What are your current living circumstances? As in, are you in a city, a suburb, or rural area? And do you have financial security and potentially a surplus?

I ask since many hobbies and things to learn could cost money, space, or both. When I used to be in a congested city with no financials, things I’d learn were mostly computer based: writing stories on LaTeX, making a html portfolio, etc. Later, I got into building and flying RC airplanes which truly takes my mind off things and gives a relaxation feeling while flying. Now, I attend various seminars and lectures of different disciplines since it’s a no-pressure way of learning random cool stuff.

This may, to some, sound naive, but, perhaps worth considering:

Do what you love.

Do what energises you, fulfils you.

Alongside learning about recovery from burnout and trauma, this^ may help prevent succumbing to burnout again.

“If it’s not a “heck yeah”, it’s a “heck no””.

Non-dogmatically. Flexibly. Follow the flow.

And rest. Rest is good. Rest is necessary. Rest takes as long as it takes, and if in recovery from burnout, it takes twice as long as it seems (~ meaning once you first think you’re out of burnout, it takes as long resting to heal again yet). Cast aside any programmed guilt for resting. It’s necessary “put your own seat-belt on first”, to be able to safely help others.

Don Barlow’s (easy to read) books may help with trauma too.

And there are countless perspectives and insights out there, into supporting your biology through stress. Adaptogens, neurogens, cannabinoids, peptides, enzymes, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins and amino-acids, and other nutrients and therapeutics.

If you’re burned out from being in academia why don’t you take some time off to connect with real life humans and volunteer somewhere? Find a local charity and offer to help out. Or volunteer at an old person’s home.

Learn an instrument, or join a choir, or learn some craft like knitting or crocheting (find a craft circle/club for the social aspect and to have someone to learn from).

Something practical and physical. You’ll still be learning and using your brain, but very different pathways from academia.

If you want to get into political activism, I made a basic Marxist-Leninist study guide, might be fulfilling to try to contribute to a better world. This helps with the human connection bit, and also is compatible with having a full-time job in whatever you decide.

Learn how to ride a bike with no hands. Obviously, only do this is you have access to a relatively flat and safe path to practice.

Practice until you can go a mile or kilometer or whatever is your standard unit of measure for a decently long distance.

Your trauma’s listed all appear to be focused on others (except the narcisissm one but I’m assuming that’s about other people with it) and disappointment in them, or a lack of connection with them, or they are difficult or weary-ing. It is disconnecting you from yourself.

This might help you release your thoughts of the outside world, of analytical thinking, of everything. It requires focus on the physical body and absence of all other thought. Regain lost balance.

I am not a doctor or professional anything. Also I broke my elbow doing this. I don’t regret it. Your milage (or kilometerage?) may vary.

If you feel like travelling (leaving the country for quite some time), you could go into teaching abroad, or for much less money, be a scuba instructor. Apologies if it sounds like a half hearted answer but this is literally what me and friends do.

Really depends on your field. Like if you were studying physics I wouldn’t recommend pure mathematics yk?