When I think back on 2022, one theme stands out for me: Burnout.
I know I’m not alone in that. Talk of “quiet quitting” abounds, as does peoples’ general feelings of ennui toward work.
My issue was over-booking.
I spent the first half traveling for conferences and speaking gigs (sometimes with trips twice in the same month, yikes) and the rest of the time doing client work, focusing on growing Content Remix (our podcast repurposing service), and doing a bit of consulting work.
It was a lot.
I’m grateful to have the heavy workload, but juggling it all was…tough. I skipped lunches, spent way too much time in my desk chair, and let exercise fall to the wayside for several months (which always sends my mental health straight to the trash.)
Oh, did I mention I also had stress-induced shingles for the *second* time in two years? Because yeah, that happened, too. Super fun.
My goal for next year is to be a better planner and to STOP overbooking myself to the point of burnout. (And honestly, with the economy being what it is right now, I don’t think that’s going to be too difficult…sigh.)
I will say that every time I do this type of activity, I'm surprised by what I learn.
Sometimes (by that I mean almost always) I find I need to build in more time away from my computer throughout the day with short breaks for walks, time outdoors, etc.
Other times, I discover insights into what type of work I enjoy doing most (as well as what work I don't want to do more of.)
I also pinpoint when I'm most productive doing certain tasks (and when that productivity starts to drop off) so I can optimize my days for the most productive office hours moving forward.
Now, I’m not a fan of just saying I’ll do things differently. I’m a do-er. So here’s my game plan to ensure this burnout craziness doesn’t happen again and that my sanity stays intact in 2023.
The first thing I’m doing is initiating planning on a monthly basis. I need to define what full capacity looks like for my business and then either:
Stop taking on new projects once I reach that point, or
Implementing a waitlist + deposit process for clients who want to work with me down the road once my availability frees up again
I’m using my friend Marijana’s Project Planner to document this.
It’s a Google Sheet (not a sticky note I’m going to throw away accidentally!) that helps me:
See my true capacity for the month. The clients I’m working with and the number of projects I have with them.
Book new clients and projects into a realistic next project opening. See what’s already on my plate (including retainer clients and other projects already confirmed.)
See the status of each project. Mark projects as confirmed, completed, invoiced, and paid.
Take time off! By monitoring the natural ups and downs and tracking average income for the whole year (instead of just individual months), I can spot patterns of natural ups and downs and the best times to take time off.
For my fellow organization nerds, the best part of this is that once you enter your clients, projects, and rates for those projects, you’ll see:
Monthly income and workload
Total income for the year
Average monthly income for the year
Visual income overview, month to month
A timeline of the entire year showing you which clients you worked with in which months
Income and projects per quarter
Percentage of income from each client
The planner also has a dedicated space to keep track of your rates for each client so you have all the right details at your fingertips…and don’t screw up your invoices.
If there’s one thing I know to be true, it’s that things don’t change unless you take steps to make change happen. Thinking about them, wishing for something different, complaining on Twitter…unfortunately don’t change a thing.
So here’s to doing better in 2023…for real.
