Hot take: Vacations don't fix burnout 😱 🔥

The number of times I've heard (or even said myself) the phrase "I'm so burnt out. I need a vacation" shows that we've bought into the fallacy that vacations are the answer when we are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed at work.

The truth is, vacations are wonderful. They give you plenty of opportunities for rest, increasing endorphins and serotonin, and boosting your mental health in oodles of ways. BUT, they don't help you actually change anything when you return to work which means your burnout WILL return. Anyone else notice that you are feeling burnt out faster between vacations? 🖐🏼 That's because you haven't made any meaningful changes to the way you work while you are on vacation.

Recovery from burnout requires a change in action.

Here's a short exercise you can do the next time you are on vacation that will encourage change when you return to work. 🌴 🕶
1. Find about 15-20 mins to spend by yourself in a relaxing location with a pen and paper.
2. Write down 3 things you are doing at work now that bring you joy and give you energy.
3. Write down 2 things you want to start doing at work that will be meaningful to you. NOTE: You are going to feel the pull to write down tasks that need to get done, but that is not what you are wanting to output here. Focus on what will make you feel good about your work. Example: Connect more with my colleagues.
4. Write down 1 thing you are going to intentionally change when you return to work that will set up boundaries and support your recovery from burnout. This should be something tangible that you can commit to actually start doing as soon as you return to work to build the habit. Example: I won't check Slack after work hours.
5. List anything that could make you successful with the things you have written down. For example: Setting slack to shut off notifications after 6 pm.

What you've created is a map. 🗺 You know what you want to keep doing! You know what you want to start doing that will add more value to your day! And, you have one very specific thing you need to do to help yourself set boundaries.

Once you've done this exercise, commit to putting it away and not thinking about it deeply again while you finish your vacation. On your first day back to work, start your day by reading the list. Recommit to making changes to the way you work. You've given yourself a great chance at making some changes and beginning the journey to recover from burnout rather than survive with it.