This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Success comes if you’re consistent; burnout slows you down
When you never stop, eventually, you crash.
I always wonder how I arrived at the burnout state, and then I realize that I blatantly ignored the signs.
The signs are always there, but if we ignore them, we get burned eventually.
Your work/career is a form of giving in some capacity. Many of you are also parents, spouses/partners, caregivers, mentors, leaders, coaches, counselors, etc.
All these things are cumulative in how they affect you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
The more you give to others, the more you need to give to yourself.
To avoid burnout, here are three things to help shift the cycle to maintain a high productivity rate.
1. Give to yourself.
All of my professions require giving to others. I didn’t realize this until much later. As my hours increased, I was happier, but I also felt more drained because when you’re giving a lot, you’ll have nothing to give if you don’t take time to replenish yourself.
Tips
Take a day where you focus on doing stuff for yourself and no one else.
Take time with or away from people – depending on your personality.
Self-care (e.g., massage, chiropractor, doctor appointments, etc.)
Physical activity (i.e., any workout)
2. Set ambitious goals, but integrate breaks.
Never set mediocre goals. Always go big. BUT also ensure you integrate breaks. If you’re familiar with agile methodology, you know that sprints frequently happen on two-week cadences.
Set your goals for that two-week cadence, go hard af, and take a short rest before the subsequent sprint.
Tips
Get out and have fun, or get in and rest. When you work hard, you got to play hard to make up for it. But the best kind of work is usually fun – signifying you’re in the right profession.
What does a reward look like for you? Champions always have a reward waiting for them when they accomplish their goal.
Go hard for 2–3 weeks, then take a few days to decrease your work capacity by 50%.
During that off week, sleep a lot more than you usually do.
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3. Take your pulse (self-awareness).
When you’re experiencing high productivity, it can quickly become addictive.
You feel invincible until you don’t.
Taking your pulse means pausing to explore how your body, mind, and spirit feel. If you sit still long enough, do you feel stressed, drained, tired, happy, energetic, etc.?
Many times I started falling asleep a minute into my meditation; that’s when I became aware that I was severely lacking sleep.
Tips
Sit still and do nothing.
Stretch/yoga
Walk alone
Meditate
Journal
Successful people spend copious time with themselves to gather their thoughts, strategize, meditate, and prepare for their next moves.
When you sit still you have the opportunity to view your life more objectively.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.