When to take a break?

[Tommy92l]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

 

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[Twiizlar]

I'm pretty sure you know the answer to your own question.

 

[marklov]

when you succeed.

 

[CreateLiving]

When you are uninspired, tired and feeling hopeless..Try harder.

 

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[jockinbox]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

Let me tell you a story,

I once took a job when I was broke and wanted a car to be able to take my then girlfriend on dates.
I took two buses to get to and from work making minimum wage and I would sometimes get home at 1 am if I missed the bus. One time I fell asleep at the bus stop since the bus never came.
Getting home at such a late time, I couldnt cook, I would go to sleep hungry.
I decided I wasnt going anywhere fast.
A friend offered me a commission only job, only one problem, I didnt know how to sell.
I didnt care, this was my ticket out.
I got every single sales book I could find. I would stay up reading for hours, until my head hurt, until my eyes were blood shot. I ran through more bottle of Advil & cans of Monster than I care to admit.
But I got good. I broke the sales record for the company. I bought the car I wanted. I didnt make much, I got F*cked over hard by every single job I've ever worked. But it was enough to be more comfortable.

The next time you think about giving up, consider the alternative
Catching a bus/train to your bullshit job, kissing up to some guy you hate. The brutally stupid conversations at lunch about politics (as if those mentally incapable people understand such a complex topic) the dramatic co workers, the "yearly reports" telling you you're more of a screw up than last year, or even worse "youve done a great job, here's a 20 cent raise" The bumper to bumper traffic at 8 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. The shaking of your alarm clock at an ungodly hour. This is the hallmark of mediocrity.

You can quit if you want,
Its not for everyone it might not be for you.

 

[Kyle Tully]

When is the right time to take a break?

Before you die.

http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/12/overworked-woman-tweets-dies

 

[jpmartin]

We're like a battery that needs to re-charge. I take a break every once a week to completely switch off, to conduct an audit of the week before (usually that means reviewing my journal).

Are you writing your thoughts down to clear your mind? I read somewhere that we have 60,000 thoughts daily. And every day we repeat probably 90% of those thoughts! WRITE IT DOWN. (And free your mind

 

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[GuestUser113]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

You can’t see the picture when you are in the frame. ~Les Brown

 

[Bubo]

I think the right time to take a break is when our body physically tells us. For example, you can't think or work efficiently if you slept 2 or 3 hours last night.

 

[MattCour]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

What are you taking a break from?

Do you have a business started that is generating revenue, or are you trying to think of something still?

Do you have a steady flow of cash from a job, what's the deal bro?

I've seen you post a ton of different threads asking opinions on everyone around you, where are the value add progress threads?

 

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[Tommy92l]

What are you taking a break from?

Do you have a business started that is generating revenue, or are you trying to think of something still?

Do you have a steady flow of cash from a job, what's the deal bro?

I've seen you post a ton of different threads asking opinions on everyone around you, where are the value add progress threads?

I'll shoot you a PM, I'd rather not say it here.

Also, I agree 100%. Where are my value threads? My .... image of self worth is very low. Even if I did have something to offer you, it wouldn't register. I'd just think - who want to want to listen to me?

I'm still learning at this point, I don't have anything to offer, but when I do, I'll try my best to vocalize it and won't be that guy that only takes.

Edit: I didn't mean take a break for 2 weeks. I meant a couple of days to recharge. It's one of those things where it feels like you cannot keep going because mentally, you're not clear. You can't do your best until you recharge. It's a realistic problem, which is why I'm disregarding the cliche motivational posts.

 

[MattCour]

I'll shoot you a PM, I'd rather not say it here.

Also, I agree 100%. Where are my value threads? My .... image of self worth is very low. Even if I did have something to offer you, it wouldn't register. I'd just think - who want to want to listen to me?

I'm still learning at this point, I don't have anything to offer, but when I do, I'll try my best to vocalize it and won't be that guy that only takes.

Edit: I didn't mean take a break for 2 weeks. I meant a couple of days to recharge. It's one of those things where it feels like you cannot keep going because mentally, you're not clear. You can't do your best until you recharge. It's a realistic problem, which is why I'm disregarding the cliche motivational posts.

Everyone starts at the bottom man, I don't care what anyone says. Don't believe the hype of Instagram. We've all been there in your shoes at some point. Some guys here have gone through divorce, custody battles, bankruptcy and other crazy shit you can't even imagine right now. Unless you're on your deathbed, things aren't THAT BAD..

First things first, you need to stabilize your ship. It sucks but you need steady income, so that may mean getting a job or two. Having steady income will boost your confidence a lot. Working at a job or two will also give you motivation to get into the Fastlane. With a clear head, you can then focus on making better choices.

After you've conquered Step 1, then you can look into ways to add value.

I was so focused on chasing trends and building a sales funnel that I forgot about tried and true businesses like good old Real Estate. There will always be opportunities in the RE game and other old school businesses that aren't sexy.

 

[pickeringmt]

I truly believe that breaks are essential.

If a guy keeps pushing beyond the point where he begins losing effectiveness, it is a waste of time in my opinion.

Just look at the law of diminishing returns.

I almost gave up on my business because I got burnt out. I took a couple weeks off, and came back with a totally different attitude.

Try working out 7 days a week - it's about the same.

Don't buy all the boilerplate. If you truly believe in anything that you want to become part of your lifestyle, it has to be sustainable. That means that it must have at least some kind of balance.

 

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[Waisec]

Balance

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, co-founder of Paypal and founder of Space-X, works 80-100 hours a week, but he enjoys playing video games every now and then.

Frank Underwood, ruthless pragmatic from the show House of Cards, house whip determined to become the president, plays Call of Duty off hours.

A friend of a friend of mine, who is worth tens of millions, is killing it daily in his construction and rental businesses and drinks whiskey and beds young good looking women on the weekends.

There are times where you need to do "short" (few days to a few months) bursts of intense work with very little sleep, entertainment or real social interaction. Sometimes it just needs to be done, especially at some critical point in you business. However, you can't sustain it forever or you'll burn out.

Don't burn out

Take some time off now for a few days. Don't think about business or money. Get drunk, party, watch tv whatever your vices are, do them

THEN get back to work and learn how to balance these things, so you won't have to make threads like this one ever again

 

[GuestUser116]

When is the right time to take a break?

When you're dead.

 

[Formless]

You know the whole 'excellence is a habit' thing?

Well, look at other 'non rah rah' habits. Like video games, or netflix.

You play, you game for ages. It's fun, sometimes it's frustrating as shit, but it's fun. After playing for about 8 hours (if you're hardcore, which is how you should be handling business if possible) you get tired, and you turn it off and rest a bit.

If you want 'business work' to become a habit that's part of your life, then you need to stop treating it as something larger than life.

Yes, that means resting from time to time. Or taking days off where you 'don't do anything business related'.

I can't count the number of times where a forum member with a very promising/developed progress thread writes a post saying 'did nothing today, just chilled out with my spouse watching movies and playing with our dogs.'

That stuff is important. Rest is important. Rest is something that should be done actively. If the word 'rest' makes you feel lazy. Try 'recharge'.

One reason I hate motivational videos and speeches is that they encourage an unnatural pace/mode. You cannot live your life in sprint mode. You do what needs to be done. You sprint when necessary, and you rest and regenerate.

Work hard. Play hard. Rest hard.

 

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[ArizonaBoy]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

You need to alternate between periods of exhaustion and periods of recharging - that's a natural human cycle, independent of if one thinks he/she should be Superman all the time. A few month's ago I read about this very idea in the book "The Power of Full Engagement". In it, the authors discuss how periods of stress and pushing yourself need to be followed by recovery periods to achieve maximum performance over the long run. They include lots of examples from the world of athletics and business. Being 'on' all the time with no recovery periods is a sure way to burn yourself out, not to mention it diminishes your creativity.

Giver yourself permission to take a break now and again and trust yourself to come back after the rest and kick a$$.

Bob

 

[Kyle Tully]

Read the power of full engagement by Tony Schwartz. You are more effective when you take regular breaks.


Sent from my iPhone using magic.

 

[Tommy92l]

You know the whole 'excellence is a habit' thing?

Well, look at other 'non rah rah' habits. Like video games, or netflix.

You play, you game for ages. It's fun, sometimes it's frustrating as shit, but it's fun. After playing for about 8 hours (if you're hardcore, which is how you should be handling business if possible) you get tired, and you turn it off and rest a bit.

If you want 'business work' to become a habit that's part of your life, then you need to stop treating it as something larger than life.

Yes, that means resting from time to time. Or taking days off where you 'don't do anything business related'.

I can't count the number of times where a forum member with a very promising/developed progress thread writes a post saying 'did nothing today, just chilled out with my spouse watching movies and playing with our dogs.'

That stuff is important. Rest is important. Rest is something that should be done actively. If the word 'rest' makes you feel lazy. Try 'recharge'.

One reason I hate motivational videos and speeches is that they encourage an unnatural pace/mode. You cannot live your life in sprint mode. You do what needs to be done. You sprint when necessary, and you rest and regenerate.

Work hard. Play hard. Rest hard.

All great posts but responding to this one for a specific reason.

I've told you guys before and I'll say it again just to clarify. I do stuff on Youtube, following of 40,000 people. I know, it's a not a business, but this is just one of those things where everything clicked and this is a great opportunity. I do comedy and gaming. It's built up an awesome following, but the thing is... when my Xbox or PC is on. It's for recording and editing. I just saved up and invested my money back into an Xbox one and a great capture card. I only play games to create something productive for my channel. Right now, I'm playing just for fun and I've got to tell you. IT FEELS WEIRD. LOL, I mean really, I don't like it.

I haven't played for fun in over 2 years (Back when I started, but I haven't had this channel for 2 years).

The habit of constantly pushing out a new video, figuring out something new to create, it has all just stuck with me. I no longer watch TV, I don't play videogames for fun. So, taking this break is weirding me out.

I know "Youtube", may not be your fastlane idea, but I can assure you it is like anything else.

If it works = Success, MANY opportunities open up
If you treat it like it's just something on the side with no real priority = You're done.

I've done the first one and it's been working out great, I just hit the point where I need to stop for a minute. The true struggle is that it uses an incredible amount of creativity, and sometimes that portion of your brain just shuts down.

 

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[Tommy92l]

You know the whole 'excellence is a habit' thing?

Well, look at other 'non rah rah' habits. Like video games, or netflix.

You play, you game for ages. It's fun, sometimes it's frustrating as shit, but it's fun. After playing for about 8 hours (if you're hardcore, which is how you should be handling business if possible) you get tired, and you turn it off and rest a bit.

If you want 'business work' to become a habit that's part of your life, then you need to stop treating it as something larger than life.

Yes, that means resting from time to time. Or taking days off where you 'don't do anything business related'.

I can't count the number of times where a forum member with a very promising/developed progress thread writes a post saying 'did nothing today, just chilled out with my spouse watching movies and playing with our dogs.'

That stuff is important. Rest is important. Rest is something that should be done actively. If the word 'rest' makes you feel lazy. Try 'recharge'.

One reason I hate motivational videos and speeches is that they encourage an unnatural pace/mode. You cannot live your life in sprint mode. You do what needs to be done. You sprint when necessary, and you rest and regenerate.

Work hard. Play hard. Rest hard.

All great posts but responding to this one for a specific reason.

I've told you guys before and I'll say it again just to clarify. I do stuff on Youtube, following of 40,000 people. I know, it's a not a business, but this is just one of those things where everything clicked and this is a great opportunity. I do comedy and gaming. It's built up an awesome following, but the thing is... when my Xbox or PC is on. It's for recording and editing. I just saved up and invested my money back into an Xbox one and a great capture card. I only play games to create something productive for my channel. Right now, I'm playing just for fun and I've got to tell you. IT FEELS WEIRD. LOL, I mean really, I don't like it.

I haven't played for fun in over 2 years (Back when I started, but I haven't had this channel for 2 years).

The habit of constantly pushing out a new video, figuring out something new to create, it has all just stuck with me. I no longer watch TV, I don't play videogames for fun. So, taking this break is weirding me out.

I know "Youtube", may not be your fastlane idea, but I can assure you it is like anything else.

If it works = Success, MANY opportunities open up
If you treat it like it's just something on the side with no real priority = You're done.

I've done the first one and it's been working out great, I just hit the point where I need to stop for a minute. The true struggle is that it uses an incredible amount of creativity, and sometimes that portion of your brain just shuts down.

Also, I really wasn't trying to be a dick by disregarding those motivation posts but they really don't help. It's too vague. Not everything is black and white . "Hey man, I'm tired out, how do I handle not feeling to great". "U ONLY SUXEED IF U ALMOST DIE IN DA PROCESS MAYNE".

It's not always like that.

 

[jpmartin]

The Power of Full Engagement

Really gotta get around to finish reading that book! Thanks for the reminder!

 

[cautiouscapy]

I mean really, I don't like it.

Yeah, this is why I've ignored some of the things people suggested to me as business ideas in the past - hobbies I enjoy and am good at, I know I'd hate doing them if I did them as a "business" (read self-employed job).

Anyway - do you do any physical exercise @Tommy92l? I love to sit on my a** in front of a computer, but even I know the stress-relieving value of hard physical exercise. Go to the gym, ride a bicycle, go for a run. It WILL help. Oh and make it a regular habit that fits in with your day.

[@Tommy92l PM'd me a link to some of his material a while back, I could see it was very funny (though I'd probably be about his mom's age and have never been a gamer, I've seen a LOT of the game he was working with over boyfriends' shoulders)]

 

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[Formless]

Read 'The E-Myth Revisited' by Michael Gerber, read the bit about Sarah the Baker and why hobby based business is likely to turn your perception of the hobby into a nightmare.

 

[Writer]

I have just been going and going and going... and I'm to the point where I've tried so much that I can't think anymore. Any thinking results in a headache and it's crippling my ability to progress. The thing is, I can't fathom the thought of taking any time off because of how caught up I am in this cycle.

My thoughts are cloudy, my head hurts, and I think I need to stop for a second.

When is the right time to take a break?

If you feel that you need 24 hours to recharge and be more productive, just do it. One thing I am learning on this forum is that it's not a matter of how many hours you put in, but how effective you are in the hours you work on your projects. Which is why 9-5 is idiotic.

 

[Tommy92l]

Yeah, this is why I've ignored some of the things people suggested to me as business ideas in the past - hobbies I enjoy and am good at, I know I'd hate doing them if I did them as a "business" (read self-employed job).

Anyway - do you do any physical exercise @Tommy92l? I love to sit on my a** in front of a computer, but even I know the stress-relieving value of hard physical exercise. Go to the gym, ride a bicycle, go for a run. It WILL help. Oh and make it a regular habit that fits in with your day.

[@Tommy92l PM'd me a link to some of his material a while back, I could see it was very funny (though I'd probably be about his mom's age and have never been a gamer, I've seen a LOT of the game he was working with over boyfriends' shoulders)]

I'm very active. Normally only using the computer to get my work done, then I cannot wait to get off of it.

 

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[jpmartin]

I do stuff on Youtube, following of 40,000 people. I know, it's a not a business,

Curious why you say it's not a 'business'? Don't you make money from your channel via Google Ads?

 

[Tommy92l]

Curious why you say it's not a 'business'? Don't you make money from your channel via Google Ads?

Guess I'm just used to the reactions I get, yeah know.

What do you?
- I am a salesman - Oh, ok! A true living!
- I have a Youtube channel - GET A JOB!

 

[jpmartin]

I have a Youtube channel - GET A JOB!

Why not change the language? There's a difference in ppls reaction when you say "I'm a writer" vs. "I'm an author". Experiment a bit How about... I'm a Media Programmer or Host.

 

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[theag]

Just take a weekend off, go to the beach, into the mountains, or whereever. Just take a good fiction book, maybe some wine and good food with you, sleep a lot.

Then monday morning, early, get back to work.

 

[Unknown]

The next time you think about giving up, consider the alternative
Catching a bus/train to your bullshit job, kissing up to some guy you hate. The brutally stupid conversations at lunch about politics (as if those mentally incapable people understand such a complex topic) the dramatic co workers, the "yearly reports" telling you you're more of a screw up than last year, or even worse "youve done a great job, here's a 20 cent raise" The bumper to bumper traffic at 8 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. The shaking of your alarm clock at an ungodly hour. This is the hallmark of mediocrity.

You can quit if you want,
Its not for everyone it might not be for you.

This should be set as the automatic reply to anyone thinking about giving up.

Dude if you're tired take a day off. One day isn't going to ruin anything. Read a book, watch some movies, and go to bed early.