The Road to Terry - 055 - How to Avoid Burnout and still be Productive
I had several conversations yesterday about hustle culture, hustle porn, or workaholism. People seem to see me as some robot with an endless supply of energy, or they see me as this human who is overdoing it. There are few in between. None of those ideas are true. Let me breakdown how I get so much done without being addicted to work.
First, let me say I’m just like you and my desire to do nothing is very strong. I’m also very forgetful, so if I don’t write it down, it doesn’t exist. I also get distracted and work on several things at once, which is not very helpful. Anyway, here’s how I handle things.
Everything is on a schedule - I wake up at 4 am and most times lazily later. I eat a similar meal each day around the same time. I stop working at 6 pm or earlier to spend time with my wife and our dog.
Keep an agenda book - Since I’m forgetful, I write everything I need to do down. Once I’m done with my items I don’t do much else.
Build systems - I hired someone to help me with my video editing. I use scheduling tools to upload to social media. My morning routine is consistent so I don’t fall off. I meal prep on most Sundays. All of those are systems for me to easily plug in one thing and get out a desired outcome. I love building systems.
Focus on the big job - Every day there is usually one large task to handle. I typically get the little things out of the way first to focus on that if there aren’t any deadlines.
Prioritize health - I meditate daily. Once a week I see a therapist. I don’t skip out on sleep and I’m in bed by 8pm when we aren’t consumed with anime. I like to go on walks and I socialize. My socialization is the only area where it differs from a lot of people. I have to pick who I socialize with wisely to avoid being drained.
I stated in blog 054 that focusing hard on the thing you want can often lead to that thing running away from you. At this point, I don’t chase anything anymore. I know what I want, and I do what I feel is in my gut to lead me there. Every day it differs, but it’s always right. That is how I avoid the workaholic lifestyle.