Ever wondered how the busiest and most productive people don’t burn themselves out? In today’s blog, we’re going to break down the signs of burnout, what might be causing burnout and how to avoid it at all costs. No one wants to feel this way, so let’s be proactive and do what we can to stay productive, do the things we love and not get burnt out!
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit”
Signs of Burnout:
- You’re constantly irritable.
- You’ve lost your motivation.
- You’re having trouble sleeping.
- Your workload is overwhelming.
- You’re constantly feeling stressed.
- Signs of anxiety or depression may be apparent.
So let’s take a look at how we can proactively avoid burnout, while still keeping up with your busy life!
1. Make it About the Journey & Not the Destination
If you’re always chasing the next win, you never really get to appreciate the journey or enjoy the feeling of achieving what you’ve been working so hard for. I’m looking at all of you type A folks reading this blog. It’s so easy to get caught up in the next goal. Once you achieve a task you’ve been working so hard for, your mind is already thinking about the next milestone. It’s great to have big dreams, and there’s nothing wrong with working hard for something. But consider just enjoying the process. What do you love about the work you’re focused on? Why did you begin this goal in the first place?
For example, let’s say you’re working on growing a YouTube channel or a TikTok page. It’s not just about reaching that subscriber milestone, but building out your community along the way. You have to enjoy what you’re doing, or else you’ll get caught up in the hustle of it all, and will end up feeling burnt out. And when you do reach that goal, celebrate it, celebrate you! We don’t always need to rush off to the next big win.
2. SLEEP.
Enough said. But truly, if you’re not sleeping well, you’re at a greater risk of getting burnt out. For many years, sleep was seen as an underrated topic. “Yea I can sleep 4 hours a night and I’m totally fine!”. Or, “I’ll just stay up working until midnight and drink a lot of coffee tomorrow”. Reality check, we’ve been doing it all wrong! Sleep is one of the most important tools for staying healthy and avoiding burn out. As an entrepreneur, the one thing I will not sacrifice is my sleep. If I have a lot to get done, I’d rather go to bed at 9pm and get up for 5am to get my work finished. Maybe you’re a night owl, and you prefer to work past 7pm. If that’s the case, just make sure you’re still hitting a minimum of 7 hours. The hours before midnight have been proven to be more rejuvenating, but you have to find a schedule that works best for you.
3. Check-In With Your Goals.
If what you’re working towards isn’t fulfilling you anymore, maybe it’s time to regroup and find what actually makes you thrive. If you’re not enjoying the process of working towards your goals, why are you wasting your time? Priorities and passions can shift with time, don’t be so hard on yourself! Make an effort to check in with your goals throughout the year, to make sure you’re still on the right track.
We have a system where we set our yearly goals, break it down into quarterly goals and then check-in monthly and set intentions for each month of the year. If you’d like to learn more about our process, check out our “Rethink your resolutions” post, or our “Goals & Intentions” post.
4. Make time for hobbies and people who make you happy
Life isn’t all about work. It sound cliche, but it’s easy to forget when you’re distracted building your empire.😉
If you only focus on growth and constantly spinning your work wheels, you will eventually burn out. It is incredibly important to make time for hobbies, friends, family & self-care. Maybe you love to work, that’s cool, so do I! But eventually, you start to get a bit jaded if that’s all you do. Take time to get your head out of the computer, and step into real life. Find the things that bring you joy and make space for them, at least once a week! This will give you the longevity you’re looking for in your work. I like to give myself at least 1 day off a week where I try not to turn on the computer. It just allows me to begin the week feeling that much more fresh!
5. Take time to just BE.
How often do you take a moment to pause? Without a screen in front of you, without someone to distract you. Just you. Your mind. And a quiet moment. You may think you do this throughout your day, but if you start to pay attention, you’ll realize we reach for our phone or a distraction, more often than not! The phone is a dopamine hit. Sometimes staying distracted is easier than sitting in your thoughts. But we challenge you, can you take a moment to yourself, to sit in your mind?
At the end of a long day, go out for a 10 minute walk, without your phone. In the morning, sip your coffee without any distractions. At lunch, can you just enjoy the taste of your food? Little moments throughout your day can add up to making a big difference. Moments of pause can drop cortisol levels, keep you grounded and allow for better focus throughout your day. Give it a try!
For a full breakdown on this topic, check out Cornelia’s latest YouTube video.
As always, we’re so grateful to have you all here! Living a fulfilling and eventful life is important to us, we love going after our goals. But that should not come at the cost of your mental health. It’s so important to practice self-care, check in with yourself, and prioritize wellness and joy, alongside productivity. If you liked today’s post, comment down below. Thanks for reading!
XO
Meg & Cornelia
