Life
Feeling Burnt Out? 5 Ways to Re-energize and Refocus
Entrepreneurs work hard. They hustle, work long hours, and their brains are always running…Does this sound familiar to you? All of this is great – that is, until you start to lose steam and feel the effects of burnout.
You see, you can only keep burning both ends of the candle for so long until you “burn out”. That’s when you start to suffer effects like chronic fatigue, angry outbursts, insomnia, anxiety, apathy, poor productivity, and more.
Once you go down the burnout road, you need to turn things around quickly. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a negative downward spiral. So, how do you reverse the effects of burnout, re-energize and refocus?
Here are 5 ways to re-energize and refocus when you’re feeling burnt out:
1. Learn the “Power of No”
Saying “Yes!” to opportunities too often can be a bad thing. You end up with too much on your plate, and a feeling of overwhelm. Often times, it’s far better to say “No.”
You don’t need to go to lunch with every person who wants to “pick your brain.” You don’t need to take the opportunity that will give you some quick cash but cause you to stray away from your long-term vision.
When confronted with new opportunities, ask yourself, “Is this going to drain me of energy? Will this opportunity support me on my vision?” If the answer is “no”, then your answer should be “no!”
“Say no to everything, so you can say yes to the one thing.” – Richie Norton
2. Create a Healthy Eating Habit
There’s a reason for the expression, “You are what you eat.” If you constantly put junk in your body, you’re going to feel like junk. You’ll deplete your energy, develop brain fog, and have trouble sleeping at night.
The simple act of eating healthy can make you feel great and reverse the effects of burnout. Here are some healthy eating tips you can put into practice:
- Cook at home, and eat out at restaurants less than twice a week (restaurants cook with unhealthy oils and meats – yes, even so-called “healthy” restaurants)
- Stick to healthy foods like vegetables and grass-fed meats.
- Cut out the junk food snacks like potato chips, cookies, etc.
- Avoid eating within 3-4 hours of going to sleep
3. Take a Gym Break
Have you been hitting the gym? A few gym sessions per week can help you release stress, refocus, and get back on track. When at the gym, make sure to actually do some weight training, and not just cardio.
Search online and find a good routine, and aim to go at least 2-3 times a week. This exercise will release endorphins and re-energize you.
4. Reassess Your Values
Sometimes burnout is caused by failing to live according to your values. The problem is, most people haven’t taken the time to truly assess their values. Your values are what are most important to you. And when you unknowingly stray away from them, you’ll feel burnout as well as a general feeling of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
So, it may be time to reassess your values. How can you do that?Start by checking out this big list of values. From there, write down 20 potential values. Then, narrow that list down to your 5-10 most important values. Visualize what it’d be like to live fully according to those values, and ask yourself if your current lifestyle aligns with them. If not, it could be time to make some changes.
“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
5. Take a Digital Vacation
Do you remember the last time you spent a day without checking your phone or using your laptop? For many of us, the answer is a big “No!” and that’s a problem…
According to a study from Fast Company, these were some of the benefits entrepreneurs experienced from taking a “digital detox”:
- Improved memory
- Better posture
- More efficient sleep
- New perspectives
What could some of these benefits do for your life? For one, they can definitely help you recover from burnout! So, try going on a 2-3 day digital vacation and see how you feel. That means no phone, no laptop, and no TV!
Burnout has plagued every entrepreneur and hustler at one point or another. But burnout doesn’t have to send you spiraling downward in negativity. With these strategies, you can beat burnout, stay productive and positive, and keep creating awesome work.