*This is a guest post from Jennifer Boykin
If you are a Game Changer in life, you habitually perform at a higher level than most people.
Most of the time, that works for you. Over time, though, if you don’t take care of your beautiful high-octane brain, your gift will actually turn on you.
Burnout will take the Game Changer out of the Game.
Every time.
In fact, burnout is the occupational hazard of every Game-Changer. It is cunning, baffling, and powerful. It will sneak up you.
Wouldn’t it be great to learn how to recognize and deal with burnout BEFORE you find yourself in that padded cell?
If you are a leader in your game or otherwise running your own show, here is one thing no one needs to tell you – there is more to do than time to do it in.
And guess what, Sweet Cheeks, no matter how much you do, that will ALWAYS be true.
Here’s why:
As a Game-Changer, you’ve been gifted/cursed with both DRIVE and VISION. Your DRIVE compels you to take action. Your VISION demands you assess the work you have just completed for problems and growth opportunities. Then, your DRIVE kicks in again and puts you back to work.
High-Level Creatives are in more danger of burnout than others. So, if you are one, you need to “Put Your Big Girl Business Panties” on and put a strategy in place to deal with this fact.
One of the gifts of being a Game-Changer is that you naturally have high levels of energy. That energy must be fed, though, so you also need high levels of fuel – physical, spiritual, emotional, and social. When you are in danger of burning out, it is because some component of this “fuel to output ratio” is out of whack.
So, the best way to deal with Burn Out is to avoid it.
You can make a preemptive strike against the downside of over-performing by putting these key fail-safes in place:
1. Start every day by stopping. Rather than jumping right into the fray, slowly bring yourself to your day by starting with at least 15-minutes of meditation, journaling, or easy stretches.
2. Because you are an entrepreneur, your body is your factory. Take care of it. Remember, you are running a marathon, not a sprint. Build your body for endurance by focusing, one day/meal at a time, on giving yourself the best possible fuel you can. Rest and exercise are essential for helping your body physically discharge the high levels of stress that all Game-Changers experience.
3. Embrace the word “no.” In fact, make saying it a sort of religious experience. Saying “no” (to fluff) allows you to say “yes” — to the good stuff.
4. Turn off the technology. Most people will advise you to take time away from technology but I’m going to suggest you do JUST the opposite. I suggest you put yourself back in the position where you have to “make time” for the technology. Nothing will depress a High-Level Creative faster than keeping her away from her art. Your business is your art.
Therefore, the first and biggest blocks of your time should go to envisioning, creating, and implementing your work/art. With the exception of office suite tools, this should be done without any technology at all. Schedule your time for email, internet stuff, and phone work as if IT is the anomaly. (I see you wagging your pretty little head in disagreement at me. Just give this opposite-scheduling a try and see if you don’t get some really amazing powerhouse creative material out of it!)
5. Get a hobby. I’m not kidding here. Your work-brain needs a rest. But if you are a Game-Changer it won’t. So you outsmart your brain by giving it something “other” to focus on. My hobby is that I try to make supper an Art Piece for my husband and whichever of our six sons happens to be sitting at the table on any given night.
As a writer and speaker I have words and ideas swirling around in my head all day. And often, they just won’t behave and fall into place like I want them to. I can’t tell you how many fabulous ideas just “come to me” over a cutting board of chopped onions.
6. Take a vacation – Your vacations should be non-negotiable and frequent. Time away from work is VITAL to your long-term success. If you fear that everything will fall apart if you get away, then there are KEY problems with the foundation of your business model.
7. Know your likes and dislikes related to work. Increase the time you spend on “likes” and delegate or hire out for the “dislikes.” Build the money to handle these expenses into your business model.
8. Let the crappy stuff build up. – Truly what would it matter if you did only the “fun” work stuff for a couple of days while you rested your spirit?
9. When you come back to it, schedule the crappy stuff in blocks. Put boundaries around those tasks you don’t enjoy. When the time is up, move on to something playful and delightful.
10. Deal with the emotional vampires in your life. – You know who they are. Learn to set effective boundaries with those people. (Revisit that “saying no” suggestion.) Fire all clients that are sucking you dry. Give your business to vendors who provide only delightful service. Seriously, you provide delightful service, right? Why shouldn’t you expect it, too?
11. Develop an emergency fund. – Nothing can bleed your mojo more than financial worry. Make sure that you have a financial cushion built into your business model.
If you make time to take time for yourself, both you and your business will be better positioned to thrive for the long haul.
What do you do to keep your mojo flowing? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Jennifer Boykin’s vision is to “rebrand Crone-Making” by helping a gazillion women get their Mid-Life Mojo on. Jennifer speaks, teaches, and writes as the Creative Visionary and Chief Rabble-Rouser of the MidLife Reinvention site, Life After Tampons. When you visit, sign up for our eRetreat, Reclaim the Sass. It’s free. Because you’re priceless.
