post by Stephanie Nelson
I’ve long known that working for myself and by myself would be stressful. When I went out on my own, I also realized that social media is a 24/7 entity that doesn’t limit itself to 9am to 5pm…or any other regular office hours. Still I chose to do what I love for clients that I love.
No amount of love, however, can keep you from feeling burnout. That hit me – again – over Memorial Day weekend, as I had my nose buried in my phone all day, responding to Yelp reviews about experiences days before, to Facebook messages and comments, and to Instagram comments and stories. Why would I do that to myself? Because it hurts my clients if I don’t.
As I once again faced that “something’s gotta give” feeling, I decided to take a step back and make a list. ‘Cause that’s what I do. I make lists. What could I do to change this feeling? What actual actions could I take? Here’s what I came up with:
- Take breaks.
When I’m facing a to-do list a mile long, it may seem like taking a break is the worst idea. But getting up from my desk, taking a few laps around the house, petting the dogs and the cat, is going to give my brain a much-needed break. - Get active.
If I work out and wear myself out, I’ll at least sleep at night, right? - Do something other than watch TV to relax.
I love me some Big Bang Theory reruns. That’s how I relax. But just watching those is obviously not working. I’m not relaxed. So while I may keep those reruns on in the background, I’m going to try coloring, reading, SOMETHING to focus on other things. - Say no more often.
I’ve somehow gotten back into the habit of saying yes even when I know the better answer is no. I need to recommit to saying no. When I need downtime, that needs to be honored. Otherwise, I’m not doing anyone any favors. Not me. Not my family. Not my clients.
So what are your favorite ways to destress or avoid burnout? Anything else I should be trying?
