Would I consider myself an over-achiever? Probably. I live in the DC area and everyone’s on their hustle. Not even sure how I got this way because I was not like this as a child. I was pretty mediocre academically in elementary school and high school. I didn’t really do much as far as extra-curricular activities. I just kind of went through my day without much thought about whether I was doing it right or if I was properly setting myself up for the future.

Something happened in college– like a light went off. I was really inspired by Aristotle’s thoughts on excellence where he defined the purpose of life as continuous improvement or spending one’s life striving towards human excellence. I began getting straight A’s and it felt good. He also talks about the importance of a strong community and social relationship. This made me more conscious of how I spent my free time and with whom I chose to surround myself.
Living life striving to always be better and trying to stay connected with people is fulfilling– it has led to a lot of achievements, recognition, promotions, opportunities, life-long relationships etc. It has also led to burn out. That debilitating state of just being completely overwhelmed. When you can’t. Like literally can’t. So, what have I done to prevent this state? Here are the top five things that have kept me from completely losing it:

1. Pace Yourself

I tell myself this at the gym, too. I realized that I want lasting results, but in the end, “it’s a sprint, not a marathon.” I take my time and focus on building the habits that will carry forth future progress. It’s not about doing a million things within a short amount of time. It’s about building the right capabilities to become stronger and last longer, whether that’s the strength and stamina for a workout or for a work day.

2. Prioritize

At the beginning of each year, I set about ten goals. What I’ve learned is that each year, they tend to have similar themes: being healthy, nurturing the relationships that mean the most to me like the one with my mom, progressing in my career, experiencing new places and adventures, learning more about the things I’m interested in, etc. I’m more aware of what I care about and what gives my life meaning, so when choosing what to do or who to see and what/who to say no to, I reflect on what truly matters to me, then say no to everything else.

3. Outsource

You don’t have to do it all. I heard Tim Ferriss tell a story on his podcast today that he knew of someone who outsourced their worrying. And, that it actually helped to know that someone out there was doing the worrying so he didn’t have to. Just because you can do it, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. If you can pay someone to do something for you that frees up your time to do things that are more meaningful to you, do it.

3. Get a Massage

It seems like a lot of people feel guilty treating themselves to things like massages, but it does wonders. Yoga and meditation have the similar benefits of clearing your mind and relaxing you, and I’m all about that, but massages let you let go. Let go of having to do anything. You don’t even have to hold yourself up. You can just be. You can be, while someone releases the tension from your shoulders and clears your meridian channels of all of the blockages that manifest into toxic things in your life.

5. Indulge in Guilty Pleasures

Yes, television can be a huge time suck. But, who says you have to be productive and engaged in something mentally stimulating at all times? Whether it’s watching American Idol or playing Mario Kart for hours, there are actually huge benefits to getting your mind off of the work it’s typically immersed in throughout most of your day. In fact, doing these mindless things can serve as inspirations to your actual work because it gets you to relax your brain muscles and opens your mind up to something less serious.

It’s all about balance and being in touch with your mental, physical, and emotional state. If you go on autopilot crush mode for hours, days, weeks, months without taking a break, you’ll inevitably find yourself having a panic attack or mental breakdown. By all means, work hard and chase your dreams, but don’t forget to stop and treat yo’ self every once in a while! You deserve it.

How important is self-care to you and what works best to keep you sane? Let me know in the comments below!