Career burnout: you can do anything, but not everything!

I knew I was in career burnout months ago. The signs were obvious but I chose to ignore the symptoms. I was tired. Insomnia began. I couldn’t fall asleep at night or I woke up far too early in the morning hours. Writing became a chore instead of a love of storytelling. I ‘hated it’ when my friends/family/colleagues asked me or invited me to be a part of anything. Except for my critique partner, I stopped seeing my friends. I posted less on social media. I sunk deeper into my work; writing/editing/formatting for up to twelve hours a day. I’ve worked this hard before, so I should have know better.

My saddest moment came recently when my daughter told me she’d never heard her author mother speak so darkly about her writing. Her statement made me think. I need to get back on track, with my health and my writing. What’s obvious to me now is that no matter who we are or which career we’ve chosen to be a part of…

We can do anything, but not everything.

As I move forward to write my next novel, it’s my goal to identify the stressors, reroute negative thinking, and adopt a more balanced life. I just told a colleague that I need a business plan. Hell, I need a wellness strategy to recharge the well of creativity and dispel the anxiety.

How do I plan to recharge? I’ll start by reading, listening to music, taking walks–breaks–visiting my favorite theme park and relocating to my cottage for a few days. Just the thought of my cottage, I breathe deeper and immediately relax. I’m most excited about joining my readers, and reading. I struggle reading while I’m writing, so I’m really looking forward to delving into a great book.

I leave you with this thought: We can do anything, but not everything. For me, step one to becoming healthier is acknowledging and accepting my boundaries. I’m human. I’m not a robot. I’ll write between the limits of allotted time.

#MotivationMonday