We know what burnout looks like. You are a shell. A husk. Nothing to absorb what is poured in. But the goal was never to stop burning. The goal is to stop churning.
Protecting Your Energy
Only you know what your energy needs to be used for and how it needs to be used.
I work with leaders to block off time for strategic thinking. The first step is always the same: delegate and create space on the calendar so the important work can actually happen. That means setting criteria for what comes in, what gets a yes, and knowing you can entertain the exceptions. Your parameters have changed. Protecting your energy means knowing that.
Setting the Intention
You have to know what burning in a good way means for you.
I worked with a leader who started her own firm. When she put her head down, that was her flow state. All of the magic was there. But it is hard to stay in flow when you are thinking about what if, what’s next, what else. So we put regular intervals on her calendar: time to plan for what’s next, and time to focus on what’s now. What’s now allowed for flow? The what’s next gave her a place to pick her head up and look around.
I do the same with job seekers. The biggest way to prevent a search from turning into a six-month marathon is to build momentum, then pause. Look at the data. Stop doing what is not working so you can start doing what will.
See the Solution
There is a law of diminishing returns. I learned that if you spend more than 20 minutes on a problem, you are less likely to see the solution. You have to walk away. Come at it the next day with fresh eyes.
Rest is not a reward. It is called for.
When you do it well, ramping back up is harder. And that difficulty is useful. It helps you prioritize what is now, what is not yet, and what is next.
The goal is not to stop burning.
How are you burning without burning out?
