6 Ways to Kick Burnout in the Butt
Ah, freelance writing. It can be a great career, sitting in front of your laptop with the clickety-clack of your fingers on the keyboard indicating you are on a roll. Yes, it’s a beautiful thing, cranking out stories and articles and case studies and whatever else.
Until that cranking stops.
Ugh. What an awful feeling. Sitting in front of your laptop with deadlines looming, wishing you were somewhere — anywhere — than where you are because you just have no energy or ideas or words to fill the page.
We’ve all been there, to one degree or another. Burnout happens, and quite frankly, it sucks. But how we choose to deal with it might make the difference between a short visit by the burnout gods and a long, extended one.
Dealing with burnout is like being in limbo. You know you need to do something, but you’re just not sure what. And, it’s something you want to resolve as quickly as possible.
That said, the irony is not lost on me that this post — the one you are reading right now — has taken me over six weeks to write.
Yes, I’ve been dealing with a bit of burnout myself.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been working on my client work throughout, but being as a freelance content writer, I do more than simply writing content for clients. I also write my own content, do my own marketing, participate in networking opportunities, send out invoices, etc.
Other than client work, I was spent. And the last thing I wanted to do was sit down at my laptop and finish this post.
So, I let time go by and I did what I needed to do to kick this burnout in the butt.
If you’re dealing with a bit of burnout yourself and aren’t sure what to do about it, here are 6 things you can do to kick burnout to the curb.
1. Step away from your work.
For me, that’s my computer. Of course, throughout the course of any day, you should step away from your work, but with burnout, you also need to step back. Log off for the day, and don’t think about it until at least the next day.
Tackling burnout can take more than one day; there is no timeline, so if you need to be away from your work for more than one day, so be it.
2. Take a nap
I think so many of us underestimate the power of sleep, but it is such an essential element of our overall health. Sleep restores our brain, refreshes us, and, let’s face it, is a beautiful escape from reality. I have no problem taking a 20–30 minute nap during the day if I’m dealing with burnout, and neither should you.
3. Write
So this might seem counter-intuitive, but I find something refreshing in grabbing a pen (it has to be a perfect pen that feels great on paper) and writing. I don’t think about what I’m going to write about; I just put that pen to paper and go, and I don’t stop until my hand hurts so much, I can’t go on.
I don’t necessarily write about what’s making me stuck, but I might. There are no parameters about what I can and can’t write about.
4. Exercise
Get your body moving. Whether it’s taking a walk around the block, going to the gym to throw some weights around, jumping rope (like I do), getting a round of golf in, or bouncing around on a trampoline, exercise can do wonders for your body.
There are so many benefits to exercising, including boosting your energy and improving your mood. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that can leave you feeling happier, less anxious, and more relaxes. Exercise promotes better sleep, and we all do better when we are well-rested.
5. Meet friends
As a freelance content writer working from home, I admit that sometimes I feel a bit isolated. Compound that isolated feeling with burnout and I know coffee (or drinks!) with friends is a need I must fulfill. Or, a networking meeting or 1–2–1, or a phone call with a friend. We are social beings and need social interaction. It is easy to ignore that fact when in the throes of burnout, but it’s an important fact that you should not ignore.
6. Don’t ignore it
Burnout indeed sucks, but it happens for a reason. Maybe you’re working too hard, and this is a nudge to back off, perhaps you simply need a break, or maybe you don’t like what you are doing and want to switch gears. Take this opportunity to ask yourself why it’s happening, and answer honestly. Listen to your body and your mind and take some kind of action to move forward.
If you need help in doing so, talk to someone. There is no shame in feeling stuck.
What did I forget? If you’ve tackled burnout with a method not listed here, please let me know!
And, if you need help with your writing because you can’t get over your burnout or you simply don’t like to write, please feel free to reach out.
