Have you ever been burned out? If you’re human, then the answer is “yes.” The question to ask is not “Have you been burned out?” but rather “How do you avoid getting there?” The answer to that question is you must build some “down” time into your life.
More specifically, you must build daily, weekly and monthly down time. Having more down time (moments when you are not working, rushing, doing house chores, taking care of the kids, etc.) will lead to more up time (moments when you give your best to your job, your family and others).
Down time should take three forms:
(1) Daily down time—Each day you need time to yourself. Whether you are a busy mom or executive you have to unwind sometime during the day. It can take many forms—reading, journaling, exercising, watching your favorite TV show or anything else that gives you pleasure. At the very least, you should build one hour per day for relaxing; if you don’t then eventually you will crash and burn (and to be honest, one hour is a minimum).
(2) Weekly recharge time—Down time is not only a daily activity; it is a weekly must as well. A weekly recharge means an extended period (more than one hour) to de-plug and do something fun. It could be watching a football game, hiking, working in the garden (if you enjoy playing in the dirt!), watching a movie or anything that means you will “stop down” for more than an hour. And notice we used the word “de-plug.” That means unplugging yourself from the laptop, e-mail, Twitter and other electronic gadgets. You can’t recharge if you’re plugged into your electronics.
(3) Monthly refocus session—Even if you are taking daily and weekly time for yourself you can still burn out. It’s important to also refocus on your core priorities every month. A monthly refocus is not necessarily doing a fun activity, but rather taking some time to reflect on your goals (both personal and professional) and what motivates you in life. Do you still love your job? If not, why? Are you connecting emotionally with your significant other? If not, remember why you fell in love with them. Are your kids driving you crazy? Reflect on the limited time you have with them. Refocusing yourself on your core beliefs, values and goals helps you stay fresh at home and work.
You’ve probably read about the importance of journaling, exercising and doing all those things to prevent burnout. Those all are good and well (and things you should be doing). But truly thinking huge means taking daily, weekly and monthly steps to recharge your batteries.
Think Huge!
Comments