Reality check incoming…
If you’re a driven, work obsessed career woman like me, you’re bound to burn out. It’s inevitable.
I must admit I swing between periods of burnout and full steam ahead regularly and as each year progresses I do like to think I’m getting better at managing these times so the rollercoaster isn’t as intense.
The trick is to recognise your triggers and have a plan in place to manage your energy once you start to feel like the walls are closing in and everything is becoming too much.
Identifying your triggers and tell-tale signs.
One of my biggest tell tale signs I’m needing a proper rest is I start to become irritable with things that don’t usually annoy me.
For example, I usually love talking to clients. I can spend more than an hour on a call to a client chatting about all things above and beyond their purchase journey, but when I notice I’m keeping these interactions short, I know that the workload is beginning to become too much.
This is usually the first sign that I need to be mindful about my energy and how (and where) I’m directing it.
Another sign for me is brain fog and feeling sluggish. It’s when I have to think too much about what I’m going to say, when usually, the words just fall out of my mouth in a clear, precise and to the point manner. I’m a direct person and I generally know what I want, so when I start to fumble my words, get confused about what I’m about to say, that’s when I know something is off and I’ve had too much on the brain.
When I hit two triggers, I revert to my Burnout Plan.
Yep, I have a plan!
A client once told me that as humans, we can only take on a maximum of 5 things at once. That is our human limit. Of course, I didn’t believe her! I’m used to spinning multiple plates at a time when I’m in my zone so to hear this took me aback.
But in truth, she’s probably right.
When you start overloading, the ship starts to sway.
CREATING A BURNOUT PLAN
Here’s a little insight into my burnout plan…
I have a written list of all the things I can do that help boost my energy and promote rest and I refer to this cheat sheet whenever I feel myself being triggered.
One of these is getting a foot massage.
It might sound strange, but a thirty minute foot massage where I can lay in the chair, earphones in to cancel the noise, and just zone out really does wonders for me. It’s also something I can do on the spare of the moment if I feel like I need a quick time-out.
Oddly enough, this does seem to reenergise me and I feel good knowing I’ve allocated some me-time and put myself first for a change. (or my feet for that matter!)
A good foot massage works wonders as a de-stresser for me.
I’m also mindful of my sleep.
Getting a quality night’s rest is what I need to really bring myself down a few notches when I’m feeling stressed and on the brink of wanting to quit real estate forever.
For me, setting myself up for a good night’s rest involves a hot bubble bath at the end of the day just before bed, and keeping the house quiet. This means no noise and no white screens from mobile phones. I have my bath in silence, and then I black out my bedroom to get the best possible uninterrupted rest I can.
Identifying your triggers.
Your triggers may differ to mine, or perhaps some are the same? But you must learn to recognise them if you’re to catch burnout before it sets in. Be mindful. Take a step back and watch how you react to situations in the moment.
How are your shoulders sitting?
When I’m stressed, my shoulders are up around my neck.
Do you feel tense in general?
Are you becoming short with people?
Thinking less clear during the day?
If you can be on the lookout for your triggers, this is the perfect opportunity to catch yourself before it becomes problematic and starts really affecting your work.
Before I created my Burnout Plan, I would try to push through these times but I soon realised that it just made things worse.
I recall a time in my real estate business when I was writing a cheque. It took me three goes to get it right. First, I stuffed up on the amount. Second attempt - I spelled the name wrong.
Third attempt, I got it right, but I remember thinking that it took me three goes to write this damn cheque when usually, preparing a cheque was a simple, no brainer task for me.
That was the moment I realised something was wrong and I needed a break.
A year later, we sold that agency.
Now that is extreme and I’m not saying you need to throw in the towel if you’re feeling burnt out. For me, the timing was right to sell up and take an extended break, but in the here and now, I have learned to recognise the smaller signs of burnout and course correct before I do make a rash decision to take an extended holiday to Europe!
In my Masterclass for Women in Real Estate, I help participants create their own Burnout Plan and have dedicated a whole lesson to the subject. Check out the curriculum to my 6-week online course, The Polished Professional - here.
or REVIEW THE COURSE OUTLINE here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wendy Russell writes about the realities of a career in real estate. She is a self-made woman and Independent Buyer’s Advocate based in Brisbane Australia, representing busy professionals in luxury home purchases.
