, they build incremental momentum over time — perfect for women juggling work, family, and emotional load.

In Summary

If you’re navigating a season of exhaustion, overwhelm or burnout, Tiny Habits doesn’t promise immediate transformation, instead, it offers a gentle, doable path forward. It shows that real change doesn’t need dramatic upheaval, it begins with tiny, positive steps that eventually reshape your daily life.

For women in particular, juggling work, family, and expectations, this book doesn’t add pressure. It whispers permission to “Start small. Do what you can. Celebrate that.” and often, that’s exactly the kind of kindness our exhausted selves need.

Mairi Joyce

7 December 2025

Burnout Recovery While Working