The funny thing about burning out is that in the past, I was never alert enough to see it happening. I suffered dreadful burnout after my start-up died, two years ago. For nine months, watching my business slowly disintegrate put more stress on me than I've ever felt before. The day I gave up, the day I knew it was dead, brought no real release or feelings of relief, just dread and numbness. It took me a good six months of near-hibernation for me to be able to function again on any level other than the totally superficial.
This weekend has been a bit of a warning shot across my bows, I think. I've been existing recently on generally not enough sleep, not enough food, with too much adrenaline, travel and stress. By the time I got to OpenTech, I could feel myself starting to slip a little into the semi-comatose state of the nearly burnt, and yesterday my hibernation instinct kicked right in – I slept twelve hours Saturday night, (which unfortunately meant my sleep last night was a bit buggered so I'm less rested today than I would have liked).
I have to get through the next few days, but after Wednesday I am going to basically shut down for a week, and do only essential work and nothing else. It's the closest I'll get to a holiday for a few months, but it'll be enough to forestall complete exhaustion.
Burning out
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Forget “do only essential work” – you know that just means “do everything anyhow, despite telling myself I'm relaxing”.
Get yourself some rest. You've earned it.
Suw, just pause and take care of yourself for a while. Treat yourself. Remember why it is that the airline attendants counsel to see to your own oxygen mask first, and *then* to deal with the needs of the children … because if you don't take sufficient care of yourself and have enough fun time for yourself then eventually you won't be able to help anyone else anyway.
Take care.
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