Job burnout is a debilitating condition with many possible causes and underlying symptoms.  I was recently suffering from burnout and after some research and self reflection, I came across a way that worked for me to overcome it, and the change seems to be lasting.

In the midst of what seems like a very promising speaking career, with tons of new ideas every day and the ability to implement any and all of them over time, I suddenly had no desire to do anything.  I had to make myself do the minimum necessary.  I’d go through my Outlook tasks looking for ways to put things off instead of completing and re-prioritizing them.

Once I realized what was happening, with a little help from my husband, I did a little online research as well as a little soul re-searching and discovered that I’d lost my focus.  Can you believe that?  Me – Debra Moorhead – the Focus Queen – losing her focus?   Talk about feeling like a hypocrite!  I mean, I talk about this, preach about this all the time in my seminars – staying on focus, learning to say No, focusing on your goals, your values, what matters most, etc.

But . . .

It happens to all of us.  When people come along with huge compliments and big desires for you, and you see how it could happen, and the subject is something you believe in, and hot, and new, and, and, and . . .

Well, it’s easy to get led astray.

So, I invented a new way to go through my Outlook tasks.

I created 3 new categories:  Mission, JOY, and Off the Path.  (Actually, I already had a category for JOY, but I’m using it in a new way here – bear with me; I’ll explain.)

“Mission” is for those items directly related to accomplishing my mission in life, which is to motivate, educate, and inspire others to be their best through my writing, speaking, and coaching.

The “JOY” category is for those items that feed my spirit and help me create my heart’s desires.  This can be anything that I just love to do.

“Off the Path,” are those obligations that I’ve allowed myself to be talked in to – notice that I said, “allowed,” – that’s very important because I accept full responsibility for everything occurring in my life.  But it’s important to identify those items and we’ll get to the reasoning behind that in just a moment.

I began sifting through my very long list and categorizing each item, making some tough calls along the way.  Let me give you some examples.

“Get book listed with Amazon,” is a task that has been sitting there for a few months.  The service agreement is downloaded and ready for my review, but I just can’t seem to get around to it.  This job is very important to my mission, so it went into the Mission category.

“Put away snowmen and re-decorate for spring.”  This undertaking is past due for me since, by February, we Kentuckians are tired of winter and very much ready to see the Daffodils pop up.  Since I love decorating the house and creating an inviting home for me and my husband, this chore went into the JOY category.

“Start writing ‘Paperless Dentistry.’”  Hmmmmm.  A few weeks ago, this was a very exciting project for me.  It’s something I believe in, it’s timely, it’s a hot topic, it’s necessary – lots of reasons to do it.  However, it’s not my passion.  I could rationalize it and say that it’s part of my mission “to educate others” and help them “become their best,” but when I’m honest with myself, (and if you’re not going to be honest with yourself, who are you going to be honest with) it really doesn’t set my heart on fire like leading a retreat based on Wake Up and Create the Life You Want.  This task is Off the Path.

I continued through the list until all 56 items had been re-categorized, with 12 items moved to the Off the Path grouping.

Bingo!  Just like that I felt a huge burden lifted from my shoulders and I started to get my mojo back!  I started writing again with passion.  I began pursuing a retreat venue.  The list within the Mission category suddenly seemed not only doable, but JOYful – it’s great when those two cross-reference!

Of course, there were a few errands that fit none of the three, such as replacing the Brita filters, updating credit card info on recurring accounts, or getting my tax information ready for my accountant.  These things, while neither particularly JOYful nor Mission critical, are also not Off the Path.  But with the Off the Path category defined and moved out, those little things don’t seem overwhelming at all.

What am I doing with the items in my Off the Path category?  Nothing for now.  I figure there’s no harm in letting them stay there.  If something changes, or I suddenly get bored and don’t have enough to do, they could move into the Mission field.  But then it would be my choice – and that’s the point.

Be true to yourself, your purpose, and your mission.  That is your first priority.  Everything and everyone else can wait.  Or, they will move on, proving that your involvement wasn’t necessary to begin with, which can be very freeing as well.

If you’ve lost your zest for life, I suggest you give this system a whirl.  You’ll be amazed at the renewed sense of vitality and energy it brings you.

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

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CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT NOW When you’re ready to take control of your life, you’ll want to purchase my latest book to get started on the right path. You’ll learn my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the Law of Attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams. Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment is helping many others do exactly the same.  You can read their stories here. If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.” Don’t miss out on this very special offer!

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