27 SIMPLE WAYS TO AVOID BURNOUT

You may not have realized this if you’ve been following my recent travels on Facebook, but:

My name is Nikki, and I’m a recovering workaholic.

Confession time. Since I started dreaming up my business in early 2013….

I’ve been known to check emails, Facebook, Twitter, and MailChimp all throughout the day – even in bed.
On days when my little guy’s at “school,” it’s not uncommon for me to get so caught up in my work that I forget to eat breakfast and/or lunch.
I don’t get enough sleep (usually because I’m up too late, but sometimes because I’m up too early).

…and, while I’m sincerely embarrassed to admit this…

My 23-month-old son has ordered me to “Close it!” (it = my MacBook) on at least two occasions. Low point.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

If you’re like me, you love being in the zone. You’re driven by passion. Purpose. The thrill of entrepreneurship. You love your work because it doesn’t FEEL like work, and you’re thankful for that.

But here’s the truth: Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. And if you don’t know how to turn work mode OFF every now and then, you’re gonna find yourself on the bullet train to burnout.

Ain’t nobody got time for that. (So tweet it!)

Let’s flip the switch before it’s too late. Today and EVERY day, let’s make conscious choices to shut down our passion projects and live a little…like we did BEFORE we caught the business bug.

In this post I’ll give you 27 simple ways to do just that.

A REFRESHING CHANGE OF PACE

Before we dive into the good stuff, let me tell you why I consider myself a “recovering” workaholic:

1. I had an intentionally busy summer. I knew we’d be home (on Oahu) for the whole summer, with our little guy in daycare three days per week. My schedule was predictable and fulllll. I had the chance to work with over 100 bright entrepreneurs, and it was fantastic. Happy, happy, happy, but busy, busy, busy. I wouldn’t trade the experience, the lessons, or the connections made for anything, but I’ve gotta be honest: Come August, I welcomed what I knew would be a significant change of pace.

2. I’m now enjoying an intentionally flexible fall. Instead of offering 8 to 10 one-on-one sessions per week, I currently offer one or two. For various reasons since August, I’ve traveled to/from Hawaii, Texas, Germany, the Czech Republic, England, Massachusetts, and now Connecticut. Just tonight I went to an orchard up the road and picked apples with my guys, for Pete’s. Talk about a sweet memory.

SO WHAT’S THE POINT?

This change of pace has been refreshing. A blessing. Totally inspiring. And there’s something to that.

There are plenty of posts out there that tell us the value in taking serious action and going after our dreams. But there aren’t enough that tell us the value in slowing down to stop and pick the apples. To shut off the biz brain and the smart phones. To take time to be silly, mindful, and maybe even a bit lazy every once in a while.

It’s great to enjoy what you do for a living. But it’s also important to DO some living. (Tweet that!)

So this list is for you AND for me, dude. Let’s keep it growing.

27 SIMPLE WAYS TO AVOID BURNOUT

1. Take a walk.

2. Play with your kiddo(s).

3. Snuggle up to your significant other.

4. Take a vacation (or at least get one on the books).

5. Read a book.

6. Watch your fave TV show.

7. Go see a movie.

8. Do some stretches.

9. Call a friend.

10. Call your grandma.

11. Go to the zoo.

12. Paint your nails.

13. Visit with a neighbor.

14. Bake cupcakes.

15. Say a prayer.

16. Go to church.

17. Hit the gym.

18. Play an instrument.

19. Visit a museum.

20. Floss your teeth.

21. Actually DO something you pinned on Pinterest.

22. Write a thank you note.

23. Hop on the nearest swing set.

24. Be a tourist in your own city.

25. Organize your closet.

26. Volunteer your time.

27. Take a NAP.

You with me now?

This list could go on for digital miles. (And with your comments, I hope it will.)

Hard work is a beautiful thing. But sometimes you just need to flip the switch and step away for a while. When you do, you’ll come back renewed, refreshed, and ready for brilliance.

And that, my friend, is when your BEST work will come to light.