đ Burnout BFF November Reset: Checking In With Yourself
Launching a new weekly reflection series to help you end the year with intention, not burnout.
Hi Burnout BFF Community,
The holiday season is upon us, and many of us could use a little resetâa chance to reflect on how we want to approach our careers so we can start the new year with less burnout and more intention.
Every Sunday in November, Iâll share a short reflection prompt to help us explore how our work habits, beliefs, and choices contribute to burnoutâand what true alignment means to each of us.
This series is designed to be low-stress and low-time commitment (because letâs be realâif youâre burned out, you already have enough on your plate). Each week, Iâll feature a few community reflections in the next letter so we can learn from one anotherâs experiences.
đŞ Week 1: Check In â How Are You, Really?
November kicks off the holiday seasonâand the scramble to wrap up projects before the year ends. But before we dive into year-end goals or gratitude lists, letâs pause for a moment.
How are you really doingâphysically, mentally, and emotionally?
When weâre burned out, itâs usually because one or two of our non-negotiables are out of alignment. I wrote more about the four non-negotiables in my Burnout Survival Guide:
Itâs easy to move through the weeks on autopilot, especially when work feels relentless. This weekâs reflection is about checking in with your basic needs and noticing how work might be affecting them.
⨠Reflection Prompt
Score yourself 1â5 on the four non-negotiables in life:
đ Eat | đ´ Sleep | đââď¸ Move | đ¨ Play
Then ask yourself:
Which area has the lowest score right now?
How is your work (or schedule) affecting that area?
What would it look like to raise that score by even one point?
đŹ Share your reflection by 11/14:
Share your insights in the comments, or write your reflection privately here if that feels better.
The goal of this exercise isnât perfection; itâs simply to pause, check in with yourself, and reflect on the four non-negotiables in your life.
Iâve found that when I let my thoughts flow freely on paper, I often uncover things I didnât realize I was feeling. You might be surprised by what comes up, too.
đŞYour turn: How are your non-negotiables feeling right now? Post in the comments or submit your response privately so we can learn from each other. Iâll feature a few reflections in next weekâs letter. (Share by 11/14 to be included!)
đ Next week: Weâll explore what meaningful work looks like when you remove the pressure to simply survive.
If youâre enjoying this series, subscribe to get next weekâs prompt delivered straight to your inboxâand share it with a friend who might want to join the November Reset. Itâs always more fun (and easier to stay accountable) when you do it together :)
The Hardest Part of Burnout Isnât the Work
I recently ran a survey for people who are burned out and feeling stuck at their jobs. About 30 people respondedâand the overwhelming takeaway was the same: we need a space for honest conversations about burnout.
Sharing my reflection for this week's November Reset:
đ Eat: 4 | đ´ Sleep: 5 | đââď¸ Move: 2.5 | đ¨ Play: 3.5
I always struggle the most with "Move" because it's easy for me to sit in front of my computer for the whole day without stepping outside. Or sometimes I'd use my phone to do a task but ended up doomscrolling for an hour without realizing it. This gets especially bad during winter and I have to really consciously remind myself that it's good for both my mental and physical health to exercise and move my body. But the hardest part is just getting up and do it.
For me, improving my Move score would mean doing a 10-minute stretch every morning and going on a 30-minute walk each day (which I definitely did not do today đ)
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