4 ways to fight burnout while you juggle work and life

Andrew Jenkins was the speaker at an August meeting of the Midwood Entrepreneurs, a group of small business owners interested in sharing ideas and networking. Jenkins was there to talk about avoiding burnout.

Jenkins is the director of online marketing at a vitamin and supplement company, and he runs two organizations, Heart Meter and VoteSmarterNC.com. Add in family, friends and a girlfriend, and the possibility of “dropping the ball” increases.

Jenkins said, “That’s a lot to juggle.”

Jenkins has the Captain America vibe going for him so when he gave these four tips on how to avoid burnout, I listened. Here’s what he suggested:

See it coming

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” said Jenkins.

In his experience, rushing around in too many directions only leads to disappointing others. Jenkins recommended adjusting to the ebb and flow of your schedule. He plans his time around what’s most important.

When elections are coming, Jenkins knows that his work with VoteSmarterNC.com will take more time. He helps people make informed decisions at the polls by making the information simple to understand.

“I take important legislature like HB2 and break out which elected officials voted for it and which elected officials voted against it,” said Jenkins. “I also include their districts, their counties and their contact information.”

When Heart Meter is receiving a lot of donations, he spends his time there, figuring out where to send the donations.

Ask for help

Jenkins admitted that he’s not a “fake-it to you make-it type of guy,” so he leans on people in the community to help him when he’s struggling.

Heart Meter is a nonprofit organization that provides free video games and gaming systems to medical facilities, and Jenkins depends on donations to meet the goals he has set for Heart Meter each year.

When Jenkins shared that he may not meet Heart Meter’s fundraising goals this year with Corri Smith, the owner of Black Wednesday, a marketing firm, she raised $1,422 in 24 hours, a third of his annual operating budget.

Jenkins believes that we’re all in this together. One friend, David Jessup of Digi-Bridge, a nonprofit organization working to bridge the digital divide, has been inspired by Jenkins’ work.

He said, “He can do it, I can do it, we can do it.”

Be realistic with your time

Jenkins warned the Midwood Entrepreneurs about attending events and working on projects that don’t further the mission of their business or organization. He encouraged them to say no when it doesn’t move their priorities forward.

Saying no allows us to say yes to things that do fit with our goals.

“Time is a finite resource, you have to be careful how you spend it,” said Jenkins. “You have to prioritize.”

Go back to the mission

Jenkins showed us the thank you cards from the children who have benefitted from Heart Meter’s donated PlayStation 4. He keeps the notes in his desk and pulls them out when he needs a reminder of why he’s doing what he’s doing.

“My mission with Heart Meter is to remind these patients how to be kids, just for a little bit,” said Jenkins. “Take a step back, go back to the mission, refocus and prioritize.”

Photos: Courtesy of Heart Meter

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 11:03 PM with the headline "4 ways to fight burnout while you juggle work and life."