This post couldn't have come at a better time in my life. After an endless series of minor mishaps and a couple of major health scares, I'm completely burnt out. Granted, my job is not to blame, but external circumstances do affect my job performance, which is why I took so long to answer this post. The "Blame the Society" part could be a whole Substack on its own. Until we truly create a society that allows us to step aside from hustle culture and stops romanticizing exhaustion, we won't see the end of it. It blows my mind how many YouTube videos and blog posts claim that you can become Bill Gates (or whoever is the millionaire du jour) by waking up at 5 am without considering a)that sleep is probably the most important step you can take for both physical and mental health, b) that everyone has a different chronotype and c) that millionaires are product of a part of effort and a huge part of circumstances and privileges. The oh-so-trendy self-care sometimes looks like waking up late, like taking a couple of days (or weeks) to prioritize rest, and that doesn't necessarily mean waking up at 5 am to do yoga before you work all day long. You touched on a very important subject here, my friend.
Sorry to hear tht you feel burned out. Luckily, you are self-aware and know that you then must rest and get rid of some of the obligations for a while - for as long as it takes. Hopefully, your surroundings will help you in this, showing empathy and understanding. It can be difficult for them at times, especially if they have not tried it themselves, so be gentle with them...
I agree very much with you evaluation of the "get rich and famous" videos on YouTube - and, btw., all the similar written claims in various blog posts that you just need to work hard, sleep less, do more... Of course that will not work! Humans are not designed to be running non-stop. we are constructed for bursts of activity, then rest, then perhaps another burst or another rest in a rhythm that isn't easy to plan for.
We really need to listen to the signals our minds and bodies give us: If we are tired, we need rest! It is that simple. Same with other signals: Hungry, then eat. Thirsty, drink. Full of energy: work.
Destroying ourselves will not make us millionaires.
Thank you for your kind words. Your newsletter is one of the few things that I find joyful lately. It sounds simple, doesn't it? But culture messes with your head. As everyone who read my latest interview knows, I've struggled with an eating disorder for most of my life, and I'm having to relearn to listen to my hunger, and it's not as simple as it seems! We really need to stop romanticizing harmful conducts.
This post couldn't have come at a better time in my life. After an endless series of minor mishaps and a couple of major health scares, I'm completely burnt out. Granted, my job is not to blame, but external circumstances do affect my job performance, which is why I took so long to answer this post. The "Blame the Society" part could be a whole Substack on its own. Until we truly create a society that allows us to step aside from hustle culture and stops romanticizing exhaustion, we won't see the end of it. It blows my mind how many YouTube videos and blog posts claim that you can become Bill Gates (or whoever is the millionaire du jour) by waking up at 5 am without considering a)that sleep is probably the most important step you can take for both physical and mental health, b) that everyone has a different chronotype and c) that millionaires are product of a part of effort and a huge part of circumstances and privileges. The oh-so-trendy self-care sometimes looks like waking up late, like taking a couple of days (or weeks) to prioritize rest, and that doesn't necessarily mean waking up at 5 am to do yoga before you work all day long. You touched on a very important subject here, my friend.
Sorry to hear tht you feel burned out. Luckily, you are self-aware and know that you then must rest and get rid of some of the obligations for a while - for as long as it takes. Hopefully, your surroundings will help you in this, showing empathy and understanding. It can be difficult for them at times, especially if they have not tried it themselves, so be gentle with them...
I agree very much with you evaluation of the "get rich and famous" videos on YouTube - and, btw., all the similar written claims in various blog posts that you just need to work hard, sleep less, do more... Of course that will not work! Humans are not designed to be running non-stop. we are constructed for bursts of activity, then rest, then perhaps another burst or another rest in a rhythm that isn't easy to plan for.
We really need to listen to the signals our minds and bodies give us: If we are tired, we need rest! It is that simple. Same with other signals: Hungry, then eat. Thirsty, drink. Full of energy: work.
Destroying ourselves will not make us millionaires.
Thank you for your kind words. Your newsletter is one of the few things that I find joyful lately. It sounds simple, doesn't it? But culture messes with your head. As everyone who read my latest interview knows, I've struggled with an eating disorder for most of my life, and I'm having to relearn to listen to my hunger, and it's not as simple as it seems! We really need to stop romanticizing harmful conducts.