How do you avoid burnout?

[katieand]

You all are working very hard to make your business successful. The wins are always great, but sometimes those losses can be tough to deal with. Plus, we're all human and can only do so much in our 24 hours each day. 

Most of you are beyond a side hustle, but I found this article from Girl Boss about burnout to be really insightful. 

Do you have tips for how you handle burnout? Two of my favorite tips included know your non-negotiables and don't forget to take breaks. 

[Helen]

I take frequent breaks! I might make a cup of tea, take a walk around the block or if I've had a particularly busy day I'll set some screen-free time after work. (Remember books? Magazines?)

[STVDesigns]

When taking a break from my work, I redirect my energy and thoughts to a completely different subject matter. That way, thoughts of work do not slip in. I love watching the NHL playoffs just sitting back with a favorite beverage and snack. Other times, I do like to relax with hot tea and a great movie. 

[katieand]

Redirection is a great tip @STVDesigns! Do you have a favorite NHL team?  

[STVDesigns]

I have recently just started watching the NHL games, so right now I like the Boston Bruins. The goal tender, Rask, has the coolest mask. Being an artist, I am attracted to the design on the helmet which is amazing. When he puts his head down, the face of a ferocious tiger is revealed with large red eyes and pointed sharp teeth. The colors consist of a brilliant gold, red, shaded whites and black. 

[katieand]

I see it! Posting for others in case they want a visual too

[STVDesigns]

Thank you so much for posting Rask and his mask. It definitely helps to have this visual. You are awesome. 

[dtlkatrina]

Two thumbs up for screen-free time. I'm going to try more of it. Most of my screen-free time is in the morning with books or music. How do you incorporate it in your life?

[katieand]

No screen life is the only life 🙂 I try to implement it in the evenings (I've heard how bad it is to look at all that light before bed). Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I'm finding how valuable it is when I follow it!

[sj12]

I try to take breaks throughout the day especially away from the computer screen. Taking the dog for a 10 or 15 minute walk is a great way to refresh and feel good. I have also gone to some business meditation workshops and learned some meditation techniques that can be used in the work place to decrease stress levels throughout the day. 

[katieand]

I'm trying to incorporate more zero screen time during my day too @sj12. Business meditation sounds super interesting! Any tips you can share?  

[dtlkatrina]

This is a toughie. I can only speak for myself, but I am one who doesn't know when to quit. If I want to accomplish something, it's peddal to the medal until it's done enough for me. So this is something that I have to intentionally put in the forefront of my attention.

To avoid burnout, I made certain that I set work boundaries with my time and I intentionally unwind and relax when my mind is on the work when it shouldn't be.

For example, if I get up and think about work. I want to do it immediately. I make myself slow down during coffee. I may read a book or sketch in my sketchbook, watch 30 minutes of the Today Show, listen to music or meditate.

After the work day, I'll eat dinner and find something interesting to watch on Netflix or Amazon Video. I was able to catch up with all seasons of Game of Thrones this way.

I must be honest, I don't watch too much TV and when I sit and binge for about an hour or two in the evening, I feel guilty because there is work to be done. But, I believe that it is vital to maintaining a balance and avoiding burnout.

Just my two cents.

[katieand]

Thanks for sharing @dtlkatrina and I totally get it. I recently just got a TV and I've found myself feeling so guilty for sitting down and watching (sometimes binging 😲) because it does feel like there is so much to do! I've found that meditating is a great way of slowing myself down, as well as having morning/night rituals that it sounds like you have too!

[dtlkatrina]

Yeah, totally. There are those times where I may break my ritual, but usually it's for an early morning client meeting or to work on a piece of art. Artwork is like therapy, so I don't mind it. But in the case that I'm taking an early client meeting, I would usually be sure to unwind earlier the night before to prepare myself for the next day.

I'm learning to be okay with watching TV. There are times where the guilt will want to creep in, but I'm learning to find those things that I can do while watching TV that don't make me feel like I'm totally vegging out. Other times, I just take a deep breath and enjoy the show.

[puka]

I feel you a lot on this one, @dtlkatrina. When I get in the zone with whatever I'm working on, I will keep going even past the point of exhaustion because I can't think about anything else until it's done. A few times, my girlfriend has had to literally put a plate of food in front of my face because I will forget to eat and she can see I'm starting to get snappy/hangry. 🙃

Preventing burnout is still something I'm actively learning how to do and I'll admit it's been a tough thing to tackle because the past 5-6 years of my life consisted of working 40 hours a week while also going to school full-time. I was so used to always being on the go that it was a really hard adjustment for me to have time on my hands again after graduation. You would think I'd be relieved to get my time back, but instead I found myself anxious like I was forgetting to do something. A year later and I'm finally getting the hang of appreciating the freedom to do anything I want outside of my working hours.

Something that has helped me is really listening to my body. Does my brain feel like it's being overloaded with information? Am I starting to feel tension in my shoulders? Am I catching myself holding my breath and clenching my jaw? If yes, it's time to step away and take break. If I'm missing these physical cues, I have phone alerts to remind me to check in with myself. Lastly, meditation apps like Calm and Headspace have been lifesavers especially when it comes to combatting stress-induced insomnia. I highly recommend.

[dtlkatrina]

I feel you, girl. It's great to have someone who cares about you and can recognize when you're overdoing it, even when you can't. I'm so glad to have a boyfriend like that, also. He's the one who encouraged me to watch GoT in the evening. He's very gentle and I appreciate it because I'm always like, "I've got to do such and such", and he'll gently say something like "Relax this evening, girl".

I know what you mean about constantly being on the go. I left my job and IT career for the freedom of running my own business - setting my own hours, working on my own schedule and whatnot. But, I quickly learned that I drive myself worse than any job or career I've ever had.

I'm grateful for making these discoveries about myself. I like that you mentioned anxiety. I think that's something that we don't talk about much. I know that I experience it in times where I fear that I'm going to fail. I'm learning how to deal with this anxiety and be better to myself that I used to be.

Thanks, @katieand for this thread. It's good to be able to talk about these things, share our experiences and learn from one another.

[Coach_Colette]

Great question! As a certified stress management coach, I aim to "walk my talk!" My wellness strategies include meditating in the morning and listening to music with binaural beats. I aim to listen to my body (e.g., aches, sniffles) when it lets me know it's time to rest, slow down. I also aim to not burn the candle at both ends!

[Caty]

Admittedly I'm really bad at noticing burnout symptoms in advance, so I've been doing a lot of work to figure out what they look like for me in effort to change things before I end up in flipthetableflytoaremoteislandandnevercomehome-mode. Anyone else struggle there? If not, I welcome all of your tips & tricks! 😂

I'd agree with the tips on limiting screen time. It's hard, but SO worth it! If I spend a lot of time on my phone or laptop after 9pm, I've found that I will have trouble falling asleep when I want to. I also recently disabled my personal Instagram account, and that has had a surprisingly positive impact across all aspects of my life. TBD on if I'll give it a 2nd chance... 

Another thing that works for me is sticking to some sort of exercise routine, no matter how small. There always seems to be an inverse correlation between my stress levels and the amount of time I've intentionally moved my body, so if I start to feel stressed I immediately try to carve time for a long walk, a class, or even some YouTube videos in my living room. With that said... I'm gonna put down my laptop, and head out for a run to get mentally ready for the upcoming week. Hope y'all are having a great weekend! ☀️