I’m a writer, entrepreneur, and wife – here’s exactly how to accomplish your goals without reaching burnout
JORDAN Lee Dooley knows a thing or two about burnout.
The bestselling author, podcaster, and entrepreneur experienced it firsthand when her work led to many long nights, trouble sleeping, brain fog, reliance on caffeine, and a host of other symptoms.
At one point, Jordan even sought the help of medical providers, and with some blood tests, it was revealed that she had signs of adrenal fatigue.
“Meaning like my body was just tapped,” she told The Sun.
However, Jordan revealed simple ways to stop burnout in its tracks while reaching your goals at the same time.
Take inventory of your life’s stressors
If you want to achieve your goals without burnout, the first thing you want to become aware of is what causes stress in your life.
Jordan said burnout can come from a number of different things, not just overworking.
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“It can come from big life changes and it can also come from things like grief or trauma or like, hardship in your life.”
She explained that being aware of what may potentially lead you to burnout is a great first step in achieving your goals.
Adjust what you can control
We all know we can’t control when life throws us a curveball, but adjusting the things we can control, such as work and commitments, is vital when trying to reach our goals, said Jordan.
“I would say in your work when possible, try to treat it like a short sprint followed by a little bit of like a slow jog or a walking pace.”
Jordan explained “short sprints” or working hard for short time periods towards a goal then working at a more leisurely pace is much more sustainable than a nonstop hustle.
Allow yourself the time to celebrate achievements
On that note, Jordan added that it’s also important to give yourself some time to soak in your achievements.
“I think a lot of times in our culture it’s the approach when you reach a goal, especially in your career or in your finances, it’s always kind of like, ‘OK, next thing.’
“And the finish line can feel like it’s always moving and we never really are satisfied. We never really like revel in whatever we just reached or achieved.”
She explained that we are constantly being pressured by the world around us to always be working towards the next thing.
There’s always going to be something else to pursue, whether it be a revenue goal or promotion at work, and the constant pressure is what contributes to chronic nonstop hustle, she said.
“I think just having the discipline to celebrate the thing that you do achieve or the progress you do make will help you hustle in shorter sprints and give yourself breathing room.”
Extend timelines when you can
Following up on one of the previous points, Jordan said something we can control to a degree is the timelines we set for our goals.
Jordan explained to take a look at your priorities and see if your goals realistically line up with them, and extend your timelines if necessary.
“I think it’s healthy to ask one, is this goal realistic, given all of my responsibilities and priorities in my life? Like, can I really hit it, and am I going to overextend myself to do it?”
“And two, is it really necessary to accomplish by this [specific] date that I’ve set?
She said we typically set arbitrary timelines for ourselves and our goals and it’s important to ask ourselves why we feel pressured to accomplish a goal in a certain time frame.
“It’s not that you don’t have those goals, but like, coming to grips with the realistic question of would the world end if I didn’t buy my first home until I was 31?
“Like, is that okay if I give myself an extra year? Yes, absolutely.”
Just remember that you have time, Jordan added.
Learn the art of defining ‘enough’
In addition to setting arbitrary timelines for ourselves, we may also set arbitrary goals, especially when it comes to our career and finances, Jordan said.
For example, Jordan recounted a time when she wanted to make a certain amount of money from a project.
When her husband asked her why she wanted to make that much money, she was taken aback.
“I realized I only needed like a quarter of the number I threw out, but I had just like thrown out this number that I thought sounded good, that sounded impressive, that like, I didn’t really have a reason for it.”
When we start to compare ourselves to someone who just earned a promotion or made six figures at their job, we may try to set the same goals when they may cause us to overextend ourselves, so it’s important to realize what we actually need to accomplish.
Jordan explained one way to set and achieve realistic goals, especially with finances, is to look towards something tangible and not a monetary number.
“Instead of looking at money as the goal itself, look at it as the gas that goes in the vehicle to get you to your goal.”
Take ‘regular rhythmic recharges’
Lastly, Jordan said it’s important to dedicate a set period of time every week to recharge ourselves.
“If we can build in a regular period of rest to our entire week, it creates a really sustainable pace.”
That rest period is going to look different for everyone, she said.
“Maybe it’s making a big yummy meal with your spouse or your significant other, it’s going for a walk or a hike on a local trail, maybe visiting with family and friends or neighbors, reading a book outside… anything that feels leisurely life-giving for you.
She also stressed that it’s vital our rest periods are spent unplugged to avoid burnout.
“I really think part of the reason we burn out too is like our brains need a break from all the stimulation, all the ads, all the screens, all the blue lights.”
Finally, Jordan had one last reminder to avoid burnout: although time is not technically guaranteed, it’s ok to go slow so that you work at a more healthy and sustainable pace.
Additionally, Jordan revealed the four physical and mental signs of burnout to watch out for.
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