Earlier this month I saw this tweet:
and it got me thinking. I provided a short answer:
I kept reflecting on what I’ve been doing this year to avoid a burnout, so I decided to write this up.
Make Lists
Write down everything you need to get done. Just write it down. Doesn’t matter if it’s short, medium or long term. After that, you understand the lay of the land and you can start organizing and prioritizing. Every day I look at the list and ask myself “What do I need to cross off my list to consider that I had a successful day?”. I focus on those few issues. If you want to get more sophisticated, follow the
Getting Things Done (GTD) time management method.
Learn to say No
One of the hardest things to do. This is something that everybody told me during grad school and everybody I talk to acknowledges that it’s a hard thing to do. Nevertheless, strive to say NO to more things.
Delegate
If you can, delegate. And when you do, then don’t worry about the task at hand. I know this is easier said than done and possible if you work in a team.
Read Magazine and Books. Watch documentaries
During grad school I always felt guilty if I was spending time reading non-research papers because I always had a large stack of paper to read. I still feel that guilt. However, I realized that by reading other material, I get a different perspective of the world and this helps in the diversity of ideas. If you ask around, highly successful people spend a lot of their time reading, even with their hectic schedule.
If there is one magazine you would like to read, I highly recommend Bloomberg Business Week. I recently read Creative Selection: Inside Apple’s Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs. On my to-read list I have: Biography of Skinner, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future and The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century.
When am I get reading done? At night, leave your phone in a different room and read before going to bed.
Have Fun!
I go dancing and try to go once a week at least. Cooking is my relaxation. I also avoid working on Saturday.
Just Relax!
Sometimes I feel like I didn’t accomplish anything during the day and I feel guilty. It’s fine if I don’t feel productive. Just relax. I know that I will probably have another moment where I will be extremely productive.
Be Healthy
Last but not least, focusing on my health has been game changer. This involves going to the gym and eating healthy. I’ve never been a gym-going person. However I did find an amazing gym,
Dane’s Body Shop, which is community oriented. When I’m in Austin, I look forward to going to the gym everyday!
I also started working with
Veronica Bumpass, the nutritionist at the gym to support and guide me on organizing a healthy lifestyle, specially when I travel. I’m very conscience of what I eat, workouts I can do when I travel, all while still enjoying the fun lifestyle that I like to have.
A couple of tips:
1) work out 20 mins every day. No excuses. You can find plenty of workouts that you can do at home with no equipment. Just make sure that you have a correct form and for that, start working out with a trainer.
2) SLEEP 8 HOURS! No excuses.
3) When you are eating, ask your self “are those calories worth it?”
4) Do you have to be on the phone? Take a walk while you are on the call.
Conclusion
If you learn to say NO, and delegate other tasks, you will have more time. Having a healthy lifestyle will make you feel stronger, physically and mentally. Give your brain a break by relaxing, having fun, reading, etc. Everyday focus on a the top priority things on your list.
Finally, by coincidence, I saw this today:
I love the answer, which emphasizes the part of being healthy!
