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I’m a little nervous to admit this publicly but I’m burnt out. I think we’ve all been here before – and if you haven’t, you’re blessed. But the truth is, I’m burnt out.
This isn’t something new for me, I’ve hit this point many times in my decade-long career, but this time it feels different.
In this episode, I’m sharing a few things I’m going through personally and how I think I got to this place… and I’m also going to talk about what I’m doing about it.
Chances are, if you’re an entrepreneur, you’re likely going to face burn out on the journey, so let’s talk about exactly what I’m doing about it… and how you can do the same when you inevitably find yourself in this season, too.
Understanding Burnout
This time around, my experience of burnout feels different. Unlike previous instances where burnout stemmed from overwork and lack of boundaries, this time is different.
Despite having strong boundaries and rhythms in my business, realizing I’m burnt out led me to explore the deeper roots of it, which I believe stem from a desire for creativity and growth beyond the predictable nature of my current business model.
Tools for Navigating Burnout
So, you’re probably wondering exactly what I’m doing about these feelings of burnout! Here’s a list of ways I’m combating these feelings while also making an effort to lean into the emotions I’m feeling.
- Being mindful of my feelings: Recently, I’ve been making an effort to pay closer attention to how I’m feeling and sitting with it vs. trying to rush through it, write it off, or move on to the next thing. Through this process, I’ve noticed that I was more lit up about my sourdough starter than a record-breaking launch… so I’ve been paying attention to that and feeling whatever emotions come up around it!
- Embracing hobbies: I’m making an effort to lean on what’s lighting me up right now and exploring that more without judgment. Currently, my new hobbies include making sourdough, keeping bees, gardening, and even rowing!
- Lean into friendships: Nothing makes me feel less alone than talking to friends who might understand the experience of burnout. Even if my experience is not the same as theirs, sharing these feelings out loud has led to a lot of realizations about myself and my business.
- Being open with my team: Rather than bottle up how I’m feeling, I’ve shared my feelings of burnout with my team so that they understand what I am working through and what I am hoping for. I’ve committed to being bold and honest so that they aren’t in the dark of where I’m at!
- Taking more breaks: Instead of asking myself, “Did I work hard enough to deserve rest?” I’ve been asking, “Did I rest enough to do my best work?” It feels counterintuitive to the wiring so many of us achievers have and have leaned on, but it completely changes our mindset when it comes to rest and work.
- Trying to break the endless cycle of scrolling: Instagram, email, Slack, Facebook – repeat. Instead of continuing this cycle, I’ve been making an effort to leave my phone behind more. I’ve also been noticing that when I do scroll, if I’m trying to distract myself or if I’m just bored, and then figuring out other things to do with my time.
- Reading more books: I have always been a reader. I read before bed every single night, but lately I’m not just reserving my reading for bedtime. I’ve been taking more breaks to read during the day just to take my eyes off of my laptop and phone and lose myself in the pages of books. I also only read for pleasure, rather than business and personal development books in this season.
- Journaling more: I am a great processor when I write. I’m the kind of person who would rather text than talk when I have something I want to communicate. I use my 5 Minutes A Day journal daily, but I have also been writing more long-form personal content about how I’m feeling, what I’m dreaming about, and my experiences. I find a lot of times we wait until we’re out of the funk to write and I am thankful that I’m writing while I’m in it so I can look back on it.
- Listening to music vs. podcasts: I have a hard time just being still or quiet – it’s something I’m working on, but my brain is naturally wired to fill up the space with productive things like audiobooks and podcasts. I often find that even when I have 5 minutes to myself, I turn on a podcast! But lately, I’ve been playing more calm music instead to balance my nervous system.
- Trying to break my productivity obsession: This is a big one for me and I’m a little nervous to share this because in my entire life I’ve only met one other person who’s admitted to this obsession, but I am constantly trying to be the most productive person I can, always trying to multitask, even thinking through how i can take the least amount of steps, etc. My strategy brain is SO strong that trying to unwire it is hard, but I’m working on it!
- Logging off of social media more: I came out of my last launch and I was so sick of content creation that I didn’t post for the next 10 days. I just needed a break from creating and sharing, so I’ve been extending that quite a bit. It’s hard because I don’t share my kids and that’s at least 80% of my life. And during the 20% of my life where I’m working, I’m mosting just sitting on a computer… and that’s not fun to show or to watch! So I’m trying to figure out what sort of content I want to share and how I want to show up online.
Embracing Change and Growth
As I navigate through this period of burnout, I’ve come to realize that it is a pivotal phase of my life that will lead to growth and transformation.
I’ve embraced the uncertainty and curiosity of what lies ahead, recognizing that this burnout is not a sign of failure but an opportunity for renewal and reinvention!
I’m just going to keep leaning into these tools, explore my curiosities, and try to prioritize rest through this process. I honestly can’t wait to see what comes out of this season!
If you have suggestions of how YOU have navigated seasons of burnout, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Instagram! Join the conversation over @goaldiggerpodcast and I’ll see you in the comments section.
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