Question: What is one daily practice I should include in my New Year’s resolutions in order to better avoid burnout?
Schedule “Me” Time
“Scheduling in time for yourself to do things that make you happy or bring you peace will help you digest thoughts and push the reset button so things don’t get so intense you that burn out. Whether that is making time to stop and engage in a hobby, go to the gym, grab coffee with a friend, or read a book, it should be time for you. So, put 15 minutes to one hour a day on the calendar for “you” time.”
Meditate
“Take at least a half hour to an hour every morning to wake up, gather your thoughts and relax. Starting your day off in the right mindset is the first step to keeping yourself productive, and the knowledge that you’ll get at least one small breather a day should be enough to keep you going.”
Delegate
“Find something that you do that another member of the team can do as well or better, and give role over completely. At the start, you had to wear every single hat, but it is not supposed to stay that way forever. If someone writes better than you, get them to do the social media pushes; if someone else can manage your support calls, hand them off. Your time best spent on the stuff only you can do for the company.”
Know When to Call It a Day, and Exercise
“I unplug at 10 p.m. every night unless there is a super high priority issue. Having time to relax and get rest equates to better performance during the day and improved business outcomes. I also make sure to get out on my snowboard or mountain bike at least a few times a week to relieve stress. Make personal time a priority and your ability to push the limits when you need to will increase.”
Prioritize
“A huge list of things to do with no clear indication of where to focus is the fastest way to burnout. Instead, borrow a trick from agile software development and build a backlog of tasks. Categorize them into business goals they support. Start each day by pulling six to 10 tasks into your current working list. Get those done and then do the same thing tomorrow. You’ll work faster and have more free time.”
Get Outside Daily
“Studies have shown that being in nature (even if it’s a park in the middle of a city) makes us more creative and ultimately more productive. I bike to work every morning so that I have some time to be outside and be unplugged.”
