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Finding the balance between work and self-care.
Did you know that nearly 52% of Americans report that they suffer from burnout in their career? Burnout is an overwhelming state of exhaustion caused by prolonged stress that takes hold when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or feel unable to meet constant demands.
At a certain point, enough is enough – which is what has led so many of the Content Creators we know and love to walk away from their soul-sucking 9-to-5 jobs and dive headfirst into entrepreneurship. Though starting your own business is challenging, it can be extremely rewarding if you do it right.
If you’re considering a change of direction or just need help coping with burnout, check out these 5 tips from our TrovaTalks webinar with Katie Duke for making the transition to #CreatorLife.
1. Be authentic, no matter what
Whether it’s in your career or your personal life, live in a way that is intrinsically authentic to yourself, because pretending to be someone you’re not is draining.
This means:
- Speaking your truth, even when your opinion may not be the most popular
- Standing up for yourself at the workplace, on social media, or even to friends or family who need some boundaries
- Creating meaningful content that resonates with you while not forcing yourself to partake in social media trends that make you cringe (You need to be passionate about what you’re creating to stay motivated and produce content that will attract the right people who truly connect with you)
2. Schedule time for yourself
Block off time for yourself the same way you’d book time for your appointments. It sounds too easy, but when life gets busy, time for yourself is often the first to go.
Whether it’s bingeing your favorite Netflix series, hitting the trails, or trying a new restaurant with friends – find time for something that refills your soul and do it regularly.
Do you only feel validated when ticking things off your to-do list? Chances are you’ve unknowingly submerged yourself in ‘toxic grind culture’.
The first step to overcoming this is shifting your view on how success is measured. If your work-mantra is something along the lines of ‘You can sleep when you’re dead,’ you need to pivot, fast. Overexerting yourself will cause burnout and can even have long-lasting effects on your health. So go get those 8 glorious hours of sleep and pencil in some time for a facial while you’re at it.
3. Looking to change careers? Create a second source of income first
Taking the leap to pursue a new career is stressful. Chances are you’ll be pouring your time, energy, and creativity into a field that’s brand new to you. Plus, stakes can feel extra high since you’ve been dreaming of this change for years and want it to be a success.
Before parting ways with your current job, set yourself up for a smoother transition by creating a secondary source of income. This small but essential step will give you the financial stability you need while you pursue your dreams.
Limit your spending and save up what would be 3-6 months worth of expenses to give yourself a cushion as you shift into your lifestyle change. Once you reach this point, reassess to see if you’re ready to walk away from your current job and kick your dreams into overdrive.
4. Once you make the leap, define time for work and time for personal life
If you’ve chosen the path of entrepreneurship, there’s a good chance you’ll run into blurring lines between work and play. It’s important to nip this in the bud and actively look for ways to keep these aspects of your life separate.
This balancing act can be tricky, but Katie recommends using tools like Google Calendar to keep things organized. Her best time management hack? Color coordinate your to-do list (and your personal time blocks) so you can easily visualize your balance and keep track of all your upcoming commitments.
5. Prioritize your mental health above all else
At the end of the day, working hard to get where you want can give you a strong sense of direction and feel very fulfilling. But at a certain point, it’s important to recognize whether or not you’re working your life away.
If you notice that anxiety begins to consume your thoughts, or that you don’t have time for the things that were once most important to you, there is a strong chance you will face burnout and be tempted to walk away from it all.
Combat this by checking in with yourself regularly and asking yourself questions like, ‘Am I happy?’ and ‘How is this serving me?’
If you get an answer that isn’t what you’d hoped, take a step back and re-evaluate your time allocation, then make some changes and continue on – this is the key to success in entrepreneurship longevity.
Conclusion
Burnout blows, but you have the power to change it. Whether that means walking away from a career that no longer serves you, diving into a passion that you’ve had for years, or just carving out time for yourself – do what feels right and all the pieces will come together.
Katie Duke worked as a Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner for 17 years before leaving her career to pursue full-time entrepreneurship. Katie now makes waves as a successful and audacious public figure, content creator, podcast host, keynote and motivational speaker, and TrovaTrip Host.