Days off have been few and far between for me lately and on more than one occasion I have found myself going ‘enough’! When you love what you do, it is too easy to get caught in the trap of working every minute available and that can soon lead to overwhelm. We all know that when we are unwell, it’s a good idea to stop (not slow down, stop!). Overworking is an illness… an addiction… and a surefire way to end up overwhelmed and exhausted if we don’t keep it in check. I talk to many people who have gone through significant change in their business in the past year or two and who are now scrambling to pull it all back together. Most of these people are burned out or on the verge of a melt-down. From personal experience, I know working harder never fixes the problem once you are at this stage. So the first step is to take a few days off, ideally at least a week. Whatever is happening can almost always be delayed a week and you’ll get through the challenges a lot easier if you have some time off to regenerate and allow yourself some clear space. Yes, you may lose some income or you may not meet the deadline you promised your client – but would you be willing to be honest and say: “I will do a much better job for you if I have a week off, I hope you understand.” Most people are willing to be flexible when you explain the situation. If they are not, it may be time to ask another question: “Are they really my ideal client?”
Too often as business owners and senior managers, we put everyone first except ourselves. When we don’t care for and nurture ourselves first, everything feels really intense, our energy depletes, our focus is scattered and we can’t see the possibilities in front of us. This is where overwhelm sets in.
Once we are rested, it is time to set some boundaries. I have stopped trying to fit in everything and everyone who is making demands of me. Instead, I am looking at what feels rewarding and what can be achieved with ease. The word NO has finally become a clear part of my vocabulary! And so far, I have found that in virtually every case the person involved has found another solution! I do like to put it a little more joyfully though: ‘I’m sorry, that doesn’t work for me, what else is possible?’ usually allows the person to discover another approach. When we set ourselves up as the source of the business, everything revolves around us. How much of our overwhelm can dissipate when we stop being the centre of everyone’s universe? Most of it! What if we were willing to allow the flow to show up instead? Would that be more blissful?
