My name is Barry. I am a workaholic.
And although I make a concerted effort to be intentional about how I use my energy these days, I still get sucked into workaholic tendencies. I work a lot, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I go through a repeated cycle of hyper-productivity and mind-numbing burnout.
You know that feeling. The feeling of stress, overwhelm and dread when it comes to work.
I’ve been there. Multiple times to be honest. And it always seems to creep up on me. One day I’m flying along, busy with projects and work, and then all of the sudden, I get tired. Tired of the work. Tired of the stress. And tired of the lack of results.
You see, in most cases, burnout is caused by a lack of rewards. It’s easy to work long hours and maintain focus when things are going well. But when things aren’t, and there seems to be no progress, that’s when burnout sets in. That’s when we question ourselves and ask: Why am I even doing this?
These are my 8 tips to beat burnout. There are no magic answers here because the last thing I intend to do is blow some magical ‘guru’ smoke up your butt.
Just 8 simple tips that have helped me recover over the years and in some cases, make a major pivot when things weren’t working. More importantly, make a change when things weren’t going to work — period.
Let’s dive in.
8 Tips to Beat Burnout
Is This Going to Matter?
Whenever I am stressed, I’ll ask myself a simple question.
Is this going to matter in 5-10 years?
If the answer is no, then it’s obvious — I need to chill out. This is as much a stress management tool as it is a long-term thinking exercise.
Take a look at the big picture and don’t let the little things bother you. Burnout easily creeps in when we are stressed so it’s imperative to manage stress as much as we can.
Triage
What am I working on and should I be working on it?
It’s important to prioritize your responsibilities and work on the things that matter.
What I like to do is make a list of the things I need to get done and put them in order of importance. This little list-making technique helps me organize my thoughts and helps me determine the tasks that I should cut out of my schedule.
Also, even though I put the tasks in order of importance, that doesn’t mean that’s how I have to tackle them. There are times when it’s smarter to tackle 1-2 little things to help close mental loops. Even if they’re not the most important things that need to be accomplished.
As far as the things I shouldn’t be doing? Let the patient die on the table. Some tasks should just be avoided.
Say no to projects you shouldn’t be doing. Ask for help from others, or delegate. If you’re feeling burned out, take some things off of your plate. Plain and simple.
Use the Word No
I beat this drum a lot. Using the word no is the best habit you can develop to avoid burnout. Only take on projects that are fulfilling, exciting, and financially beneficial.
If you’re doing cheap work for cheap clients, charge more. If you’re tired of your job, find a better-paying one or one that requires less responsibility. Either way, the idea is to either work less or make more. No matter which way you choose, by working less or making more you’ve increased your rewards, and rewards help to reduce burnout.
Pace Yourself
“Slow and steady wins the race.” — said no workaholic ever.
But if you’re dealing with burnout, prevention is the best medicine. Reduce your weekly workload and work fewer hours. Don’t let yourself get sucked into the habit of working long hours or 7 days per week. Set start and end times for your days and take at least one day off per week.
Set boundaries with clients and customers letting them know when you are available and when you’re not.
This includes:
- Setting regular hours
- Setting times to respond to emails
- Setting times to answer and respond to phone calls
Make it clear to customers that you are not available during your free time. Also, use autoresponders for emails and text messages letting others know that you have received their message and will respond within 24-48 hours giving yourself a grace period. This helps to take some of the pressure off of having to get back to people.
The Main Takeaway
- Work fewer hours
- Take at least one day off per week
- Set strict boundaries for your free time
Take Breaks
What I mean by taking a break isn’t just fluffing off for a day or two. If you’re feeling burned out, you may need a long vacation.
Can you take a week off from your job? How about a month?
In all honesty, I don’t think a week off from work is enough to recover from burnout. Most clients and most work problems can wait a week. Very few can wait a month.
When you take a week off, most things can wait for your return. Plus, you’ll have the feeling of things hanging over your head. By taking 30 days off, most problems will have either solved themselves or no longer be relevant.
I know it’s hard to take a month off but, it may be imperative to your health. There can come a point when the feeling of being burned out can lead to greater health consequences. At some point, if you don’t take a break, you may become of no use to anyone.
My advice is to take a break. Make it a priority.
Pro Tip:
- If you’re returning from a vacation give yourself a 1 day grace period to allow yourself to get back into the swing of things. For example, If you’re planning to return to work on a Monday, let clients and customers know that you will be back to work on Tuesday. This will help you ease back into things without the stress of ringing phones and a flood of new emails.
Mini Retirements
Mini retirements are an option. Tim Ferris discusses them in this Interview.
The idea of a mini-retirement is to take an extended period of time off. And if you’re self-employed, this isn’t as impractical as you would think. In most cases, the idea is to save up enough money so you can live work-free for a year or two. If you work a job you could also take a mini-retirement. Just understand that you may have to look for new employment when you decide to return to work.
Note: I know this idea isn’t practical for everyone but it is an idea worth pondering.
Make a Pivot
Sometimes what you need is a career pivot. A move in a different direction while remaining within your field.
For example, instead of freelance writing, try copywriting, or handling a company’s email newsletter. Most careers have overlapping skill sets that could be used to make a change.
Career pivots don’t always work but, they could help bring some freshness to an otherwise stale career.
Quit
There are times when you’re burned out and nothing is going to work. You’ve tried to take time off, tried to reduce your stress, and you’ve tried to work fewer hours.
If your job is no longer lighting you up and you feel like you lost all interest in it — it’s okay to quit. Take the leap and make a career change. Find something new that makes you feel alive. A field that you can grow and learn new things.
In my opinion, most people should work several different types of jobs in their lifetime. The model of getting out of school and taking the same career path for 40+ years of your life is outdated.
Quit the job and move on to something that makes you happy. Life is too short to live feeling stressed and burned out.
Note: After doing research for this post I noticed a common theme among other sites. They seem to regurgitate the same garbage telling people to meditate, exercise, eat healthily, and so forth. It’s my opinion that most advice like this is bullshit. If you’re tired of your job, no amount of exercise is going to excite you about going to work. My advice is to plan your exit.
Bonus Tips For Beating Burnout
- Celebrate small wins — Remember, burnout stems from a lack of rewards.
- Chart your progress — So you can see how far along you have come.
- Work during your peak hours — 9 am-5 pm might be 12 pm-8 pm or 6 am-2 pm depending on what works best for you.