Wow, life has been absolutely crazy as of late my friends. And in the spirit of transparency, I have personally been burning the candle at both ends and in the middle. I started a new job 2 months ago, and that has come with a larger-than-expected learning curve. Along with that, any spare time I have has been dedicated to getting my new part time karate studio up and running. Plus I still have obligations to friends and family. And there is always the super fun regular day to day tasks like laundry and dishes to keep up with. Then throw into the mix that I’m still training when I can, and next thing you know stuff starts falling apart around me. My brain fog this past week was so bad because I was just so exhausted, even with proper sleep; that I was basically useless to those around me by the end of the week. It all finally caught up with me.
I talked to a couple of friends this weekend that reminded me of something that I had lost sight of: resting is also a form of productivity. I have been so focused on accomplishing so many tasks and goals that I forgot to take time for myself and rest. It had me thinking of all of the ways I have learned how to set myself up for success so that I don’t burn out. Some of our previous UMA articles were about this very topic (HERE). So while I had lost my way, I’m working on a reset back onto a healthy path of productivity. Here are the things with which I am working to realign my lifestyle; and I hope that in sharing my struggle with this, maybe I can remind someone else who is facing a burnout that rest is a form of productivity.
Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work, personal life, and relaxation time. Stick to these boundaries to prevent overworking yourself. This is way easier said than done for me. I am by no means an expert at this, but when I’ve been able to stick to my boundaries, it has always helped immensely with mitigating any potential burnout.
Learn to Say No: This goes hand and hand with setting boundaries. Don’t overcommit yourself by taking on more than you can handle. Be selective about the obligations and responsibilities you accept. I am personally notorious for overcommitting myself. Keeping a regularly updated calendar, including time off for resting, has really helped me to maintain a more balanced schedule.
Prioritize Tasks: Identify the most important tasks and focus on completing them first. Learn to delegate or, again, learn to say “no” to less important tasks that can wait.
Practice Time Management: Use time-blocking techniques or productivity tools to allocate time for different activities, including rest and relaxation. For me this often looks like putting a block of time in my calendar that people cannot schedule over. Again stick to the boundaries that you set for yourself when you do this.
Take Regular Breaks: Incorporate short breaks throughout your day to recharge your mind and body. Oftentimes we get locked into a productivity mode and forget to look away from our computers or stand up and strech.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Eat nutritious meals, exercise regularly, and prioritize sleep to support your physical and mental well-being. I’ve found that meal prepping or using pre-set meal ordering services help me stay on track with my healthy eating and avoid take-out meals when I’m busy.
Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation or “mindful moments” into your routine to reduce stress and promote relaxation. These moments can be everywhere from driving to work in silence instead of listening to music, or putting your pants on differently in the morning. My personal favorite is mindful eating. This also helps me to maintain my healthy lifestyle goals.
Set Realistic Goals: Break large tasks into smaller, manageable goals to prevent feeling overwhelmed. (See Ana’s article on this topic HERE)
Celebrate your achievements along the way. If you don’t, you will most definitely feel like the end is never in sight, and that just seems like a really miserable way to go through life. (See my article about celebrating small victories HERE)
Seek Professional Help if Needed: If you’re feeling constantly overwhelmed or experiencing symptoms of burnout, consider reaching out to a therapist or counselor for support and guidance.
Remember that taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining productivity and overall well-being. A lazy weekend is okay! Resting is still a form of productivity. Prioritizing rest and recovery is not a sign of weakness but a crucial aspect of achieving sustainable success.
