Stay Productive When Burnt Out By Working On Indirectly Related Tasks

No matter how hard we try, sometimes work just stresses us out to the point where we don’t want to do anything. If you’re dealing with a bit of “micro-burnout”, you can stay away from stress and keep productive by working on a peripherally related task.Photo by William Brawley

Noah Kagan of the popular AppSumo bundles aims this advice at entrepreneurs, but it can really apply to any type of work:

When I feel overwhelmed or uninterested I’ll try to do one small thing and evaluate how I feel afterwards. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and momentum. It may not always work but give it a shot.

Usually, when you’re facing micro-burnout, it’s because there’s one specific thing about the job that’s stressing you out — in Kagan’s example, sales numbers. While it’s important to tackle why something didn’t meet your expectations and how you can do better, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can stay productive without stepping away from your work entirely. You’ve got other things on your to-do list, and some of them are bound to be a bit removed from your source of stress. Hit the link to read more, and be sure to share your own anti-micro-burnout tips in the comments. Or, if you’ve got a more long-term case of burnout, check out or previous tips on how to deal with it.

Fighting Micro-Burn-Out [A Smart Bear via Hacker News]