Cut Yourself Some Slack

Image Credit: Sid Leigh

Can’t seem to get enough done in a short span of time? Do you put more pressure on yourself than you have to? Let’s face it, sometimes, we get stuck in our overachieving mode and can’t find a way to turn it off. Then, and yes, there is always a ‘then,’ we get so stressed, depressed, and quite often obsessed when our goals go awry. I think it’s safe to say that it’s time to take a step, or two, or three back.

Quite often, we tend to back ourselves into the infamous “deadline” corner and can’t come out because we are so overwhelmed with what seems like an endless list of things to do, squeezed into a time frame that looks appealing but is quite deceptive.

I’ve spoken to many people who find themselves caught in the crossfire of setting aggressive goals, and the reality is more than they bargained for. At this point, they forcefully put their foot on the brakes, instead of gradually slowing down to avoid whiplash. We try to hurry up and rush the process, then learn that silly mistakes can quickly and easily sink our ship sailing towards progress. Impatience will certainly lead to disappointments, and at times, disaster.

Try to examine what led you to this place of overwhelm, which makes you feel defeated. It’s not always by someone else’s design, but even if it was, you can still change the narrative. Don’t be in a rush to impress others who probably don’t care about what you’re doing or your well-being. We stress out over stuff we really don’t need to. Personally, I learned I would have fumbled badly and made costly mistakes if I didn’t slow my roll. There’s only but so much time in a day. Your body has to adapt to rest, relaxation, and repair, or you are no good for nothing. Beware of those non-negotiable-looking deadlines because they could turn deadly if you don’t take your foot off the “gotta get it done right now” accelerator. Find the courage to cut yourself some slack and lighten up. If you don’t, you are liable to self-destruct at any unexpected moment. Then what?

A Blogging Siesta?

Image Credit: Rasyid Tsq

        Writing. We compose oodles of posts each week but eventually discover that we become burned out from writing, reading, and “thinking” about what to write daily. Sitting at our computers or perched somewhere with our smartphones for hours on end, can distract us from checking our internal engine light to make sure our physical and writing faculties are operating at full capacity. Such burnout is evident on the blogging platform because we writers tend to put “undue” pressure on ourselves by posting something every day, even multiple times a day.

      Let’s face it, we all have a life, right? I’ve seen the disappearance of many people I was once connected to who no longer blog or haven’t blogged in years. For whatever their reasons for suddenly stopping or deleting their site completely, a few people I’ve communicated with indicate that they were just burned out and no longer have time, the desire, or energy to devote to writing a post for a blog. Getting started is an exciting endeavor, and having other writers interact with your compositions is indeed exhilarating. You gain confidence, and that energizes you to continue to improve and expand your writing repertoire.

        There is no need to apologize for having to step away from your screens for a while. Let me tell ya, burnout is real. We must press the PAUSE or STOP button before we continue writing, and writing effectively. Trust me, you will know when your “check engine light” for your body flashes on because you will feel it!

        How do we make our blogs complement what we do, whether it’s business or personal? While the blogging community is an excellent source of communication, camaraderie, and information, we have to be clear about what our blogging could lead or not lead us to in the long run. How do we make the things we write about an asset instead of a liability? Many of us have other projects we are in the process of developing, and devoting our time to. Sometimes it behooves us to step away and come back fresh, renewed, and alive to heighten our success on this platform.

        You can call it a melt-down, a wipe-out, under-pressure, depression, lethargy, or overwhelm, but burnout is a “burn” out, no ifs, and’s, or buts about it! You will know when it is time to take a blogging siesta. Just don’t fight it, do it! This might not only apply to the practice of blogging but to other creative and professional endeavors too. You may never realize just how much you may need to take a break and then come back. Cheers! 🥂

Image Credit: Morgan Basham