You can love what you do and still experience burnout.
You can love what you do and still experience burnout.
You can love what you do and still experience burnout.

BUT – the good news – is that you can love what you do and prevent burnout.

By setting yourself up to work in a way that not only helps you increase your productivity but reduce stress & overwhelm while doing so (isn’t that the goal?) you can continue doing while you love, without burning out, and making each moment tenfold more enjoyable. (Again – the goal! Can you tell I’m a goals focused person? 😉)

Here are 5 ways you can prevent burnout

so you can continue bringing your light to the world by doing what you love.

1. Find a morning ritual.

It doesn’t have to be a full hour workout followed by a steam shower, coffee scrub & full blowout (though I’m sure that would be an incredible way to start the day).

It can be something as simple as lighting a candle or sage (if you’re in a place you can do so), opening the blinds, taking a couple of deep breaths & setting your intention for the day BEFORE even opening your laptop or stepping into your place of work.

I do this every day – and it takes less than 3 minutes.

Rather than stepping out of bed & running into work, having even a 1-3 minute morning ritual allows you a moment to center yourself – and starting your day on a calmer note will help you maintain your peace throughout the day.

2. Set realistic expectations about what you can get done

…and be honest about those expectations with both yourself and your team.

Trust me - I get wanting to overachieve. It’s not inherently a bad thing! But being realistic about how you’re going to get there (see #4 in this list) allows you to get there without wearing yourself thin & constantly worrying if you’re going to be able to do it all.

Worried about others? As someone who has worked in management, worked with clients, worked under management, and worked with coworkers - it’s always a great idea to underpromise & overdeliver - and your teammates, manager, clients, [insert others here] will appreciate you for doing so.

3. Make a list of things you need to get done

Set aside time in your calendar to work on each item on your to-do list.

You can use notecards, recycling each as you “check it off” your list (there’s also something very satisfying about physically getting rid of the notecard with your to-do item on it). If something else pops up, you can write it down on a note card and place in within your pile accordingly (ie; high priority moves to the top of the pile, if it can wait, move it to the bottom.

I also love using the Todoist app because it’s easily accessible while I’m working.

Writing something down (or typing) frees up “focus space” in your brain, so you’re not constantly draining your battery by trying to remember everything that needs to get done.

4. Set clear boundaries for yourself

This had made a HUGE impact for me. I was waking up early, working my full-time job throughout the day, and then I’d sit at my computer or on my iPad working through designs, my store, & blogging. I was loving everything I was doing, but I quickly realized I was exhausting myself.

Setting boundaries for yourself can look like:

Logging off at a set time
Scheduling a 15-minute break in your way – and sticking to it
Taking that time to do something mindful

(Note the importance of mindful vs. mindless activities, ahem, social media scrolling. We’ve all done it/do it, and it’s certainly valid to spend some time watching videos that make you laugh 😉 but when you need a break, give your brain a full break.)

Dedicating set time each week for your passion projects – so you’re not working two full time jobs
Setting aside an evening throughout the week to enjoy the art of nothing. Put on your comfy clothes. Order in so you don’t have to worry about dishes. Watch a favorite TV show, curl up with your favorite book, lounge outside – or do whatever you need in that moment to feel refreshed.

Parents – I know this is easier said than done, and y’all are true rockstars handling all you do. This may be a difficult one, but if you’re able to take 15-30 minutes for yourself when the kids are napping, playing, sleeping – I’m sure I don’t need to tell you it can make a world of difference for your mental health.

5. Take mini-breathers throughout the day.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take 5 minutes to simply notice your breath, take a brisk walk around the block, sit outside, stretch, or try a guided meditation.

Pausing when you feel like you should be go-go-go actually calms your mind, improves your focus, and helps you be more productive in the long run.

As I tell my co-workers, friends & family – I’m always open ears to conversations, feedback & suggestions (none of us know it all). Have you found something that’s helped you prevent burnout? Share the wealth in a comment below.

How to Prevent Burnout (Even When You Love What You Do)