I teach others how to avoid burnout, and one of those tips is to watch your gauges so that you know when you are “on the verge” of burnout. Mine is starting to run a little “hot” today. So, I need to practice what I preach, right? A good thing to have handy in times of stress is a replenishment plan, to keep your emotional tank re-filled and not head down a depression spiral.
Some of the things in my replenishment plan are (as ideas for building yours):
- Volunteering for a cause that gets me excited
- Listening to music
- Going on a date with my wife, or chilling on the couch together watching Netflix
- 8 hours of sleep (non-negotiable!)
- Doing one of my hobbies: golf, hiking, or biking
- Exercising daily (non-negotiable!)
- Reading my Guidebook for Living–the Bible (non-negotiable!)
- Having an extended time of solitude (journaling, reading, thinking, doing Sudoku…)
- Reading or learning new ideas from a speaker/thought-leader
- Hanging out with a friend
Build your replenishment items into your weekly rhythm, wrapped around your stressful schedule, in order to stay sane and be at the top of your game with energy to spare!