Hey there
Posting here instead of a sub about mental health or something similar since I suppose their advice will be more inclined towards “go on vacation” or “go for walks, learn to delegate”.
I am super burned out and can´t afford to stop working. This is an endless circle of Im not as productive so I work longer hours that never ends.
I´m (21F) in uni, have a job in marketing and have a business (been doing this for a bit less than a year) that has just gotten into a startup accelerator, about to launch a marketing agency with a co-founder and an AI product with another co-founder, this one will take longer to see the sun.
I know it looks like I have a lot on my plate, and I probably do, but I have talked about the projects with mentors and investors and they think they are genuinelly good, I can´t stop or choose one or the others.
I also don´t have the funds to employ someone yet, and I think even if I did I don´t think i could have someone doing what I´m supposed to be doing (yes I have a bad case of “want things my way”).
I go on walks, to the gym, read and spend spare days in bigger towns museum hopping every now and then, but I can´t stop myself from looking at things in terms of ROI: I might go to a museus, but I´m lowkey looking for inspiration for designs for one of my ideas; I might go to the gym but i´m just trying to look hotter because I´ve seen how much better people treat me than others for my looks (also would want to try modeling so I´m getting my measurements in check for that). I might read something but only if its related to business, M&A, mindset…
I take long as f* getting ready in the morning when I used to jump out of bed and get straight to work, and can´t really feel strong emotions anymore: not a lot of joy, not a lot of sadness either, I only ever feel super happy when something i had been working on materializes.
So… what do you do when you´re burned out but can´t stop? What are things that keep you from burning out? Do you have a very strict routine or go with the flow as the day goes?
When I feel overwhelmed, i do two things. Go into a floatpod (sensory deprivation tank) or sit in an empty room, doing nothing. To reset my system i need to be bored AF. And the SDT gives me the extra 10% capacity out of my brain if everything feels heavy and or sluggish.
It a bit like: If you go on a fantastic holiday, going back to your regular life seems daunting. Go for a holiday to buttf*ck nowhere and your reg. life seems fantastic. It’s all about recalibration.
You sound ambitious; be careful and be honest with yourself. Good luck.