The telltale signs of burnout are feelings of overwhelming exhaustion, cynicism, and detachment. You may also feel as if you are ineffective and are not accomplishing anything in your life while simultaneously feeling irreplaceable and as if no one else can do what you do and help you.
In other words, you may be experiencing signs of burnout because you never say no. Purging your to-do list can help. But first, how do you know what to stop doing, and more importantly, how do you stop saying yes to everything?
Remember these keywords:
Eliminate, automate, and delegate as you rid yourself of extra work and start saying no more.
Eliminate
Whenever you look at a task, you need to first think about whether it’s even required to be done or not. Just because you’ve always done something does not mean it has to be done. Try to anticipate what happens if you just take it off your list completely. Write down the pros and cons of totally letting this task go.
For example, if you are a writer, do you limit how many times you read through and edit any one piece of work? If not, you should. There is always a point at which future editing will just make the work less effective.
Automate
Can the task that you need to do be done with software? If you can eliminate a task through automation, taking it off your plate in an affordable way, it’s essential to do it as soon as you can financially accomplish it. There is a technology that exists that you may not even be aware of yet.
It might help to talk to someone aware of the technology available for productivity in your space. The advice will be paramount in helping you move your business forward with as much automation as possible. For example, did you know about IFTTT technology that you can use through platforms like Zapier.com?
If This Then That (commonly known as IFTTT
Delegate
If you can’t let it go entirely, and you can’t automate it, perhaps you can outsource it to someone else? You might want to pay a virtual assistant to help you with customer service, editing, or other things. Maybe you can get your spouse or kids to do more housework, so you have more time for business.
For example, if you are a writer and you know you have to edit your writing, it might work out better for you if you let someone else do the editing and final revisions to ensure it gets done in a timely manner? Or perhaps you cannot yet afford an editor, so instead, you get your spouse to cook dinner so that you have more time to edit in a timely manner.
Finally, once your to-do list is cleaned up, start saying no more often when asked to add something to your plate. Make it a habit to never say yes right away. Instead, tell people (or yourself) that you have to check your schedule. Then determine the benefits and drawbacks of adding that task to your life. If it helps you advance your goals, you can say yes, if it doesn’t do anything to move you forward and only adds stress to your life, say no.
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