I was aware that I would have to set time restrictions when working for myself because of the time commitment. I was in risk of working 24 hours a day in an effort to complete all the endless goals my mind set for me since I didn’t have “regular hours” or a boss to tell me exactly what was expected of me. That would result in burnout, I knew.
A life that is imbalanced and concentrates on one subject at the expense of everything else leads to burnout. I wish to lead a balanced life. And I’m certain that’s what you desire as well. However, whether you work for someone else or run your own business like I do, you definitely feel worried and overworked occasionally.
ARE YOU WORKING TOO MUCH?
You might sense that you’re on the verge of burnout, which is characterised by a loss of vigour and inventiveness as well as a sense of isolation from your favourite activities. Have you felt any of the following signs or symptoms?
- You feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do, and you can even experience a “BLANK” moment where you are unable to formulate an action plan for the next few steps.
- You’re getting more and more irritable, and you snap quickly.
- At the end of the day, you feel mentally and physically drained, yet as soon as your head strikes the pillow, your mind starts racing, making it impossible for you to get a good night’s sleep.
- Taking care of routine tasks like eating seems to be a hassle.
- You believe that despite your efforts, you are unable to achieve what you believe you ought to.
- You experience low positive motivation and self-doubt. With no payoff, you just keep working.
- You ignore others and don’t want anything to come in the way of your work, yet you don’t enjoy what you’re doing.You cannot be producing your finest, most creative work if that list applies to you. And to make matters worse, you’re not having fun. You can only maintain that for so long before you crackle, snap, or pop.
- Start your day right. Don’t rush into the day. Take a few minutes to sit quietly and gather your thoughts. Remember what’s really important to you and prepare yourself inwardly to meet whatever the day brings.
- Have a plan for what you want to accomplish. Set realistic expectations for what you can accomplish that day.
- Break tasks into reasonable units. You could feel helpless and overwhelmed when you consider a large task. And if you’re not careful, it could prevent you from accomplishing other necessary tasks. So, divide everything up into manageable chunks so you know what you’ll do today and throughout the next week.
- Prioritize tasks and refuse inessential tasks. Determine the optimum order to do tasks, what must be completed regardless of the circumstances, and what can be ignored. Saying “no” to other people who want you to do things that you don’t have time for may be necessary to accomplish this.
- Delegate if possible. I’ve put together a fantastic team of assistants for me. So that I can focus on what I’m good at, I let others do what they do best. I have more creative energy for the things I’m naturally better at since I don’t get burned out on the things I don’t like.
- Plan time for meals, exercising, and socializing. You can work nonstop using the old Puritan ethic, but only until you burn out and decide to stop permanently. Make the time to do the things that complete your life before that occurs.
- Follow a big push with relaxation. I sometimes have to put forth a lot of effort to fulfil deadlines. Or perhaps I’m motivated and stay up late working. That’s fantastic. But I am aware that I cannot continue to exert myself so intensely. Take some time out, even if you have to push yourself to. One of the neighbourhood eateries has a great sign that reads, “We give our cooks time off. Do you?” You should enquire within yourself about that.
- Practice the 10-minute rule. There are things that we all dread doing. We pushed them off, and now they loom before us, draining our vitality by keeping us in a condition of dread. Simply put, you have to work on it for 10 minutes. It’s likely that once you get started, you’ll continue to work on it, but begin by setting aside just 10 minutes for planning. If you do that over a few days, the assignment will be completed and taken off your plate.
- End each day with a plan for tomorrow. Making a quick list of my to-dos for the next day is how I like to conclude each day. My memory is crisp and everything is new. I won’t have to struggle to recall what I was doing and what was required next the following morning. It seems as though I have a head start on the day and I can’t wait to get started. That goes against burnout!
