Edition #75 – 8/12/2006
Lately I’ve been experiencing what I would consider to be “moments” of burnout.
My self-diagnosis is basically that I’ve been working extremely hard this year with too little rest.
Do you know the feeling?
It’s not that I’m on the verge on a nervous breakdown or anything like that (yet)…
It’s just that I’m starting to lose a bit of an edge… I’m becoming more easily distracted and slightly less efficient in my work. For example, I’ll sit down to do a task, and before I know it, I’ve spent nearly an hour watching funny videos on YouTube.com.
Then what inevitably happens is I just stay up later finishing the work that I should have gotten done during the day, which in turn compounds my lack of sleep 😉
I think I need a vacation, but maybe I just need to get into a better sleep/exercise routine… what do you think?
During one of my momentary brain drains earlier this week, I tried something that seemed to help. I went out and did some good old fashioned yard work to my overly neglected yard, and worked up a nice sweat. I focused on the task at hand (pulling up saplings that were invading my yard) and forgot about marketing for a little while. After that I was able to focus better for the rest of the day.
I’d like to hear your ideas…
What do you do to keep your mind fresh? And what’s the best cure for Internet Marketer Burnout?
I want YOU to be the teacher of this lesson… there’s no tip from me today. I want YOUR tips, so we can ALL learn from them…
As always, you can leave your comments here in the blog.
Have a great day!
Hi Eric!
I don’t know whether my advice will work for you. You just had a baby girl, right? Can’t she distract you from your computer? Or maybe you have pets? I’ve been teaching toddlers for years. Something I like from this job is I can forget my problems for a while and I do learn something from them about innocent life, something you wouldn’t find somewhere else 🙂
Maybe you can find something interesting by paying attention to your kid’s activities 🙂
Wish you the best,
Yen
Hi Eric,
I to experience moments of brain drain or brain farts as my kids say. Sometimes I simply try and accomplish to much and it gets away from me also. What I have found works for me are two different approaches depending on the severity of the episode. If it’s a relatively minor episode I simply stop what I am doing for a moment and take a long look at my wonderful wife and partner and if possible the others that depend on me and it’s almost magic how that seems to re-energize me and I am then able to go back on task with a new sense of focus.
If the episode is more severe meaning that I simply can’t keep the mind focused. I find that a 20 minute power nap right at my desk can rejuvinate the bod and brain and when I wake up and often plug into the headphones and listen to a good motivational audio while I work. Not suggesting these ideas would work for anyone else because face it we all know about different strokes for different folks. Just relating what works for me… Nice topic by the way.. 😉
To get our work done we have to focus. When we have been hitting it too hard we lose our focus and we then find ourselves watching movies on yourtube etc. I find that short breaks with excercise helps me to get back to work and focus. Now and then you have to get away and take a few days away from the computer. Sharpen the saw! Works for me.
Hey,
I figured I would offer my two cents because I find myself in the same predicament so often. The first key to remaining sane and healthy and free of complete burnout is to make sure you are getting a nice variety of vitamins and minerals everyday. I know it sounds like such typical and simple advice, but the fact is that it works if you consume the right amounts on the right days. The best thing to do is find a good LIQUID multi-vitamin. Liquid distributes itself throughout your body and bloodstream much more quickly and makes certain that you are getting all of the benefits of every vitamin found in the complex. The next thing is a seperate liquid compound of minerals, clean trace minerals. EVERYONE is deficient in minerals because it is virtually impossible to provide your body with a sufficient amount on a daily basis without supplementation. I would again strongly suggest a liquid purified trace mineral complex to be the best. I think you will be surprised what a little bit of supplementation can do for you. I’d gladly recommend a few specific ones if you’d like. Other than that, a little time away from your computer is always a good idea, if it is realistic and won’t cause you more stress when you get back into things. Hope some of this advice helps. Have a good one!
Howie J
http://www.innovativeincomestreams.com
http://www.innovativeaffiliates.com
Well, there have been lots of good ideas submitted. However, you seem to know what works but don’t take the time to do it. Namely, getting clean fresh air (not the air conditioning the Americans like) and doing a little bit of regular exercise either outdoors or in an area where there’s an open window and with deep attention. Physical exercise or movement will not only help to keep you fit, but will also enliven the mind.
Apart from exercising and making sure you get enough fresh air, it might be useful for you to practice proper stomach / diaphragm breathing deeply several times a day. An increased supply of oxygen to the lungs also invigorates the brain. While walking, inhale and exhale deeply. Count to four with the inhalation; hold the breath counting to four; exhale, again counting four; and hold the breath out four counts. Repeat this exercise 6 or 12 times in succession. Again, standing still, bend forward and exhale completely. Let your arms hang loosely beside or in front of you. Then inhale from the diaphragm, straightening up slowly and raising the hands to the chest, your elbows out to the side. As you reach the upright position, raise the arms high above the head and stretch upward, completing your inhalation. Hold this position briefly, then exhale slowly, stooping forward in the reverse order of the above movements. Repeat the exercise three times. While practicing deep breathing, remember a deep, full inhalation should always begin at the diaphragm, extend to the floating ribs, and only in the third and final stage include the upper chest. Wishing you all the best, your suggestions have also been helpful.
I feel better as the day goes on IF I workout. My workouts consist of benchpressing, stomach crunches, and running. The more I stick to a regimen, that good feeling increases. Today I watered the plants and flowers around the yard, and I felt better afterward. I am able to plough ahead online when I have that good feeling. Taking care of our bodies and having a sense of accomplishment doing chores are two keys for me to avoid burnout.
Eric,
Hi. I think the hardest part for me and many others, is being ‘happy with our lot’. While witnessing those better known marketers around us seem to earn 10’s of thousands per month, and continually seek more, it warps our (my!) mind to say “I must have a piece of this action” and then when something works, well of course you have to have more and more!
Human Nature at its finest :).
My tip for you is to realize that you are much further ahead of this than so many others, you have a lot of fans, a family, a 25,500 Alexa ranking, and most likely many other things that I dont know you well enough to expound on.
Enjoy your day!
Andrea
http://www.chooseadirection.com
Eric,
Thanks for all the tips so far, I hope to finally be able to get going REAL soon. I find the best thing for clearing my head to be spending some quality time my most precious fiancee’. She deserves the attention and I feel so much more at peace with the world. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful woman, that understands that all of this time that I’m spending researching, is going to make our lives together so much more relaxed. She will be able to stop working and probably even help out with our online business.
Thanks again, Eric, and keep the tips coming.
James
We can all sit here and tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but deep in your heart you know what you need to do. So find that quiet spot, fold your hands and close your eyes and give thanks for all your blessings. Give thanks for all your past trials and hardships. Give thanks for all your good fortunes. For your family, friends, co-workers, employees and your success in business. Gave thanks to your readers even the ones that didn’t buy from you because you might have even touched their life in some way or another. Just gave thanks. Then when you’re all done just do one more thing and that is reach out and help someone else regardless of time or money and you will really understand that true blessing or calling God has given you and you will be at peace. For everyone else out there that might be reading this please just remember this. We came into this world with nothing and the only thing we can take with us is knowing that Jesus died for our sins and we are forgiven by the grace of God andif we believe we will have life everlasting. P.S. Sorry if i misspelled anything.
Hi Eric,
You know that we each have our own (unique) bag of cement to carry through life. I am pretty much a full time seller on eBay (tangible items) and I want to break into digital products and internet marketing. First I need to learn from guys like you.
So, what do I do when listing gadgets on eBay gets too dull and monotonous for me and I start to go stale. I move over to your websites and start reading your tips and reviews. I find that doing the opposite from the usual grind is the best boost. Yes, I am a lazy coot and hate exercise of the body.
I recharge through exercise of the mind. I can get engrossed in Sudoko and take my mind off eBay.
Maybe, just maybe, I should do some physical exercise.
think about your lovely family – they make it all worth while.
cheers – greg
Hey they’re Eric, howdy folks 🙂
Long time, I want apologize, I’m not trying to hide or be rude, I’ve just got issues & tissues that’s all I can say. Catching up to last week back at the ranch, Eric sounds to be a little tired and needing more out of life? He asked me to give some input on the subject so here it goes.
Feeling a little down in the dirt are we? Well back in the day we plain had to strap up our mule’s and get to plow’in the north 40. Yep > plant our maze we did – and we liKed it too….
Tell ya what folks, pretty much it comes down to something my dad always used to tell me. “You gotta love what you do, because you’ll be doing it for 8hrs a day. Personally I can do just about anything, I have worked through most of the construction trades, rebuilt cars & engines, traveled the country living in motel’s for month’s at a time, & spent 20yrs in a tie, working corporate America as a field rep and tech support.
Out of all of it, the computer has always held my interest the most, Its like a puzzle, plus a challenge making them do what want, keeping up on the way software gets ahead of hardware and vise a versa etc. For me “time†is the factor – not enough of it. > Ya know I’m not getting older, I’m getting longer…. :-O
So I hope you all enjoy what you do because that will make it much easier on your constitutions. Of course there is always better living through chemicals, has anyone tried that butterfly marketing On Viagra yet? Seems there is an open market for those gattling email guns that shoot out all that love. Maybe Eric needs some help, your working to hard there bud, take a break & go fishing, or head too the hills – their in your back yard. Maybe take a few days, grab the wife and kids and head up to yellow stone, hang out in the big state of Y-O. I know you have a nice Frisbee golf course probably just up the street, if you need I could come up sometime & whip ya into shape.
Maybe we all need to lighten up a little and smell the roses some more. So I hope I pass, everyone take care out there and laugh a little more…
-scott
Dear Eric !
When a man is so far that he is losing his energy and good will at work, then is red light shining on Traffic lights.
He must ask himself if it is already time to go on the next level. To higher goal. To his mission on planet Earth –
which is our common mission. Do we know what is our mission ? Some people does. You know it.
When I see hungry children, poor helpless people and families with no way out, I receive such unstopable energy that I have not in mind I must go on vacations, that I am boaring and I don´t know how I can cut the monotony, or I have too much work and stress…. I get so much Power that I am able to work without sleeping, eating and I even forget on myself. When I´d work just for coloured paper- called money, I could never be happy, satisfied and complete. Money is just a tool for higher goals. When we use our time and money for higher goals we can have so big life energy that many of us could not imagine.
You are really great person. I respect you from my heart and soul. You are helping to the people as you can and as you know or as you think.
But there is the way so you can help them on other means or modes and more you have in your mind.
And don´t get me wrong – not with your money. Money is the last thing on the list.
I would write to you personaly to discuss more about that but I don´t have your email. But you have mine now.
God bless you Eric. Well done! You are one of the rare people who has a lot more humanity in his heart like
many other people who are in this Big business Online direction.
Internet is not just for money makers it can be used to create better people and better conditions for them.
That is more worth than any treasure or money of this World.
Good luck and all the best to you and your Team.
What helps me is exercise and making it a rule to go to bed at 10.30. But if I fail in this and even if I haven’t I like to use my own relaxation audio: http://www.magneticsounds.com/ It only takes 20 minutes and makes a world of difference to how I feel.
I had a similar experience recently and decided to take my 10 year old son fishing. It was a great time and we really need to do it more often.
Cliff
http://www.amilliondollarmemorial.com
http://www.mercysjourney.com
http://www.theforerunnernetwork.com