It was around this time last year I wrote about being burnt out (I’ve just re-read that post – I’m still quite pleased with it!) so following my own advice I’ve just got back from two weeks off work.
As with last year I enabled my out of office auto-reply and the world didn’t end in the two weeks I was off and I got to spend lots of time with my family and I’ve come back to the office refreshed and re-motivated (and probably a couple of pounds heavier!)
One thing I’d add to that post from last year is that there comes a point where you need to realise there are only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week and you can’t physically work all of them. Even if you could there is still that hard cut off point of 168 hours!
I had a big to-do list of things I wanted to wrap up before I had my break (the end of this competition and the accompanying review for example) but in the end I had to decide which tasks were the most important and had to be finished and everything else would have simply have to wait or be given to someone else to do.
Sounds like common sense when you write it like that but when you are putting pressure on yourself to get through a big list of things to do I found it’s very easy to try and do everything and ultimately do nothing.
Also by taking that break and coming back to those tasks it’s highly likely you’ll get through them much quickly in your newly freshened state!
There has also been quite a lot going on in that time period too so I’ve got plenty to write about!
So go take a break. Even if it’s fifteen minutes to get away from your desk for lunch chances are you’ll be far more productive after that.
Latest posts by Andy Parkes (see all)
- Dishley parkrun, Loughborough - August 1, 2023
- Woodgate Valley Country Park parkrun - July 22, 2023
- Abbey Park parkrun - June 8, 2023
Welcome back! 🙂
I still suffer with “trying to do everything-itis” before heading away for breaks. You get stressed out, and start your holiday feeling exhausted.
I’m off to heed your advice and sit in the sun for a bit…
Thanks!
Yep, my head was all over the place trying to get it all finished. Had to realise it wasn’t going to happen so would have to come back to it.
Sitting in in the sun is a good idea – it may not be here much longer!