Our dear friend burnout, the feeling you get after what should have been a productive time period. Maybe something didn’t come into fruition and it seems like all your hard work has been in vain. Maybe you have enough strength left to worry about it. Maybe you’ve completely written it off as a lost cause. When you are planning the execution of your goals, you should plan a safety net for yourself as well. Oftentimes, the focus is how you can maximize the hours in the day for the things we need to get done and not for yourself as a whole. Your day is about more than just getting things done. How have you taken care of you today? You cannot pour from an empty cup! As aforementioned, burnout is your friend. It is your body’s humble way of reminding you that you are not a robot and you need YOU right now. There are simple things you can do throughout your day or plan regularly within your life to put back what you are taking from you.
- Don’t test the limits.
Do not push yourself to the point of exhaustion. Do not give yourself just enough time to complete the task. For example, when planning the route to an event or appointment, you shouldn’t intentionally put yourself in a position where you only have enough time to drive there and make it in time. It’s better to plan enough time to get ready, get through traffic, find parking and find out where you need to be (especially if you aren’t familiar with the location). Life is no different. If you know any and everything can happen, why not prepare for it. In your scheduling, scatter your work as evenly as possible. If you can get something extra done, go for it. The point is to be careful not to try to put too much on yourself in too constricting of a time frame. This not only leads to not being able to complete a task, but unnecessary frustration. Making a schedule or a routine to pay it forward. Build your routine around things you know you have to do so when you do have something extra put on your schedule you know how to manage it.
2. Learn how to treat yourself without spending. It’s worth more.
Do the little things for yourself that you wish someone else would do. Leave yourself notes about how proud you are of yourself and acknowledge all the “small” goals that you didn’t tell anyone about. Did you reach a mental goal? Journal about it and be proud of your growth. Growth is growth even if somebody else can’t see it. You have to pat your own back. Invest in you. When you feel good you can do so much more.
3. Make a habit of leaving yourself less work if you can.
Just as some try to leave the kitchen with an empty sink at night, do what you can for yourself ahead of time before you find yourself with a pile of dirty dishes and feeling overwhelmed. You’ll thank yourself later. Whether it’s laying your clothes ahead at night or packing some type of lunch so you don’t have to scramble at your break trying to find something to eat and make it back to work in time. When you prepare ahead of time not only does your day go smoother, but you build a habit of illuminating unnecessary problems by doing what you can for yourself. You’re creating the life that you want. You can make the world ahead a lot smoother by preparing for what you know is coming.
4. Remind yourself that a part of being human is being different in every way.
Some things just aren’t going to be done in the time period you think they can be completed in, even more so for new endeavors. You are subjected to so much uncertainty everyday. Your body is changing. Be patient with yourself so that when you do reach a roadblock or detour, you know everything is okay and it’s going to be fine.
5. Learn when it’s time to ask for help and/ or walk away.
If you’ve done all the research you can, poured time into it, tried it differently and still nothing, you’ve done your part. If you can reach out and get assistance, get it. Whether it be hands on, a listening ear or advice, if it’s there use it. Not sure how to go about a task for work? Find someone you can go to with your efforts and ask for their aid. If not a colleague, a mentor or a trusted friend, this is 2021 and your problem is an online group chat away from being solved.
6. Take time for reflection wherever you can.
Reflect on your day, things you want to do better, how you want to change your life. In your commute to work. Break time at work. Are you reaching your goals? How are you feeling? Why are you feeling the way you feel if you aren’t feeling 100%? Are you OK at this moment? Have you been present lately? Think about the things that you were working towards and take time to strategize. Whether it’s in your home life or work life, reflection can still be of use.
Miss Zoe Adams
Hailing from Inglewood, California, She’s a 20-year-old Business Finance Major at Prairie View A&M University. She enjoys traveling, fashion, writing, graphic design, and being a life-long learner. Zoe has been working with Miranda Chaney Petite Wear since September of 2020. In doing so she’s had the opportunity to truly grow. Her passion is being able to write with the intentions of educating the audience and growing as the reader grows. Thank you for reading her post. Feel free to leave a comment.