Why We're Taking a Break in August and Why You Should, Too
Have you ever been so burnt out that it’s hard to give the word a solid definition? The phrase burnout can be replaced by several variations: I’m unmotivated and today felt unreasonably long and I worked eight hours yet still feel like I can’t get anything done and I’m consistently unsure of myself and even when I’m relaxing, I don’t feel relaxed. Part of living in a hyper-capitalist society is the fact that work truly never ends. People are working overtime, neglecting work-life boundaries, and running themselves into the dirt. The pressure of these habits builds up into what we call burnout, a condition that can have serious repercussions if not dealt with accordingly. And the truth is, burnout can’t be solved with a face mask and a cup of tea. Habits are hard to break, which is why the true cure to burnout is to fix the industries that project these habits.
Here’s a solution we’re employing in our shop: When the month of August hits—a typically slow month for businesses down here in Florida—we close up shop for a week. If you’ve ever been into our store, you know that we constantly stay busy. There’s always an event going on, whether it be a tasting, an author event, or Harry Potter’s birthday party. But something we’ve learned as a business is that when the world slows down, it’s okay for us to slow down, too. Hence, the decision to close for a week. It’s an opportunity for our team to recharge and travel. It gives them time to combat burnout in a way that a long weekend does not. It’s built-in time, time that our employees don’t have to plan for themselves, that allows them to let the hard work melt away.
But changing the industry of burnout goes beyond giving your employees a week off every summer. We prioritize time-off on a daily basis; vacations are encouraged as well as random mental health days when they are needed. We are reminded of this during our monthly one-on-one’s with Terra: Burnout happens when people don’t take days to themselves “just because.” There doesn’t always have to be a reason. Which is why we have an unlimited time-off policy. This works to reduce burnout for a number of reasons. Yet, more than anything, it reduces the level of guilt that often comes with taking time-off. When relaxation outside of work is viewed as a necessity for productivity rather than an inconvenience, it changes the way we regard work as a whole.
“We’re also reading Burnout : The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA for our September Lady Leaders Book Club. Want to join us? More info here.”
If you work at a place that doesn’t prioritize time-off, there are still several small ways that you can battle burnout on your own. The first way is simple: Clock out on time. The work will always be there the next day and there’s no point in killing yourself to get it done during hours that belong to you. Especially, if you’re not getting paid for those extra hours. The sense of urgency to keep going and neglect your life outside of work is an arbitrary construct. Next, and this one is a bit more fun, stop living for the weekend! Another reason burnout exists is because the routine of work can consume your day-to-day life. Planning social events during the week, whether it be a happy hour or a trip to the movies, can help to alleviate the work slog burnout. Even it’s just going to the park for an hour after work to read, that’s enough to help you prioritize yourself. Then, when the weekend hits, you don’t feel like you have to fit all of your relaxation into two days—which never feels like enough time.
So, on that note, it’s important to let you all know that we will be closed next week, August 8th to August 15th. While we take this time to recharge as a team, we encourage you to do the same. If you’ve been meaning to take a personal day, now’s the time. Or, maybe you could build two hours into your schedule to catch up on your favorite show with a cozy snack. Host a dinner party, go to the beach, have a Wednesday wine night with the girls, whatever you need. We can’t wait to hear about how you’ve battled your burnout when we open up shop again on Tuesday, August 16th.