Find a balance between reflection and action to avoid burnout
To avoid burnout, notice you don't veer too far into either thinking or mere doing.
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As I journey deeper into my sabbatical from full time work, I find the resonance of the following quote undeniable:
“In a few hundred years, when the history of our time will be written from a long-term perspective, it is likely that the most important event historians will see is not technology, not the Internet, not e-commerce. It is an unprecedented change in the human condition. For the first time - literally - substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it.” -Peter Drucker, 1999
It's reassuring to realize that the challenge of self-management isn't just my own struggle; it's a broader societal phenomenon, amplified by the rise of the gig economy, remote work, and sabbaticals. As they say, "With great power comes great responsibility." ;) This newfound autonomy has ironically pushed me to 'manage' my time even more than when I was anchored in a structured team context.
While there are myriad ways to gauge where our time is spent, it's equally vital to decide which life areas we truly want to prioritize.
And yet the heart of avoiding burnout even while on a sabbatical, doesn't merely lie in time allocation or prioritization. It rests on finding a balance between reflection and action.
For me, outside of reasons that involve getting sucked into randomness of familial living, I aim to fence my time-space such that I keep reflection and action in balance.
I am notoriously reflective and dreamy. Being meditative has really helped my healing and recovery all this while, but now I am bored. And I have to make sure I am allowing myself enough rubber meets the road experiences.
I also journal a lot; journaling feels like reflection and action are happening together 😝. But in reality, it’s mainly reflection.
For those more inclined to constant action, it might be beneficial to cultivate moments of pause, balancing out the incessant drive.
PS: I love meeting new people. Send me a note for any questions, comments or conversations. Or Just say hello.