Tips to avoid burnout

I recently had it pointed out to me that I dive headfirst into projects and goals.  And it’s true.  Once I decide I want to do something, I go full force.

Some people may see this as a good thing, as a trait they wish they possessed.  And I’m here to tell you that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

There are a lot of social media posts out there that make it seem like being obsessed is a good thing.  That putting all your resources into one aspect of life is a thing to be proud of.

I don’t agree with this statement at all.

Since I tend to fully envelop myself in a goal, task or job, I know firsthand that it doesn’t take long for burnout to occur.

Ah, burnout.  Burnout is not the same as having a bad day or even having the desire to give up on a goal.  It is not something you should ignore and push through.

Burnout occurs when you are physically and mentally exhausted and your desire to do anything is gone.  It is not wanting to skip your workout one day because you didn’t get a good night’s sleep.  Burnout is the result of chronic stress.

And when you put your heart and soul into something, it’s easy to burnout.  It doesn’t matter whether you love what you are doing or hate it, burnout will occur if you revolve your life around this one thing.

So what are you to do?  Give up on having goals?

Absolutely not!

You should definitely still have goals, intentions, or something you are striving to reach.  This is human nature – we all have a vision of something in the future that we want to occur, and we are all working towards that vision.

But you should slow down, take your time and yes, even take breaks from working towards your goals.

This is something that not a lot of people talk about when it comes to goal setting and planning.  Breaks.  It seems like breaks are a step back from your goals, but in fact, it will help you reach them.

When you notice you are getting sick of doing something, not just one day, but multiple days in a row, you may be experiencing burnout.  If you have to force yourself to do something, then you may be on the road to burnout.  So it’s the perfect time to take a break.

Taking a break can take many forms.

You may just start focusing on another project or goal.  Instead of working on finishing your novel, take some time to spend with your family instead of writing.  This break can rejuvenate you and even spark ideas for your writing.

You may just need to switch up your routine.  If you are working on increasing your running distance, take a break from running and swim for a while.  You are still being active, just in a different form.

Or if possible, take a complete vacation from your goals.  You may actually take a trip, or you may just put the running shoes to the side for a week.  You may just not pull out your laptop for several days.

So remember, when things get overwhelming, exhausting and draining, it’s time to take a break.  You can and will get back to working towards your goals, with a renewed spirit, after your break.