Avoiding burnout is a common, and constant, challenge for many of us. Damon Brown’s article at Inc. shares how to beat burnout “with one simple rule.” The rule is called the “oxygen mask principle” and boils down to helping yourself first, so that you are then able to help others — similar to how you are instructed put your own oxygen mask first on an airplane. In his words:
You can’t help the client or your family, you can’t do pro bono work, you can’t help others in the profession, you can’t help anyone unless you yourself are comfortable. You need a healthy selfishness.
It’s okay to be a little selfish. For some, it might be deliberately planning holes in your schedule. For others, learning how to say no to a client or opportunity might be the answer.
