From office parties, end-of-year goals, family obligations, keeping up with clients, holiday shopping, battling the housing storm, and everything in between…

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Burnout feels inevitable – almost like a rite of passage. 

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I mean, I’m starting to feel burnt out just listing it all out. 

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But here’s the thing…

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Being a shell of yourself (professionally and personally) come January 1st doesn’t have to be the norm. 

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So let’s take a minute to zoom out. 

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You see, when you look at it from here, it seems like a lot. It already feels overwhelming, and it’s only just begun. 

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But what you’re not seeing is the CRUCIAL in-between of all those activities. 

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I call them my Reset & Recharge moments, and I always try to insert them into my daily (or at least weekly) life. 

• Movement: Move your body and release some endorphins. some text
  • Low-impact walks
  • Distance runs
  • Workout classes
  • Gym sessions
  • At-home Youtube workouts  

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• Distance: Don’t feel ashamed to shut off from all things work sometimes. Depending on the level of rest you need you can take a whole day off, a few hours, or even just 5-minutes. 

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• Mindfulness: The holidays come with intense highs and lows – add in a volatile housing market and you’ve got the perfect recipe for stress and negative self-talk.some text
  • Grab a notebook, put on a 30 minute timer, and list out everything you're feeling. Start with the negative thought/emotion, list out reasons for what might be triggering that, and then solutions for fixing it or shifting the thought. 
  • If you’re not much of a writer, that brings us to my next point…

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• Connection: In the spirit of the season, now’s the best time to get on the phone and catch up with your industry buddies. They understand your situation best…after all, they're in your same position. 

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It goes without saying, but God and family are not included in my list above because that’s a daily non-negotiable for me. Especially during this time of year. 

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Here are your action steps for today:

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1. Make a list of what your Reset & Recharge moments are. All the things that help you get grounded, whether it’s abstract or concrete, write it down. 

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2. Now, take a deep look at what the month ahead looks like. I’m talking about a full-blown calendar with every single holiday party, vacation, meeting, errand…get as granular as possible. 

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3. Start peppering in those Reset & Recharge moments in between everything. Be realistic (you’re probably not going to be able to run a 5k every single day at 5am) and really use it as a treat to yourself – not another task. 

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If you’re wondering why I’m suggesting you schedule these out as if they ARE in fact a task, it’s really just so you start viewing it as a priority in your day to day. 

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A non-negotiable that’s as deserving of a space in your life as your client meetings.

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You show up better for your family, your work, and everything else if you show up for yourself and take care of you. 

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Happy holidays, 

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Amir Syed

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