Beating Burnout: Overcoming the “Over it” Feeling
BY Domonique Townsend
Last year, after an unexpected tornado, my entire neighborhood lost electricity for more than 24 hours. Electricity is something that I typically take for granted; flipping on a light switch, grabbing some leftovers from the fridge, and running the washing machine are all daily occurrences. But that day, after the tornado, those options were no longer options.
I’ll be the first to admit that 24 hours isn’t a long time. It really wasn’t that stressful in the wake of the tornado’s devastation. But, it did get me thinking — burnout at work or in life is a lot like losing electricity.
When you’re busy, and when things are working as they ought to, you don’t think about burnout. You’re on autopilot; you’re untouchable. And then, things start spiraling. A few events happen that are out of your control (read: 2020 pandemic), work gets overly demanding, your kids need you 24/7, and then you’re crying on the bathroom floor, wondering how it all just got to be too much. An unexpected “life” tornado came, and your electricity, so to speak, went out.
This narrative might feel familiar. Maybe you experienced it for the first time in 2020. Or, perhaps you felt overwhelmed long before last year! If you find yourself lacking internal electricity — or, to put it in more practical terms, facing burnout — in your personal or work life, you’re certainly not alone. And while it’s impossible to stop life’s unexpected tornadoes, it IS possible to get your electricity (ahem, your motivation) back up and running.
How, you ask? Well, we’re going to tackle it head-on with three simple steps: define, design, and drive.
#1 Define: What is Causing Burnout?
If your answer is everything, you’re not the first person to answer that way! However, there is almost always a deeper issue than just having too much to do. Is it your lack of boundaries? Is it your inability to say no? Or, perhaps it’s more emotional — are you fighting guilt for not creating a better work/life balance? Take some time and be gut-level honest with yourself. Why are you feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated?
Many people find their root issue by contemplating alone in silence or by journaling. Others find that talking it out with a trusted friend is the best way to get to the bottom of burnout. Do what works best for you; there is no wrong method, as long as you’re intentional.
Once you’ve pinpointed the cause(s), congratulations! You’ve defined the problem. Defining the issue is the first step to solving it.
#2 Design: How Can I Fix This?
The next step toward beating burnout is designing a new way of doing things. Clearly, what you’re doing right now isn’t working. Pushing harder or working faster won’t solve the root issue; it will just make you more exhausted. What you need is a new system!
A system is any series of steps that allows you to be more efficient. You can apply systems to your career workflow, your home life, or your personal goals (or all three!). To create an effective system, start by identifying your goal, and then set up practical steps to get there. It looks like this:
Problem: I’m burned out. I’ve overcommitted myself, and my calendar is too full. I don’t have time to do chores or hang out with my kids.
Goal: I want more availability each day for my everyday tasks and quality time.
At this point, you’ve identified your problem and created a great goal. However, the chances that you’ll actually reach that goal are slim without an intentional way to make it happen. This is where your system comes in.
System: I’ll block out two hours each day for chores/time with my kids. I’ll schedule all work responsibilities around these blocks of time. I’ll say “no” to opportunities that interfere with these blocks I’ve created.
Your system might be simple or detailed, depending on what problem you’re trying to solve. However, avoid making a system that is too complicated to follow. Your system should be clear, concise, and applicable. After you’ve designed a system, you’ll move on to what is usually the most difficult step: Drive.
#3 Drive: Make it Happen!
You’ve targeted your problem. You’ve set a goal. You’ve created a system to get there. Now — in the words of Nike — you’ve got to just do it (sorry).
If you’re rolling your eyes and saying, “easier said than done,” I’d agree with you! Putting systems into practice requires forming new habits, which takes time and intentionality. But you’re worth that time and intention! So is your business. So is your family. Whatever your burnout is taking from you, it’s worth the time and effort to rebuild that energy. Here are a few suggestions if drive is a struggle:
Find accountability. Tell someone about your goal and system and ask them to hold you to it! Accountability can often be the deciding factor between success and failure.
Remind yourself. Write your system down where you’ll see it every day. Put pictures up of your kids to inspire you to stick to your blocks of time. Inspire yourself by keeping your goals and systems constantly in front of you.
Celebrate your progress. When you make it through one week of sticking to your new system, celebrate! Treat yourself to a fun activity or reward of some kind. Positive reinforcement does wonders for your motivation.
As you address burnout in your life, remember that unlike my electricity, your motivation doesn’t just magically reappear 24 hours later (although that would be great). Instead, think of yourself as the electrician — you must spend some time and deliberation to untangle and rewire your processes and thought patterns in order to “fix” burnout. However, even though it can be difficult work, it’s worth it in the end! So, if you’ve been feeling “over it” this week, this month, or even this year, try defining, designing, and driving to head off burnout and jumpstart your motivation. You deserve it!
ABOUT DOMONIQUE TOWNSEND
Meet Domonique Townsend, a working mom of four and an engineer. She combined her successful corporate experience with her passion to position working moms for success by founding We Optimize Work, LLC!
The goal of We Optimize Work is to support working moms in their personal aspirations without downshifting in their careers. Domonique applied principles that she used to solve the most complex problems in business and modeled it into a framework to meet both the personal and professional needs of working moms like herself.
Domonique offers consulting and strategizing services for working moms, mom CEOs, and business owners looking to better support their caregiver demographic. Her services include one-on-one strategy sessions, Mom CEO VIP Days, and even corporate webinars to help moms achieve success through work/life balance.