Balance Without Burnout: Part 1 of 3
A short series on how I fit a demanding job, side projects, and staying healthy into the same week. This is what has worked for me over the years.
I used to treat exercise as a reward. I’ll go to the gym after I get my work done, I’d say. Let me finish this task before I take a walk. The work never stopped, which meant the reward never came.
Last year I burned out. I was trying to do too much. I wasn’t moving, sleeping, or eating well. I didn’t even want to get out of bed. That’s when I realized that exercise shouldn’t get whatever’s left. It creates the energy I need to do everything else.
Exercise is my non-negotiable. When I was recovering from burnout, it went from optional to mandatory. Today it’s the one thing I do almost every day. Most days that means a walk around my neighborhood. Some days it means weight training in my small home gym.
Exercise gets me off screens and gives my brain a break from solving problems all day. It clears my head and resets my mood. When I move my body regularly, I’m more focused at my day job, more present with my family, and more productive on side projects.
Three rules keep me consistent.
I exercise after work, before anything else in the evening. It also creates a clear boundary between work and life.
On hard days, I set the bar low. Usually a 15-minute walk.
If I miss a day, I don’t make a big deal of it. I get back to it the next day.
Two other habits matter almost as much. I aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Anything less and I struggle the next day. I also try to take a few moments during the day for meditation and reflection.
Exercise used to get my leftover energy. And that's one of the reasons I burned out. Now I've learned that it fuels everything I do in life. What do you keep pushing off?
Next week: why some hours are worth more than others.
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This is for you if:
Work is draining you and there’s nothing left for the rest of your life
You can’t find time for your side project, or you’re struggling to make progress on it
It’s hard to make your mental and physical health a priority
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