This could also be called: how to re-enter your life after building a business.
A few months ago I reached the end of a two-year business-building journey, and I was burned out. I had lost myself in the one thing that gave me an outlet from my stay-at-home mom life.
I loved working and being creative, but I had worked myself to the bone. Month after month of getting four hours of sleep a night was catching up with me, and I felt myself sliding into depression. I don't normally deal with depression at all, but after wearing your body down for years, it's hard to fight off its natural progression. I felt like I was dying – I was making up physical symptoms in my head because I was in such desperate need of a break.
I remember sitting with some other ladies at a service ministry event when I suddenly felt dizzy, lightheaded and as if I were intoxicated. I knew that years of not sleeping were going to hurt me badly if I didn't do something different.
How could the one thing I'd let into my life to improve it cause so much damage?
I hadn't taken care of myself along the way! It just goes to show that anything, even something you love, can become harmful if we don't look after ourselves. What started as a way to care for myself had become quite destructive.
It finally got so bad that I had to do something about it. So here's what I did:
5 Suggestions for Overcoming Burnout and Getting Your Life Back!
1. I force myself to get 6+ hours of sleep at night. I've never loved sleep, not even as a baby. I feel like it's a necessary evil that eats up time I could spend working. (Workaholic, much??) I set a bedtime reminder on my iPhone to prompt me to get ready for bed. I've started leaving unfinished work for tomorrow. It'll still be there in the morning when I'm bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and have my coffee.
2. I listen to music again. When my oldest daughter started forming opinions (around age 2), I realized I never got to listen to the radio anymore. I'd be in social situations where others mentioned a popular song, and I'd laugh and say, "These days I only get to listen to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." I didn't have time to enjoy music I like. I didn't have a long commute anymore, which had been my chance to discover new songs on the radio.
I know I love music. It moves me, and I love to sing. So I started listening to music again. I downloaded Spotify and Pandora and reconnected with my favorite songs while discovering new ones. It has been so rejuvenating! Get an Amazon Echo to play music around the house!
3. I set my priorities at work and schedule them out. Once those things are checked off, I close the computer and enjoy the beautiful things in life I'd missed over the past few years. I craft with my girls and cuddle with them while we watch movies.
This past weekend I actually took the weekend off (gasp!) and went away with my husband for the first time in more than 2 years. It was so amazing to go off the grid and just play, eat and enjoy nature. We went hiking on Saturday just for fun! It was long overdue.
RELATED: My Favorite Planners
4. I figured out what I love to do and made it a priority again. I really LOVE to cook. I love trying new foods and recipes, and I love to bake. So I made time to cook again. I stopped limiting myself to 30-minute meals and started making the more time-consuming dishes my family loves. We still keep 30-minute meals as a backup, but I'm letting myself try new recipes again, and it feels so good. I've also been using Hello Fresh for several months now, and I LOVE it! Click here for a $40-off coupon to Hello Fresh.
5. Exercise! I hadn't exercised in several years, and I was struggling with lingering health issues from my last pregnancy. By November 2016, my back was just shot. I struggled to sit in a chair for long periods or lift anything remotely heavy. One Sunday I could hardly walk from my community group classroom to pick up my daughters in the preschool area. I was afraid I wouldn't make it.
Thankfully my husband was there to help, but it scared me. That same day, he made an appointment for me with a physical therapist. I'd love to say I bounced right back, but it was a slow go. It did make me realize I needed to start slow and work my way up. I didn't need to jump into high-intensity group classes after being out of my workout routine for so long. I've been focusing on being active, walking and swimming. It's been good to feel stronger!
These are just some of the ways I've come back to life, found a little (or a lot) more balance and actually enjoyed the people I work so hard to spend time with! It's amazing how a little fun and relaxation can change my whole outlook on life!
How do you deal with burnout?
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