some things don't belong in your bedroom

So here it is… two weeks since I last wrote.

Ordinarily that wouldn’t be much of a problem, right? Write when you can, the world keeps spinnin’…

Except I promised to write weekly. And then a biiiiiiiiig project with lots of insane deadlines came up and I pushed everything to the wayside.

Everything.

My gym routine? Eh, I’ll get more done if I use that early morning hour to catch up.

My drawing class? Better finish up those last few emails to get a jump on tomorrow!

My rule about not doing work in bed/not bringing the phone in the bedroom?

BUT WHAT IF THEY NEED ME AT 1 AM?!!??!

And I’m paying for it now.

Don’t get me wrong… this isn’t a vent about launches or big clients or stress.

It’s more of a stream of conscious rant AT myself (and for your benefit) for having to re-learn things I THOUGHT I already knew.

That hour I spent at the gym in the morning? It gave me the stamina to power through long days and the mental clarity to knock out all kinds of tasks.

That two hours a week I spent on sketching gave me respite from the computer and helped me see the world in a whole new way, bringing freshness into my work.

That no-phone-in-the-bedroom rule allowed me to go to bed un-stressed and wake up without feeling pressured to OMG START WORK NOW.

And when it came down to crunch time, I let all my rituals fly out the window, rationalizing to myself that it’s only temporary, only until after this busy period is done.

And that, my friends, is how you burn out.

Even though it feels like you’re only giving a little in the name of productivity, it’s costing you a LOT.

There are no guarantees when it comes to burnout. The next time you burn out could be the last time. You might not recover from it.

So why take that chance just to eke out a few more emails or make that much more progress on your sales page?

Please please please don’t make my mistake.

Take care of yourself. ESPECIALLY when it’s crunch time.

That’s the only way you’ll ever be able to make a career out of this.

And every time you forget to do it…  make a new promise to yourself to take care of yourself.

Carve that lesson into stone and make it the rule of your life. You cannot feed someone else if your cupboards are bare.

Some things (like work) don’t belong in your bedroom. So kick them out and take back control, instead of letting work control you.

Your clients, your work, and your mind/body/spirit will thank you.