Hi friends,

I want to talk about a seemingly ubiquitous phenomenon in today’s hyperproductive culture: burnout. We all know what it feels like. It’s a type of stress that comes from trying to do too many things with too little time.

Burnout leads to feelings of apathy, anxiety, and a lack of control. Just about everything in today’s working culture is measurable, and we often judge how productive we are based on how much time we spend working. But burnout is inevitable if we are always working and don’t make time for rest.

If you have a type A personality like me, you probably find yourself dealing with burnout frequently. In fact, I’m dealing with burnout now while trying to manage a full physical therapy caseload, study for an orthopedic fellowship exam, and build an internet following.

Since burnout typically comes from having too much to do in too little time, I need to get very specific with how I spend my time. In my last newsletter I covered how I use time blocking to schedule my days and use my time wisely.

Another tool that I use to combat burnout is laughter. Keeping a light and playful mood has saved me from numerous burnout episodes. I’ve used it so much that when I have a rough day where I feel overwhelmed and overworked, I have a few of my favorite comedy bits saved on YouTube that I know will make me laugh.

It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re laughing and smiling. Some people say that you should smile even when you’re in a bad mood. Forcing a smile has never worked for me, but it might work for some of you.

Also, when I’m feeling burned out, I try to surround myself with family and friends. Luckily, the weather in Chicago this weekend has been great and I’ve been able to get out and play beach volleyball with friends.

Even though beach volleyball is not “productive” per se, it gives me energy. Tim Ferriss has a quote that sums it up, “Do things that give you energy regardless if they are productive or not.”

It can be difficult if you are a person who is driven by work, but if you are exhausted, you won’t be of utility to anyone.

The key is to remember that no matter how much work you have to do, taking time to rest and recover is essential to doing good work and avoiding burnout. And if you do find yourself experiencing a bout of burnout try to laugh, spend time with friends, and do things for fun, things that you enjoy doing without thinking of them as a means to some end.

Until next week,

Kevin