I am not Superman, and I will get tired

In the fast-paced and demanding landscape of modern work, a growing concern looms over working adults—the pervasive threat of burnout. The relentless pursuit of personal and professional goals often leads to an unsustainable lifestyle, leaving individuals physically and mentally exhausted. As the demands of the workplace continue to escalate, maintaining personal effectiveness becomes a formidable challenge. Burnout not only jeopardizes individual well-being but also diminishes overall productivity.

Do I look positive all the time? Do I feel energetic all the time? Well, hell no. Do I have all the answers to all the problems? I do not know!

I will feel tired, and I will feel down. I will get stuck in a situation where I need time to think. Furthermore, I need help from the people around me.

Does this situation sound like you, look like you, and maybe is like you? You may have tried many ways to stay energetic, stay positive, and become resourceful to handle your work challenges. But it seems like a cycle that this situation will always come back. Can we solve this problem permanently?

We face these situations now and before and maybe in the future. I do not have a perfect suggestion for you, but I want to share some tips that will help you stay focused and productive for a longer time.

1. Set goals and set boundaries.

Setting goals and having clear boundaries is important in today's work world. By setting goals, people can have a plan for what they want to achieve. This helps them stay focused and motivated. Having clear boundaries helps people avoid burnout by keeping their personal and professional lives separate. This allows people to prioritize their tasks and have a better work-life balance.

2. Love yourself more and say no to others.

In the fast-paced world of adulthood, practising self-love and asserting boundaries are akin to possessing superhero abilities. Self-love acts as your trusted sidekick, bolstering your resilience and enhancing your sense of self-worth. It entails recognizing your inherent value and prioritizing your well-being without guilt.

Saying no is not a form of rejection; rather, it is a powerful expression of self-respect. When you confidently decline tasks or commitments that misalign with your priorities, you create space for the experiences and relationships that truly matter. This act of self-care allows you to focus your energy on what brings you fulfilment and joy.

3. Set time to get lazy

Taking time to be lazy is like giving yourself permission to rest and recharge so you can be more productive. It's not about putting things off; it's about intentionally taking time to do nothing. You can call this "me time," but sometimes "me time" is still active or involves thinking. I prefer to just do nothing. So, let's redefine laziness as a strategic break, a time to recharge your mental and emotional batteries. By scheduling these breaks, you're ensuring that you're ready to face challenges with renewed energy.

I think many of us spend too much time being lazy and spend too little time planning and setting goals. Therefore, it is failing to do the important task and until the last minute, everything becomes urgent and important. Once a wise person told me, that self-discipline is not a loss of freedom but gives you more freedom to do things you like to do. Once you start prioritizing to complete the important task all the time and most of the time, sooner or later, you will have more empty time slots to do more things that you like to do.

Being employees, we often encounter urgent and important tasks assigned by our superiors, and this is an unavoidable part of our work life. In such situations, we have two primary options:

Accepting the task and prioritizing it, even if it means temporarily setting aside other responsibilities.

Accepting the task and negotiating a reasonable timeline for completion.

In a game, the winner is the person who has more choice. But we need to start first by understanding the 3 tips above and execute them. This will help us to have more freedom and more choices to decide how best we can use our time.

If you have any tips that you can share to avoid burnout and improve productivity, please feel free to share in the comment session below. That’s all from me today, and I look forward to seeing you soon."