Running on fumes

As we enter the final weeks of 2024, it’s clear to me that many people are running on fumes:

• You can see it in their faces
• You can hear it in their voices
• The enthusiasm for the pre-Christmas small-talk is not quite there
• Loads of people are under the weather
• Scrambling to get everything done and squeeze everything in
• Juggling work, kids, friends, family…

We’ve been to two school carol services in the last week or so and even those usually jolly affairs were a bit subdued…

I think many people are exhausted and can’t wait for a bit of a rest

It’s been a hard year in many ways and it’s showing

I don’t know about you but I feel there’s been an existential drain on our energy going on since all the Covid shenanigans began and that’s never really gone away?

People’s health has certainly suffered: more coughs/colds/flu’s/corona’s, people struggling to shake things off and then you look at the stats on heart attacks and cancers…

This year you can add to that the drama of a couple of major elections, the ongoing fallout from all of that, plus the various conflicts around the world

Even if you’ve not been directly or majorly impacted, it's there in the background and if effects us all?

And it all adds up to many people being on the verge of burning out

They might sound OK, they might pretend it’s all OK…but look a bit closer, listen a bit more carefully

And you’ll find they might be on the brink - perhaps you are too?

You know what?? If nothing changes next year then many people are going to fully burnout

The danger is - and you see this every year - people take a break over Christmas, forget about it all for a while, think it will be OK again

But it only takes a couple of weeks of getting back to normal and the feeling will be back

Working from holiday to holiday in “survival mode” is no way to live and sooner or later it will result in a bigger consequence:

> You can’t lead people properly like this

> You can’t run a business properly like this

> You can’t be a good husband, wife or partner like this

> You can’t be a good parent like this

> You can’t perform at your best in any area of life

Something has to change.

I don’t necessarily mean you need to torch your business, quit your job, get divorced or put the kids up for adoption by the way - I’m going to assume you still want these things in your life?!

What CAN change is your CAPACITY to deal with them

What CAN change is how you RESPOND to all the challenges you face

The biggest factor that determines your capacity?

You guessed it.

Health.

So if you’re feeling like you’re on the verge of burnout perhaps it’s time to make a plan to increase your capacity and take better care of your health:

• What you put in your mouth
• Your sleep
• Your recovery
• Your exercise?
• All the routines and systems you have (or don’t have) in place to perform at your best

If you already have a plan, but still feel like you’re on the verge of burnout, it’s time to ask yourself “is it working?”

Who do you know who needs to read this?? Please forward it on.

?

Thanks,

Darren

SMALL CHANGE: BIG IMPACT

Change Your Perspective.? A bit more nuanced than “think positively” but training yourself to see the opportunities in a challenge or setback is a game-changer.? The easiest way to shift your mindset?? Exercise.

QUOTE

"Give up on the delusion that burnout is the inevitable cost of success”

Arianna Huffington

TIME FOR A HEALTH RESET?

EVER CONSIDERED A HEALTH AND FITNESS-FOCUSED RETREAT?

We’re holding our first Retreat next year in The Cotswolds - if you’d like more information please reply or comment “Retreat”