Burnout
Feeling like s***? Maybe you’re burned out. What’s the remedy? Let’s talk about it.
Use PTO: If you haven’t taken PTO in a year, we’ve found the problem. You’re not taking enough time off from work. Working 9:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday is “enough to drive you crazy if you let it.” Vacation days are meant to be taken. If you need a day off or need a vacation to reset, TAKE ONE or three or ten.
Maximize your free time: With a little bit of finessing, you can get your free time to feel longer and more refreshing. Here’s a few tips:
Do something fun on Friday afternoon: I learned this trick recently. I’ve been spending my Friday afternoon breaks with my best friend, sometimes to have lunch, to walk the dogs, or go for a run. I think that having the extra activity linked to my weekend makes it feel so much longer. It doesn’t have to be a big to-do either, a little novelty will do the trick. Have your lunch outside today. Write a quick letter to a friend. Play a few rounds of fetch with your dog. Read a chapter of your book. Take a yoga break. Just add a little fun to your Friday afternoon! Just remember you will have to come back and finish off the work day!
Delegate your chores: There are so many resources and knick knacks that help you do the chores you hate. You may have to be a little crafty or spend a little money, but you’re rewarded with the gift of time. If you hate doing laundry, you can use a laundry service. Hate cleaning the floors, get a roomba. Hate cleaning the toilet, get one of those things you stick to the bowl that clean as you flush. Hate meal planning, get a meal kit. Hate cooking, get takeout. Sometimes we just need a few extra hours on the weekend not doing chores. Treat yo self.
Figure out what helps you reset: Different things soothe different people. If you’re not sure what soothes you, make a list. When you’re feeling especially good after a weekend, write down the things you did and see if you can find common threads. Do you prefer spending time with others or yourself? Do you enjoy single focus tasks like jigsaw puzzles or crafts, do you prefer outdoor activities like hiking or gardening, do you enjoy energetic activities like sports, or do prefer accomplishments like finishing your chores or a book? Learning what things re-energize you and what things drain your battery can help you manage your life accordingly.
Don’t try to do it all: This is going to hit the overachievers very hard… But in order to avoid burnout, we’re going to need to chill the f*** out.
Let go of responsibility: Are you leading ten different initiatives, managing a million projects, volunteering on the weekends, and working on your side hustles? Take a good hard look at your responsibilities and see where you can make some cuts. Maybe you don’t need to have a leadership role and can give someone else the chance to shine. Maybe you can take a step back from your side hustles and pick it up when you have more time. Maybe you can delegate some of the work on your projects. If you still really think everything is super important to you, at least try to ask for some help here and there. You’ll be surprised how much people can be willing to help out, if you just ask.
State your boundaries: Your supervisor will never know you’re overloaded if you never say anything. Then you’ll create an environment where you’re taking on too much work forever until you crash and burn. Instead, you can just let people know when it’s too much at the start. It really doesn’t have to be a big deal. When people ask if you’re busy, you can say, “Yes.”