Goal planning when you are burnt out (or close to)

If you're feeling burnt out, it's important to take some time to assess everything that's going on in your life. Try NOT to push through the burnout on your own. It will only make things worse in the long run. Take some time to assess the situation and develop a plan of action before moving forward.

Once you acknowledge that you’re feeling burnt out --- take a step back and figure out what's causing the burnout. Is it your job? A project you're working on? Something in your personal life? Once you identify the source, you can start to develop a plan to address it.

If the problem is with your job, for example, you might need to talk to your boss about scaling back your workload. Or, if you're struggling with a personal issue, you might need to seek out counseling or therapy.

For me, a lot of times when I feel burned out is when I’m not prioritizing spending time upfront to make sure I am working off my to-do list. 

It seems like every day there are a million things that need to get done, and if I don’t take the time to plan out my day and priorities, I will quickly become overwhelmed.

Prioritize + Combine Similar Tasks

When you have a lot of tasks to do, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. One way to make things more manageable is to prioritize your tasks and combine similar ones.

Start by making a list of all the tasks you need to do, big and small. Then, arrange them in order of importance or urgency. Starting with the easy tasks FIRST can help you get into a groove and start crossing things off your list quickly.

If you have any similar tasks, try combining them so you can knock them both out at once. For example, if you need to buy groceries and pick up a prescription from the pharmacy, see if there are any stores near each other that would allow you to kill two birds with one stone.

By taking some time upfront to plan and organize your tasks, you can save yourself a lot of time and stress in the long run.

Small Steps to Reach your Goals

Set aside time each day to work on your task list. Dedicating even just 30 minutes will help you make progress. 

One of the most important things you can do when trying to achieve a goal is to break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. When you have a large goal that seems impossible, small steps can help you get there bit by bit.

Be Flexible and Realistic with your Goals.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not every day will be equally productive. Some days you may feel motivated and make great progress, while other days it may be harder to focus and you might only accomplish a little bit. That’s okay! 

If something takes longer than expected or doesn't go according to plan, don't be too hard on yourself—just adjust and keep going.

Achieving goals requires dedication and effort. However, trying to accomplish too much at once can be overwhelming, leading to frustration and giving up. Rather than attempting to do everything at once, it is better to break down your goal into small, manageable pieces. Being flexible and realistic with your goals will set you up for success in the long run.

Having a growth mindset plays a big role in success as well (see more on growth mindset here). Embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, and continuously strive to learn new things- all qualities of someone with a growth mindset who will be successful in achieving their goals!

Next time - Take a Goal Planning Vacation!

This is one of my favorite tips for creating goals in the first place. I have done this several times since my husband and I did our first goal planning retreat together - and it definitely helps. Read more about my favorite way to create goals — a goal planning vacation!

After - Reflect & Celebrate!

After you check items off your task list, take some time to reflect and assess for the next time. Ask yourself: 

- Were the tasks easier than you thought, more challenging, or around what you expected?

- How do you feel now that the tasks have been crossed off? 

- What could you do to make sure to continue working off your task list in the future?

Assuming you're happy with how things went, take a moment to consider how you can better integrate these types of tasks into your life so it doesn't feel like such a chore. If you found the tasks more challenging than anticipated, maybe chunk them up into smaller pieces or dedicate specific days or time periods to working on them.

You might also try setting yourself regular reminders, whether that's an alarm on your phone or writing it down in your planner each week. Whatever system you choose, make sure it's one that you'll actually stick to! And lastly, don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back for completing the task list - even if it wasn't perfect, any progress is moving toward your goals.

If you want even more help with goal planning for your business or life (one person who bought this workbook ended up setting and achieving his goal of buying a house), grab a copy of my goal-setting workbook.