subject: Burn Out, Excuses, and Solutions [print this page] Burn Out, Excuses, and Solutions Burn Out, Excuses, and Solutions
I was asked to speak about time management to a group of campaign leaders for a national not-for-profit -- and I didn't.
Okay, to be perfectly honest, I did talk about time management, but I wanted the focus to be on their life balance and how to accomplish amazing goals without burning out.
I told them my story of starting Adventure Network, the world's only private tour company on the Antarctic continent, with Martyn Williams, Pat Morrow, and the late Giles Kershaw. I explained how we went from zero to $5.5M in sales (that's for a 60 day season of operation in Antarctica) in three years and the impact it had on me.
Sure, we were recognized internationally and being sought after by the likes of Reinhold Messner and Will Steger, but I was digging my own grave. The buzz of the business took over my life and my health and relationships were out of control. Lack of sleep (if you call sleeping on the floor of your office 'sleep'), over eating, total lack of exercise, and many late nights were taking their toll. If you have let your guard down and let some project, or work, take over your life -- here are three ways to get a grip on your health (and life) again.
1. BLOCK TIME
There never is the perfect time and there never is enough time-block time anyways. Every Friday create appointments for the next week. Forty minutes Monday morning for calls to your team, thirty minutes Tuesday morning for a workout, Wednesday night for dinner with your partner, on hour Friday to review, revise and update your calendar and plans. Book your time before someone else does.
The trick is to make these commitments on Friday and to treat them like a meeting (the only difference is that you are meeting with you!). I have one client that color codes her blocked time so that support staff are notified that this is time she needs and it's Okay to interrupt for emergencies.
2. INVEST IN CREATING ENERGY
As author Dr. Jim Loehr (http://hpinstitute.com) instructs: "you can only expend as much energy as you create". Fitness and health are just like money: stop making deposits and the account dries up faster than you can say "I had no idea!" Create healthy habits today, before you are getting 'that' lecture from your doctor. Too busy for an hour at the gym? Be happy with 20 minutes jogging around the block. Don't have energy at night? Get up 30 minutes earlier and give you body a workout treat.
I use the first two hours of the day (from 5:00am to 7:00am) for exercise, work and reviewing my plan for the day. This is precious time, whether I am at home or on the road, I protect this time. I make a quick note to myself at the end of the day
for my morning plan and get to it as soon as I wake. I don't want to leave this valuable time to chance-a quick note of what I'm going to do and I'm ready to rock.
3. PRACTICE TURNING WORK OFF
The brain loves to ruminate. Like a dog on a bone it goes over and over and over that same issue as long as you allow it to. While these mental machinations might occasionally produce a clever insight (but don't count on it) -- it's exhausting and it's burning up precious neuron time. Like punching the channel changer on your TV remove, you need to give it a different channel to focus on. Here's what I do: on my way home from my office, as I drive past the little market about two blocks from my house, I say to myself "End of work, beginning of home." Sounds too simple -- good because it works. I switch the channel, the brain follows, and I greet my family thinking only of them.
Allowing for burnout because of some great project/job/career is just a cop out. It's an easy way to excuse sloppy planning and lack of determination. With a little attention, some planning every week, and small changes you can get the results without the burnout.
It's true, the real leader can have her cake and have her life as well.
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