Hey friend,

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You may or may not know that in 2021 I suffered from severe burnout. I wasn’t clinically diagnosed but I felt every single symptom hard.

It was probably the worst year of my life and the effects still linger on to this day.

So today’s newsletter is all about rest because I can say, from personal experience, that I wouldn’t wish burnout on anyone.

Let’s get into it.

💭 Thought of the week

You need more breaks to perform at your best 🔋

An incredible resort in Antalya, Turkey

When did you last take time off?

Like an actual break?

I recently had a long overdue holiday. I was feeling burnout creep back in and knew something needed to change.

This was one full week off where I didn’t pack a laptop or tablet.

My only agenda was sipping iced coffee by a pool and reading books.

As well as not being on my laptop at all (hello screen time average), my most-used app for the week was “camera”.

Holy moly, it was awesome.

I’ve now reasoned that I should take 1x full week off every quarter for an actual break.

I’ve done remote trips in the past to cities like Lisbon and Barcelona which I LOVED, but the mindset was that I was there to work.

Now a month back from my trip, it’s very real to me that I need to take a lot more time off going forward. And I bet you do too.

My initial feeling was guilt. What’s that all about?

People buy 9 cups of coffee and get their 10th on the house 🏠

Can I really not work 12x weeks a quarter and have my 13th free? 🌴

Reflecting on my work habits, it’s dawned on me that I match the definition of a workaholic. I don’t want to be, but particularly in moments where I enjoy my work I seem to always overdo it.

Somewhere along the lines of enjoying the artistry, I want to fulfil my potential and that spills into how I approach everything I do. This can be very unhealthy and I need better boundaries.

Let’s take more time off 🌴

Maybe you’re feeling ready for a break? Here’s an activity to try 👇️

1. Open up your calendar by ‘Month’
2. Schedule in 1x activity to look forward to every week
3. Have 1x memorable event planned every month
4. Add a placeholder to take one full week off every 3 months to recharge

It’s truly a win-win to work hard but rest harder.

No matter your job title or responsibilities, we’re shackling ourselves to work far more than we need to.

💡 A perspective to consider

“The sun doesn't go up and down, it stays in the same place. We are the ones that move.”

We can be so certain about things that aren’t true. I’m really enjoying Peter Crone’s work and I recommend it for more hot takes like this.

❤️ Content I LOVED

🎙 Podcast - Joe Rogan’s interview with Francis Ngannou

- After watching the fight between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury I had to learn more about Francis’ story. From an upbringing in poverty to becoming a UFC Heavyweight Champion, I now have a new source of inspiration whenever I’m lacking motivation.

📽️ YouTube - Rio Ferdinand meets Tyson Fury

- Recently I’ve watched interviews of Tyson Fury being so open about his mental health difficulties. With the recent news of actor Matthew Perry passing away, I can’t speak more highly of anybody who’s brave enough to openly share their struggles.

📚️ Book - Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

- I’m re-reading this short book by Derek Sivers as it has so many great reminders around remembering why we do things. We have more control over our choices than we realise.

✍️ Quote of the week

❝

You get no competitive edge from consuming the same stuff everyone else is consuming.

Derek Sivers