11/10/25: Balance Over Burnout: My Wake-Up Call and 5 Ways to Stay Grounded This Season

Last week, I emphasized that November is the time to rebalance and channel extra focus into your business. But to approach the holiday season with intention and intensity, you also need to do it without burning out.

About seven years ago, I was in Healthcare Administration and my role at that time was helping roll out a new electronic medical record system.  By itself, that project is huge and stressful, but we hit a massive hiccup about six weeks before the switch over.  Through human error, much of the build and data entry we had already done was deleted.  We had two choices:  delay the launch several months or rebuild in under six weeks and go with our original date.  The decision was made to aim for the original date.  I spent the next six weeks pouring every ounce of time, energy, and effort I had into that project.  Launch day…and the subsequent days came, and I remember being incredibly disappointed with the results, wondering if we would’ve had a better product if we hadn’t rushed.  That is what my thoughts went to in that moment, but guess where my thoughts go now. As all of this was happening, as I was spending hours working at home to enter and transfer data, I was missing out on my life and family.  As my husband and girls were putting our Christmas tree up that year, I sat in the recliner watching and working, and at one point my husband said “you can’t stop for just a bit to do this?” and I had some sort of response about the importance of what I was doing.  

In reflection, this moment crushes me and makes me want to cry.  That moment—and another just a few months later—became the reason Balance & Business was born. I realized that everything was out of balance.  I would tell everyone, including my family, that being a wife and mom were the most important things in the world.  But everything I did, including working all those hours, at home, and missing key events like putting the tree up, showed that they were not my priority.  In February 2019, I had my second and defining ah-ha moment and decided changes needed to be made and balance needed to shift.  I lived by those new found systems and beliefs for six years, sharing my thoughts and revelations along the way, before I decided it was time to help women far and wide find that same balance, confidence, and clarity-hopefully before they experienced moments that wrecked them emotionally.

Although I still encourage you to maximize your efforts for these 4-6 weeks, I do not want you to have moments you look back on that cause pain and regret.  So here are some tips I would like to offer to avoid burn out and imbalance as you work through this holiday season:

1. Crush business during “work” hours and be present and at peace when you are with your life.  Even when you give it your all, you can create boundaries.  Still establish work hours; they may look different-extended, altered, or flexed, but stick to a work schedule.  It can ebb and flow each week, but have a plan, share the plan with the people around you, and stick to the plan.  Outside those work hours, be present with the people around you and be at peace knowing this is your “life” time and work can wait.

2. Find people, places, and things that will let you let go of work and give your mind a break.  Do you have a friend or family member who is easy to be around-fun, no drama, loves you for you?  Plan some time with that person.  Do you have a favorite place that is accessible?  Hit that place up during this holiday hustle.  Do you have something that lets your mind be free of work thoughts?  Do that!  This weekend I went to a movie with one of my best friends, spent quality time with my family, and watched sports (love it, even though it is a different stress).  In all of those moments, I let work not enter my thoughts.   

3. This may not be fun for you, but physical movement can be great for mental health.  Take some time to move your bodies-trips to the gym, walks outside, fitness class with a friend, catch with your kids, whatever puts your body in motion and allows the release of stress and tension. 

4. The next two might seem super obvious, but they are the easiest to forget in times of stress and crazy.  First, give your body the rest it needs.  I won’t say get 8-9 hours of sleep each evening, because as a mom, wife, and business person, I know that is not realistic most nights.  However, you can get to bed at a reasonable time, create good sleeping routines, allow yourself to nap or sit peacefully for moments throughout the day to recharge.

5. Lastly, hydrate and eat right.  Hydration does not mean living on coffee and energy drinks, it means lots of water.  Eating right does not mean snacking all day without any real meals or consuming junk foods.  Eating right means 2-3 balanced meals each day and healthy snacks.  Avoid anything high in sugars because it is not feeling and will give you a false sense of energy and likely a huge crash later.  You are in a season where you don’t need the crash!

Work hard, give yourself time to play hard, and make choices that make it possible to sustain a new balance for this short period of time without a sense of guilt or regret later.  If you aren’t sure how to design this “new” schedule, reach out and let’s chat!  We can get you a lot of clarity in a FREE 30-minute discovery call!

If time management skills are still eluding you, don’t forget to grab your copy of Manage Your Time, Don’t Let It Manage You, a self-led, self-faced time management and planning training. Workbook is included and you get lifetime access for just $29!