Beating burnout (BLOG)

// Burn baby burn //

 

I started my beauty business using public transit and word of mouth advertising in chicago in 2007 with no education, no contacts, no money, no Instagram, no Uber. I hustled my ass off, literally. Years of working like that left me feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. Burnout is real and it’s something I know intimately. Burnout is technically defined as the reduction of fuel or substance through use or combustion. Marinate on that for a minute.

When spring weather comes so does the mental gymnastics of working in the service industry. A whirlwind of coordination,anxieties and excitement. A high volume of energy exchange that can push anyone to their limits. Knowing our edges (limits) is essential to maintaining our sanity, especially in periods of intense work. Keep in mind those edges can vary from person to person. I’m not advocating you stay away from them altogether either. Creativity tends to dance close to edges. You risk a lot in order to live authentically. But there are ways to help avoid burnout.

  • Communicate your needs in a way others can hear them; this means if you have a team invest regular time to communicate and collaborate. These are the people you purposely brought on to help you, let them do it. If you’re a solo boss communicate with your damn self! What do you need to win? (See step 3)

  • Don’t hate delegate- ask for help and take action. Whoever is on your team needs a clear path to win. Delegate responsibilities and pass the brush to others. Check in regularly and hold each other accountable. Team work makes the dream work, literally.

  • Rituals & routine - this is self care, aka how you set yourself up for zen. Regular sleep, regular body movement, eating clean, and de cluttering your physical & mental space. You will see me ‘gram the shit outta this because it works, try it!

  • Do your thing. In a world of insta attention it’s easy to get your vision hijacked with comparison. You start listening to every voice but your own. Or maybe yours Isn’t fully developed, that totally happens and it’s all good. Life hack: Spend time doing things to encourage mental stimulation in areas you have genuine interest in not what seems like the cool or next thing to do. Align your decisions with your inner knowing.

  • Have fun! Go and do the things you love to do. Granted you’ll have limitations on your time but prioritize fun and relaxation. That’s the reason we work!

At home exercise:

Do you know where your limits are? An indication in your body is constriction. This is often referred to as not being in flow. Look for tightness in your chest, stomach or holding your breath for quick reference using your body compass.

Read more on your body compass here from Martha Beck > http://superwomanproject.com/new-blog/2015/9/9/coach-yourself-the-body-compass

 

Assess your burnout level with this test > https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm


 

Tag @jennandjuice_ with your discoveries! I’d love to follow along ⚡️

BOSS LIFEjennifer Dieas