Planning Can Stop the Burnout Cycle

I do mind admitting that in this picture, at a recent event with Patek Philippe, I look SUPER TIRED.

Those of you that listen to the Tailoring Talk podcast or subscribe to the YouTube Channel will know I’ve shared my and others experiences of burnout last year A LOT.

Just as I thought I was getting through the worst of it, we’ve been hit with a deluge of requests, emergencies - because clients both existing and new are making THEIR lack of bad planning OUR emergency.

And talking to a number of clients recently, so many of you experience the same in your own work, with your own clients. My accounting clients when it comes to Tax Return time of year. Solicitors with filing deadlines. So why do we then “pay it forward” to others that we work with, or serve us? How can we all become better at getting ahead of things instead of turning our own - and the people we rely on’s - lives into a constant pressure cooker?

In my out of office message last August when Carolina and I escaped to Cyprus, I reminded you that “I’m not your heart surgeon”. But here we are at the start of spring/summer and so many people seem to be having heart attacks! And I feel like I’m on call permanently!

So here’s a tip - whether it’s helping out your poor tailor, your personal assistant, accountant, lawyer, CFA or anyone else in your life that gets involved with time critical things for you.

Take a few minutes each week, look at your diary over a cup of coffee. When you see something that’s time critical, send a simple text to the people you will rely on to make it happen.

I don’t want to be burnt out anymore! And I don’t want to see any of my clients / friends burnt out either! So let’s just be a bit more mindful of taking care of the people we rely on by simply giving them more of a heads up, ok?