Working Winter Blues
 

My X-mas break here started yesterday (Thursday). I had all of these plans to get some important work on larger projects I have going.

On Thursday and Friday, I've been doing well just to get out of bed. Then, I go jogging for an hour, come home, lay in the bath tub for an hour..... yeah - all those hardworking plans, not happening at all. What I am doing: catching up on my favorite series (Revenge is interesting, Big C as well), posting on 3FC, looking at things I could cook in the future, light housework

Instead of just thinking "Oh well, my vacation just started, enjoy it", I think "What is wrong with you, why don't you just start working! You are going to be SO behind if you don't start RIGHT NOW"

I think I am sort of burned out.

Anyway, do any of you have tricks for either:

1. healing from being "burned out"
2. stopping the nagging voice from telling me to get to work when I don't want to work

Hi,
What I do when I seem stuck is to take a day of and give myself permission to do nothing. I sleep,watch Tv,read or anything I want.

Then next day it is back to the usual routine. I find this guilt free do nothing day recharges me and believe me I have a very complicated life with problems that are not in my control.

Best of luck to you.

Sheridan

If I feel burned out by routine, I try to plan a couple of fun things that I don't get to do very often. Sometimes I feel like I need to just sit and knit, watch tv or stay in bed a couple of extra hours.

Maybe have a schedule where you devote a few hours to the projects, then a set time for leisure. Stick to the time schedule, but be realistic about how much you want to devote to both.

I think everyone is afraid to admit that they are burned out this time of the year. I know I am burnt out, which has my weight loss efforts at full force because I'm so stressed I am forcing myself to eat which makes weight watchers so much easier, trust me. I know that there are a million and one things that I can be doing right now, but honestly, I'm just too burnt out.

I think as Sheridan stated, it is important to give oneself permission to feel bleh.

DrivenByAmbition: judging by your name, you are also quite ambitious - yeah, it feels really nice to hear that other people admit they are burnt out.

The semester here is almost finished - I teach and study at the uni here. Its been stressful this year. I know I need to get things sorted.... but, esp. today, with the onset of TOM, I was just feeling totally finished.

But then, instead of just being happy and lounging, I couldn't stop dreading the future..... I'm one of those people that likes to finish things with still enough "time to breathe". Last minute makes me nervous.

In addition, I need to stop taking work so seriously. Sometimes it is just a job that needs to get done. It does not define who I am. Not everything needs to be 110% - it needs to just be finished.