Late night study sessions seem like a time of the past, but recognizing how close to the edge you’re working can save you from losing that competitive drive that lifted your idea off the ground. Yes sometimes a coffee induced slug fest with your tech problems or financial mess might be a necessity, however keeping these to a minimum will only improve the output potential you can really achieve. The passion can easily slip away when it consumes you, and though there is always more on the plate, sometimes taking a step back is all you need to step up to the challenge one more time.
The Ever Powerful Micro-Break
Having a break helps everyone. Some overdo it with three hour naps, and some don’t do it enough by skipping lunch to get an extra hour of work in. So let us set a schedule. Try to get at least five, 5-minute breaks each day. Not having a break schedule is common for those who work for themselves because every waking second is slightly more important when it is your product/livelihood on the line. Therefore, understand that you are your company’s most valuable resource and you need to be maintained as well, so take a load off and recharge those batteries.
Accept Your Limits
Knowing what you are and aren’t capable of can do wonders. Take a deep breath and really think about what you have left in the tank. Pushing through a project when you have already reached wits end can really hurt the quality of the product. Understanding that tomorrow is another day, with many more opportunities to regroup, can give you a fresh outlook on how to handle your day-to-day. You might be in this project alone, so it is even more important to look at your workload from a different light, not just the “finish now” attitude.
Know If It’s Really What You Want
Being discouraged can be a great notification of where you stand. A road block you are faced with may not be from the difficulty of the issue, but from your over-worked status. Realizing that you have the choice to step back or carry on can really help you figure out how continue or if it is really worth it.
Take A Vacation
Sometimes the five minute breaks just aren’t going to cut it. If you realize you really a burned out, drop everything and have a free day. Let your mind unwind and put work out of your head for awhile. Maybe take that fishing trip, or finally sleep in past 6 a.m. You deserve it and you need it. Running from project to project without an adequate break will affect productivity and keep you in your burned out state.
Some Other Day
If the little days off don’t have you waking up excited about what you are doing, take some real serious time off. It may be a year you need, but let it be whatever length necessary to find that same passion and drive that got you into all of this. Regroup as long as you need and let your mind work itself back up to the task at hand. Don’t fret, it will come back to you.
Photo Credits
Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
