If there's one thing I am still struggling to learn is creating a balance. Since I started studying and working, balance is almost never there. Making a balance for me feels like making a lot of sacrifices. Juggling between work, life, studying are not that easy. Everyday is a constant struggle between allocating energy, time, emotion to either work, life or the study. If you ask me to choose, I can't. All of them are important to me.
This inability of not creating a balance often leads to burnout. Sometimes I get way too excited and thus putting more into my plate. Then, I feel overwhelmed due to the amount of work that I have. Next thing I know, I am dealing with excruciating physical pain. Did I ever learn at all? guess not because since January up to this point, I am putting more into my plate.
When it comes to this space, an advice from @acensotop last year puts me into a perspective.
Write about what you feel like and let the fortune decide the payout. It took me more than an hour to compile my last post and it's payout is of only $3.5 and I have had photo blogs that got $15 and they were ready for action in 20 minutes. Keep doing what you like and steem on!
That advice helps me to constantly create and stop being too perfectionist about my work. It's a blog and a social place. So, that's the whole point, engaging and creating.
I recently learned about some users from Venezuela and their internet speed. I see them constantly hustling despite the circumstances and that is admirable. It sort of puts me into my place and it makes me feel like I am being ungrateful and lazy. With what I have right now, I should do better. I tried to deafen that voice knowing that would only cause me another burnout.
So, these days, preventing another burnout from happening, I try to cultivate new hobbies and take 20 minutes walk outside. I also try to fix my sleeping after spending days with horrible sleep schedule. Going outside is always helping me get newer inspiration and many things. Oh yeah, I also uninstalled twitter from my phone because I find myself checking it way too often.
At the moment, I have excruciating lumbar pain. My mom told me it's because I spent too much time on the chair before without breaks. So, I am trying to take intermittent breaks in between and trying to rest as much as I can. I am also hoping it's not a sign of terminal illness or something. This lumbar pain serves a reminder that I've not been taking care of myself well. So, yeah it's also time that I need to reevaluate my plans and schedule moving forward.
In another story, I got my first paying customer for my bakery biz. I am also starting the marketing campaign. Wish me luck!
If you know ways to prevent burnout or your ways of dealing with it, let me know in the comment section
Burnout is a big factor with a lot of things! Thankfully you don’t have kids, it adds a whole additional layer of complexity to it all lol. They need their own attention too! It works out in the end though, balance is important to have and it’s never going to be the same between people.
To prevent burnout I would say try to take breaks every so often. Two hours is a good amount of time for a 10 minute break I think. Walking around is important and the back pain you’re feeling can be a whole lot of things but I doubt anything terminal. Mostly posture related for that.
Awesome stuff with the cookie business! I’m glad to hear it, it’s progress! How’s the marketing going?
Oh yeah, adding kids to the factor would be hellish at the moment. Sorry it takes so long to get back here 😂 I am struggling to stay afloat at the moment. The marketing been very aggressive and I hope there will be more customer by the mid of this year. I am working on making better shoot and better marketing pitches. These day, I try to go outside and do some light exercises to keep me sane.
Burnout happens when demotivation creeps in and our personal energies get drained. Nothing beats the outdoor experiences with Mother Nature to rejuvenate, destress, and recharge. I typically take a vacation at the beach to escape burnout. Humans are not mechanical devices as only machines can continue with physical activity without resting. Thank you @macchiata for this inspiring post!
I really wish the beach was nearby, I'd go there anytime any day. I live in the city center and to mimic the natural experience, I am trying to build a semi outdoor garden. Whenever I see greenery, it refreshes my mind. Thanks for reminding me I might need a day off at the beach or the mountain.
Yes you’re right. It’s difficult to access the beach conveniently on a daily basis if it’s not nearby. I think your installation of a semi outdoor garden in your city home is a brilliant idea! It keeps the natural surroundings within easy reach to relax and cure burnout.
I'm working through a burnout myself and can definitely relate with wanting too much and not keeping a good balance. When you're enthousiastic about your activities besides the 'must-do's', like work/study, it feels unfair to have to put them on hold, because the 'must-do's' drain too much of your energy.
I'm still struggling to find that right balance. Even something simple as stepping away from the screen for a couple of minutes can sometimes be a bit of a pain, especially when I'm in a flow. My head warns me though. I'm learning to listen more.
Going outside is a great way to recharge. Personally, I'm happy with my garden. Okay, I could do without the massive amount of weeds, but picking them does relax me ;-)
I wish you lots of luck both in finding that balance and with your bakery business!
Sorry took a while to get back in here @playfulfoodie! my garden is a bit unorganized at the moment,so maybe it's time to care for them again? things have been chaotic and emotionally draining and it seems like I need something new. Thank you for your wish of luck, I really need that.
I described my thoughts as a washing machine today, and again I know exactly what you are talking about. Even though my burnouts lead to depression and procrastination.
I have no clue how to wrap my mind around one thing, or to focus on one particular topic. I'm all over. In the end I have to learn to accept it, isn't it just our society judging all of it and forcing us to want more, faster and better and to be an expert in one field.
I'm an expert in not being an expert 😂.
Anyways, how to prevent a burnout? I guess accepting ourselves might be a good step.
Well, that's a start 😄 I had some thoughts after writing this, a schedule is also another good start to prevent it. I swear, my day lately has been a series of " I do whatever I want" sounds like a deal for some but for me, it was a living hell that drives me nearly to burnout.
😆 hear you, same here. I just thought about a schedule myself. I need to come up with one. Tried it with getting up early but failed 😂 .
I'm a night owl, that makes it even harder. It also makes it hard that I never pursued a "normal" job with "normal" hours. Also I don't really have a goal per se. I know what I don't want but not what I want. Well a remote job would be nice but no clue how and what lol.
Maybe I take it as a challenge. Let's say 4 weeks from now I will make a post, how it went, my self development lol.
I hear ya being a night owl. I literally function only from 10 PM to 3 AM. It's mostly because I hate noisy places and I associate morning with noise. My ideal time is sleeping at 9PM and wake up at 3AM. But that would require me to spend the day out and work from cafes. That way I normally go back home tired and all I wanna do is sleep. But lately, due to the muslim fasting month, I can't do it since most cafes are open only from afternoon to 10PM or something. Hoping it's over soon so I can visit the cafe in the normal hours again.
At least it is over at one time right?
My routine has always been build around my dogs. I like going to bed at 0300 and wake up around 1000-1100. I took care of my dogs till 1600 and when working went to work at 1700 and came home around midnight.
Gosh, now Joy is totally spoiled with me being home 24/7. He never knew anything else since we adopted him and he is terribly attached to me. I never can do a "normal" job😂