Chicago – Rae Richmond is sharing her personal journey of navigating the challenges of emotional, physical and mental burnout while passionately pursuing multiple projects at once.
With an entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to excel, the vibrant and enterprising mid-life content creator says, “I tend to have a lot of irons in the fire. Being blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit also tends to bring out my workaholic tendencies! I’ve always been this way, and it’s a blessing and a curse.
“Between content creation, cultivating and maintaining brand partnerships and looking for new ways to promote myself and my content in both real life and through social media promotion – it’s a lot. And we can’t forget about that pesky 40-hour work week at a demanding ‘day job’”.
Richmond recognizes the signs of burnout, the fatigue that undermines people’s ability to work and accomplish goals, often accompanied by stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed. She candidly admits that reaching critical mass is a wake-up call, and this is when she consciously breaks the cycle, seeking relaxation, self-care and more moments of enjoyment with loved ones.
“When my stress level is through the roof and my shoulders and neck become balls of knots, I seek the help of my boyfriend, who is trained in massage therapy and able to help in that area! When I get to the point where I literally never put my phone down and my to-do lists have sub lists, and I wake up in the middle of the night to check messages and emails, that’s when I realize that something has got to give.”
Richmond offers advice that’s worked for her: “Some deep breaths and meditation – preferably regularly! – are much-needed paths to avoiding burnout in the first place. The work is still going to be there tomorrow. This is not life-or-death, and while it’s natural and OK to have passion for my creative endeavors – it’s necessary and healthy to have an outside life, too.
“I’m learning to be in the present moment… right here, right now. It’s OK to delegate and ask for help, as well as sleep, rest and relax. After all, is that not what the freedom of being an entrepreneur is supposed to be all about?”
Through her experiences and candid reflections, Rae Richmond encourages individuals to prioritize self-care, seek balance and find solace in the pursuit of other passions, and her journey serves as a reminder that embracing life’s joys and finding fulfillment extends beyond professional achievements.
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