Core Concepts
Identifying and prioritizing energy-giving activities while minimizing draining tasks can help prevent and recover from work burnout.
Abstract
The author is prone to burnout and has experienced major work burnout in the past. In the recovery process, they have discovered two simple questions that help them avoid and recover from burnout:
What gives me energy?
The author's energy-giving activities include meditation, solitude, coloring, time in nature, and genuine friendships.
What drains my energy?
The author's energy-draining activities include driving, too many appointments in a single week, pushing themselves to do more, anxious thoughts, and too much sensory stimulation.
The author emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself and what feeds or drains one's energy. By adding more energizing activities and subtracting as many draining pursuits or situations as possible, one can be more likely to avoid burnout, even if all draining tasks cannot be eliminated. The author encourages readers to reflect on and answer these two questions for themselves.