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Have you ever felt like there is no more gas in the tank? Like you can’t take another step?
After two weeks of nearly constant activity, that’s how I feel.
Tired. Emotionally spent. Exhausted.
Unfortunately, I can’t just take the day off and watch Netflix, much as I’d like to.
I know I’m running on fumes because I don’t even feel like writing this newsletter, which is rare.
The truth is, I’m not sure what to do or how to get out of it. That’s also why I’m writing about it.
Today, I’m doing a public experiment I learned from James Clear. He once wrote:
“The simplest way to clarify your thinking is to write a full page about whatever you are dealing with and then delete everything except the 1-2 sentences that explain it best.”
What are my options? As I mentioned in my last post, “7 Ways to Keep Your Sanity When Life Feels Insane,” a season has a clear beginning and end.
I knew these last several weeks would be grueling. Now that it’s over, maybe I just wait it out and see if the feeling of burnout subsides?
But there is another issue that’s contributing to my feeling of burnout. Professionally speaking, summertime is hard for me because it feels less productive. My schedule changes, my youngest is home from school, and I am with him two days a week while my wife is at work. We have a fun time fishing, doing projects, taking hikes, and finding new adventures, but I also lose a full day of work each week (I work half of each day he is home). I see it coming every year, but I still feel overwhelmed.
Part of what I need to do is adjust my expectations for the summer. Specifically, that means summer is more about maintaining than launching new things. That’s hard for me because I love to create, but again, the concept of seasons encourages me.
Summer is a season with a beginning and an end, and a few months doesn’t affect what I can create or do long-term. Plus, I get to spend extra time with my son which I love.
In short, the 1-2 sentences that clarify my thinking and tell me what to do are these:
First, I knew these last several weeks would be grueling. Now that it’s over, I’ll give it a few weeks and the feeling of burnout will probably subside.
Second, while summer brings professional changes, it doesn’t affect my long-term creativity. The best way forward is to accept it and enjoy the time with my son. It will soon end, and I’ll be back to creating in the fall.
Now you try it. What is a problem that is vexing you or something you need clarity about? Write a full page about it and then delete everything except the 1-2 sentences that explain it best or provide a solution.
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See you next week!
