I need a break. I wish it could be as simple as the Kit Kat candy bar commercial - imagine humming the “break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar!” little ditty - it kind of brings a smile to your face.
However, I have found over the past week that though I have eaten a dozen Kit Kat bars and many other delectable chocolates – it’s not that easy. I truly, really need a break. And perhaps not surprisingly, one of the outward signs that I actually do need a break is the amount of chocolate I am consuming!
So here’s the deal – nothing new to a lot of you. I have been going virtually non-stop since last November. Yes, I have had a couple of slow weeks and a couple of great vacations – but it has been all out for many, many months as I have been working on the 2nd edition of my book, putting together a complete online training system for home staging and redesign INCLUDING actually filming a staging and redesign, as well as keeping up with design clients and have made a serious attempt at moving a whole piece of my business online. And as the saying goes – what comes up, must come down, and I need a break.
Clues you need a break.
1.
Not feeling great – feeling out of sorts. This is SO OUT OF CHARACTER for people of high energy and motivation that when it happens we REALLY fight it. We often think we can just power through, cause hey! We get through anything and like it! Feeling “not quite right” can be the first sign that you are stretched too thin.
2. Not accepting you are stretched too thin. So this is a double edged sword – you are always stretched – why should today be any different? Usually this is how you love to operate. The operative word there is USUALLY. It is very hard to accept that perhaps at this exact moment we need a break.
3. Not wanting to go to work. It’s an odd feeling when you love what you do but you find yourself dragging your feet, putting things off, sighing all the time how tired you are, doing anything (including watching old episodes of ER – it would have been NYPD Blue but I couldn’t find it!) to put off doing your work.
4. Not accepting that burnout can lead to resentment and actually beating ourselves up for being weak! We can do anything – we prove it all the time. But man do we resist actually accepting and taking responsibility to stop to recharge the batteries. And in fact, can actually be embarrassed or feel guilty to admit it! Now I know there are “real” problems in the world, but burnout leads to resentment which leads to not sharing our gift – and what good will that do?
5. And as mentioned earlier – finding yourself eating a LOT MORE of your favorite foods (in a failed attempt to feel better) and avoiding your daily walk or workout cause again – you’re just too tired.
So this is where I am today and yes – clearly – I need a break. And as I give myself permission to take that break exactly 10 days from now for a full week – and MORE if I need it! - this is what I will keep in mind:
1. Taking a break and NOT WORKING for one week (or more if I need it!) will let me see my business as a whole again, not these tiny little pieces that I have been solely focused on.
2. It will help me regroup and see if the things I am working on are REALLY what my business needs. Or did I just get sidetracked in all of the “stuff” and maybe these things don’t even fit my business plans anymore.
3. It will help me rejuvenate, so that my intuition comes back (I don’t know about you, but I get “dumb” and make lots of mistakes when I am burned out!) and I can use all of my talents at work – not just drive!
4. It will help me appreciate again why I have my own business
5. It will help me move from burn out to appreciation again to be in a position to help other women make more money in their business as I make more money in mine – now what isn’t there to appreciate??!
So do you need a break? What are you doing to keep yourself balanced, centered, and in a state of appreciation? I’d love to know – leave a comment below! Have a great week,
-Mary Larsen
6 Responses
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Hi Mary,
That is a great post! I need a break! The last year has been insane as I moved across the country, bought and sold a house, started a new job, taught all new courses and scrambled to write grants and papers. I am so burnt out!! My family is coming in to town tomorrow. I am going to take a week off and regroup and get inspired! I especially like the part about intuition and focus. In many ways, I more or less have my own business. I choose my research, get the funding for it, and staff my lab with grad students and undergrads that I manage. I am very lucky in many ways, but I think I have just about every symptom you list!
Glad to see you are doing so well! We have a California Modern house in Wilmington–may require your expert design intuition at some point to do a little remodeling and interior design
Best,
Brian
Hey Brian – How GREAT to hear from you. Funny, I never really know who is reading this stuff! You’ve had a heck of a year – so glad you are getting that vacation. Do you still have family in Elkins? If you can believe this past Thanksgiving my parents sold the big ole house and moved to Winchester VA to be nearer to the kids (5 are in that area – me and Nancy are here in RDU) and quite frankly I’m still a bit freaked out about it. Any ole hoo – I don’t make it to Wilmington too often but of course – let me know when you need some design help – ha! Hey – can’t you take a sabatical sometime in your future??? Something to look forward to! Hugs to you and yours -Mary
Hi Mary! Can’t believe there are no Trochlils in Elkins! That’s like not having any Arbogasts there! As to your question about my family’s whereabouts, that made me laugh out loud. They are almost all in Elkins! Only my older sister Angie is not–she is Pennsylvania. I try to make it there as much as possible. It is a lot easier now that we are in Wilmington. We were in northern California in Humboldt County (up on the coast in the corner) for the last 7 years. Loved it there, but decided it was worth it to be closer to our families. Plus my wife and I always like NC. I like Wilmington a lot, except it gets too hot in the summer!
Anytime you want to come down to the coast, just let me know! We have 2 extra bedrooms, and it is just me and Andrea (and our dogs–no kids), so we have room and time
We can have some mojitos on the beach and catch up!
Best of luck with everything!
Brian
Well Mary,
I can understand why you would need a break once in a while…all those great and helpful calls to your Mastermind business owners. Like the airlines say, your own oxygen first…..
Hi Mary
Thanks!
Thanks again for another round of great tips and food for thought…I’m looking forward to taking a break later this summer if all goes well. I try to do “little things” to give myself a break once in awhile – the occasional trip to a museum or art gallery; my daily early morning walks in the country with my dogs; losing myself in a good book to read purely for pleasure and not for business, self-improvement, or having to do with designing or marketing.
I also take “mental health days” every once in awhile –I make myself unavailable (by phone, email, etc) just so I have some time to myself to think, refocus, and quiet my mind. (which lately, seem to be going off in a zillion different directions with new ideas…)
I don’t work very well when I’m under a lot of stress or pressure, and I’ve learned to say “no” to some things (or people) who zap my energy, time, and are “negative influences.” I’m also learning how to better balance various aspects of my life & work and am working on getting a better “rhythm & flow” going.
Looking forward to the next mastermind session.
This is a good article, I am a very workaholic person and sometimes I forgot to give myself a break. So stressful.