Last week I had a tough day. I’m not even sure why. Maybe it was about being pulled in too many directions or possibly the myriad of work projects all in a state of flux– but I got cranky. Really cranky. And highly unproductive. At first, I did what we all do: I tried to push through the work regardless of my misery. Next, I beat myself up, saying things like, “I stink at this. Someone else would handle this much better.” It was great fun. Not.

Finally, I decided to follow the advice I have given countless times: I asked myself one simple question. “What do I need at this moment?” And there it was. The answer was easy. I needed to close my laptop, call it a day, and start over tomorrow. I needed a good night’s sleep and a chance to reset. And that is exactly what I did.

The problems didn’t miraculously disappear overnight, but my capacity to deal with them had changed.

In the morning, now well-rested, I shot off a few quick emails, summarized workshop objectives for a client, and dealt with a tricky negotiation—and it only took me 30 minutes because I was in the right frame of mind.

Asking yourself, “What do I need at this moment?” doesn’t solve your problem, but it helps get you to a place of equilibrium so you can deal with whatever is in front of you.

The answer will be different every time. Maybe you need to step away from your work for five minutes. Perhaps you need the input of a colleague. And sometimes, you just might need a sandwich. But you won’t know the answer unless you ask yourself the question.

Multiple factors lead to burnout, many of which are beyond our control. The least we can do is get out of our own way and do a better job of assessing what we need…even if it’s just a sandwich.