“Is Burnout Sabotaging My Progress?”

A.D. Dunk
2 min readSep 25, 2023
An oil painting depicts a boy lifted by ten giant brown balloons. Birds fly around as the boy rises higher. Created by A.D. Dunk with Image Creator powered by DALL·E.

Amid a heavy workload and mounting obligations, I fall prey to burnout. Days slip by as I immerse myself in YouTube videos and documentaries, procrastinating on tasks I know I should be tackling. The question looms: Why am I acting this way, and what’s preventing me from finishing my projects? As I type these thoughts, the temptation to nap is overpowering.

Yet, I remember someone once saying that achievement becomes even more elusive when you’re close to the finish line. I must push through my fatigue and overload.

Three Strategies I Have Done to Regain Control

In my quest to conquer burnout and regain focus, I’ve identified three strategies that have proven invaluable in similar situations.

1. **Confronting the Fear of Failure**: The fear of making mistakes has been the major obstacle in my path. It’s why I struggle to complete what I start. I often have promising beginnings, but I want to abandon ship for something easier when a project gets tough. I need to acknowledge and push forward despite this fear to overcome it.

2. **Understanding My Emotions**: Assessing my emotional state when my progress stalls is crucial. What emotions are causing me to slow down or give up? By identifying these feelings and their sources, I can correct the negative mindset that fuels them.

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A.D. Dunk

I am a Christian, writer, brother, uncle, and friend.