Hey friends, happy Monday! This week I'm here to check in because business and life can be overwhelming at times. If you're anything like me, when friends and family check-in, the response is always something like 'it's stressful, but we move' or simply 'I'm fine.' Some days it’s easy to forget to eat breakfast until 5 pm, to choose to work on that deadline over sleeping, or to put your business needs above your own. If you can relate to any of this, are you really fine?
Surviving vs. Thriving
The thing with burnout is, it creeps up on you, making it hard to notice. One minute you’re thriving, and the next, you’re (barely) surviving. At the start of the week, a friend asked me if I was experiencing burnout, and my response was "maybe, but I don't have time for that". The more I thought about it, the more I realised that my burnout was because of my survival mentality. I, like many entrepreneurs, have become so used to powering through that it feels normal. I also find myself mistaking business success and personal success. Just because your business is thriving, it doesn’t mean you are too.
It’s important to check in with yourself.
The Audit
As a brand strategist, I audit every single brand I work with. It’s actually the first thing I do. I spend hours analysing the brand, both internally and externally. Are their actions producing the desired results? What’s working and isn’t? And, what needs to change to improve performance and overall brand health? Audits are essential to maintaining and growing every brand and business. I know this feels like a wild tangent because what the heck do brand audits have to do with me checking in with you guys? Well, I think that just like every brand and business needs to be audited, we need to be audited too. So I’m going to teach you how to conduct a personal audit to help you avoid burnout and start thriving.
Triggers
The key to any personal audit is self-awareness. Understanding what triggers stress for you and knowing the signs is the first step. A lot of things trigger stress for me. And if I let them go unchecked, it’s only a matter of time before I’m forced into survival mode. Make a list of your triggers (e.g. major deadlines, scheduling, lack of downtime, unscheduled tasks, or customer/client push back). And ask yourself if you are actively managing your triggers to minimise them (Time & Routine will help with this).
Time
Where is your time is going every day? When I’m close to burnout, it’s usually because my intentions (how I want to spend my time) and my actions (how I actually spend my time) don't align. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to understand where your time is going and to take back control. Here’s how:
Write down how you want to spend your time (Intentions)
Take some time to analyse where your time is going throughout the day (Actions)
If your intentions and actions align, keep doing what you’re doing! If they don’t, it’s time to restructure your days. I like to use the Focus Keeper App and the Pomorodo method to make the most of my time. (If you want me to explain more about how I structure my days, feel free to DM me here!)
Routine
Do your days have enough structure? Your routine doesn’t have to be the same every day, and it doesn’t have to be traditional, but time and routine go hand in hand. Take some time to work out whether you have a routine and whether it’s serving its purpose. Ask yourself:
Does my routine allow me to get everything done easily? (Is it realistic?)
Have I scheduled enough downtime and time to do activities outside of work?
Does my routine make my days easier or harder?
If it’s working, then great! If not, then it’s time to switch it up. I like to use the Inspire Now journal to help me with my routine, you can order it here.
Downtime
Part of ensuring you have a productive routine and are using your time well is making sure you’ve scheduled enough downtime. Stop and ask yourself if you’re making enough time for sleeping, eating, and the things that you enjoy. Self-care is important in making sure you’re thriving. If you aren’t making enough time to switch off from work regularly, something needs to change. Rest is just as important as the work you do. Put down the laptop and go grab a snack!
Priorities
To thrive, you need to regularly revisit your priorities to make sure they are realistic and that they’re helping you achieve your bigger goals. In other words, is what you’re doing actually helping you to get closer to your vision. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when the goal starts to feel out of reach. But making sure that everything you do is helping you towards the bigger picture is the best way to make you feel like you’re thriving, instead of just surviving.
There are many ways you can avoid surviving and start thriving. But remember, we all go through difficult days. So the next time someone asks how you are, try to avoid the kneejerk ‘I’m fine’. It’s okay not to be fine.
PLEASE remember to eat and take care of yourself.
I hope your week is productive and fruitful, and that this newsletter helps you to thrive. On that note…