Louise De Masi
Overcoming Burnout: 7 Tips for a Healthier Work-Life Balance
This video is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/louise for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help.
If you are so busy and so motivated that you work all the time and you never have any downtime then you, like me, might be at risk of burnout. In this video I talk about why I am at risk of burnout and what I'm doing to prevent it.
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⏰Time Stamps
0:00 Introduction
9:35 – 7 Tips to avoid burnout
10:55 Bloopers
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I want to talk about something a bit more personal today in the hope that what I have to say might help you if you're going through the same thing I've talked before about how to get out of a creative block when you're feeling uninspired and you don't want to be creative but what do you do when you've got the opposite problem what if you are so busy and so motivated that you work all the time and you never have any down time if that sounds like you then you like me might be at risk of burnout burnout is caused by too much stress particularly related to work or other demanding responsibilities when you were burnt out you might feel as though you're drained and you're lacking in energy you might be cranky and easily frustrated you're not as focused as you once were you're not as productive as you might have been and you make more mistakes than you usually do I often wake up and I have this feeling of dread where I think the day is going to be bad I feel that I'm at risk of burnout because I spent long hours here in the studio running a business is demanding I get up early and I'm often down here working in the studio before Dom even gets out of bed I work all morning either painting voicing over writing scripts or researching I have a quick 20 minute lunch break and then I'm back in here working until dinner time after dinner I'm at my computer in the house doing more work I might be writing blog posts or answering more emails or I might be researching topics that I can talk about here on this YouTube channel all this work is time consuming and mentally exhausting and I do it six days a week I don't get a lot of time to do what I really want to do and that's paint running a creative business is so much more than just painting I estimate I spend about 20 of my time painting and 80 of my time doing other things and I find that really frustrating when I do spend some time painting I'm often too tired to enjoy it properly I take every Sunday off and Dom and I look after our little grandson for the day and it's the only time I really take for myself when I'm not thinking about or doing any work if not for our little grandson I'd probably work on Sunday too in fact I do when when he has his nap I'm often at my computer researching stuff and that's it that's my week There's no leisure time there's no exercise time and there's just not enough painting time as I mentioned my mind is constantly in work mode I wake really early and as soon as I wake I start thinking about what I have to do and I can't get back to sleep so I get up and I start my day sometimes at 4 30 or 5 in the morning and I'm often working until eight at night my son Carl films and edits the YouTube videos which really helps once a month he comes up from Sydney and he stays for a few days and gets the work done but I still have to get the videos ready and scripted for him and that's where a lot of the work lies now that he's working for me I have to make sure that I have a month's worth of videos ready to film when he comes home before he was helping me if I ran out of time one month then I'd skip a video that week so be it there wasn't much I could do about it but now that he's working for me I have to get these videos ready as well as do all the other work that I have to do at the end of the day I'll often feel that I didn't do enough that day or I didn't achieve all that I wanted to that's completely irrational of course because when I look back at what I have achieved over the past few years I wonder how I got it all done on my own that's the problem I've worked so hard that I've forgotten how to live I have the fear that if I take a break the YouTube algorithm will demote me and people will stop following and watching my videos and then I'll have to go back to teaching at school it's crazy thinking that I know but that fear is what drives me now don't get me wrong I'm not complaining well I am but I'm doing what I love for a living and I'm grateful for that I get to work at home and I'm My Own Boss but I know that what I'm doing at the moment is not sustainable and I need to make some changes if this sounds familiar to you it's helpful to talk to someone who encourages you to think about how you're feeling I recently reached out to better help about my fear of burning out thank you to better help for sponsoring this video betterhelp is the world's largest therapy service and it's 100 online with better help you can tap into a network of over 30 000 licensed and experienced therapists who can help you with a wide range of issues not just how I'm feeling to get started you just answer a few questions about your needs and preferences in therapy that way better help can match you with the right therapist from their Network then you can talk to your therapist however you feel comfortable whether it's via text chat phone or video call you can message your therapist at any time and schedule live sessions when it's convenient for you I asked to speak to an older female therapist someone closer to my age and we message back and forth I told her that I was waking too early and I couldn't get back to sleep because of my thoughts I told her that I was concerned that I was at risk of burnout she listened and she's helping me to develop new thought processes I'm grateful to be reminded of these things and with her help I'm now working to make some positive changes if your therapist isn't the right fit for any reason you can switch to a new therapist at no additional charge with better help you get the same professionalism and quality that you expect from in office therapy but with a therapist who is custom picked for you you have more scheduling flexibility and it's at a more affordable price if you feel that you need help you can get 10 off your first month at betterhelp.com forward slash Louise that's better h-e-l-p better help and I've also linked them Below in the description so what I need to do now is reset my goals Dom has told me many times to eat an elephant you need to eat it one bite at a time I need to break down large overwhelming tasks into smaller manageable parts I need to set realistic expectations and work towards my objectives rather than becoming discouraged by the amount of work that I have to do here are some other strategies that I'm using lately I'm using the productivity app notion it allows me to keep all my thoughts ideas and current tasks in one place and it has helped me a lot it's like my second brain it's so good in fact I don't know how I used to work without it I'm trying to let go of the need for perfectionism I'm too hard on myself and everything has to be near perfect Before I Let It Go that's exhausting and I need to stop doing that Dom is helping me where he can we're working out other ways that he can help take some of the load like researching topics and writing scripts for me I realize now that I can't do everything myself so we're looking to hire a Content writer then I'll be able to offload a lot of the work that I do what I really need to do is add regular exercise to my list self-care should be a priority and I don't exercise nearly enough I realize that if I don't have my health then I don't have anything I have scoliosis and sitting for long periods of time in the same position is causing all sorts of pain issues and that's what I do I sit all day either at my computer voicing over tutorials or writing scripts and blog posts or I sit at my painting table and paint I need to address that as quickly as I can I need to get some movement happening in my day and I need to find Value in something other than my work so if you are feeling overwhelmed with your work here are seven tips that might help try to set boundaries between your work and your personal life put yourself first and do things that rejuvenate you away from work try to delegate and Outsource some of your workload if you can break tasks into manageable chunks and celebrate your progress remember how to eat an elephant learn how to manage your time better I'm reading a book at the moment called make time how to focus on what matters every day I'll link it in the description evaluate and adjust your work practices what's working what's not and take regular breaks if you can that's something I'm not doing and I need to start if you are feeling the way I feel I hope that sharing my pressures and strategies helps you better manage yourself so that you don't burn out keep enjoying what you do and make sure you take time for yourself if you haven't already please like the video and subscribe because it helps the channel and it lets me know if these types of videos are valuable to you I'll see you next week I hope if I'm not too tired filming rolling action stop I did all that without getting making a mistake maybe because I sort of stumbled a bit there but that's the problem I've worked sorry um do that again but I know that what I'm doing at the moment is not sustainable Anna's help me a lot [Applause] he saved that cough there didn't you it's like it's liked it's like to my second brain does anyone need to cough oh I'm using the I'm too hard on myself and everyone see too hard on myself Dom is helping me where he can we're thinking out we're not no we're working out what I really need to do is add regular exercise to my lips I need a drink just water not alcohol foreign
#Overcoming #Burnout #Tips #Healthier #WorkLife #Balance
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This video is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/louise for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help.
Thank you, thank you for sharing. Been there, in that hole. I survived, now I'm retired and looking back I see that it shouldn't have been that way. Not perfect. Everybody should think of self well-being first. If I'm good, everyone around you will be good. Thank you for your beautiful videos, now we see all the efffort you put in to do it, and it seems the time has come to put yourself first, delegate chores and enoy your art, enoy life, your grandson and make it all easier for yourself. Trake care. A hug ❤❤❤
I bought a hot tub to exercise in. I have severe arthritis and water makes exercise easier, and less harmful to the joints. It’s very relaxing too! Thanks for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate your work.
Thank you for sharing your work with us. I love your artwork, and following along with your step by step tutorials. I have a stressful life and your gentle voice is really really nice. Wishing you the best.😊
You are such a lovely generous person; I am so glad you did this for yourself. Your Patreon videos were excellent and competent, but I could feel your waning pleasure. Maybe fewer laughing out takes. Was afraid you were going to be a victim of your success. Thankfully, you stepped back and found a path. Must remember to put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others. Here's to walking that middle path.
Ich schicke Dir ein dickes Paket guter Wünsche .Liebe Grüße.
You are a wonderful talented woman, please remember that we all only get one precious life and money isn't everything
Please cut back your hours we will follow you
I hadn't seen this video yet, I don't know why… I qm onenof your Patreons though… It really touched me, Louise. For many reasons. How is your situation now, since the filming of this video? Have you found solutions to take time for yourself and to calm the anxiety and the perfectionism ? I warmly wish that. Kind regards.
Thank you for sharing this!!!
Thank you. I wish you joy and rest. You still have your great sense of humor though! I can use this. I am in a pre burnout state and my job doctor send me to a psychologist. I am getting a coach which is great. I feel to responsible for my job. I am an payroll administrator and two of my colleagues got another job ☹️. I have new colleagues and they are slowly getting better (I think I am the best though 😅). Take it easy! ❤
Love your art and your teaching. Watching this video and the bloopers, helped me to know other parts of your personality that are just as delightful!
Thank you Louise! I related to you and how you feel so much, I tried to hide all of this as I feel ashamed and a failure, it's hard for me to talk about and so exhausting. Thank you again for this talk and all the hard work you do🥰
Thank you so much for your important message ❤
Muchísimas gracias, hace poco la descubrí y en el poco tiempo que tengo de ver sus videos he avanzado en mis logros cómo nunca antes. Gracias por todo su saber hacer, pero en especial su saber darse. Ninguno de los que hemos sido bendecidos con su entrega, veríamos mal se tome tiempo cuando usted lo crea conveniente 🙏 Bendiciones ❤️🙋🏼♀️
lmao betterhelp.
I am a lot like you—right down to the lumbar scoliosis. I have long wished that you would slow down so that I, too, could slow down. Your body of work is SO excellent and rich that I need more time to absorb it. You publish videos faster than I have time to absorb them. I am an dedicated fan, but I don’t need to steal so much of your life. And I need to do more self care, also. Couldn’t we both just live pleasantly on less success, money, and output. Let’s try. I won’t stop following and enjoying you. Charlee, in Oregon, USA
I can absolutely identify with you! I am a retired school teacher, but am teaching privately at home all day long, painting is my passion and I find myself too exhausted to sit down and paint by the end of the day! We are just too hard on ourselves. My therapy has changed my life! Thanks for sharing, we do not need to work ourselves to the bone, life is too short and we just enjoy it! All my love !❤
I can relate to so much of this, Louise! Thanks so much for sharing with us. You're amazing!
i need more breaks but im kind of limited to what to take a break and do because to the plague😆
Louise, thank you for sharing this with all of us. Your a lovely lady and a fantastic artist. Please take care if yourself even if it neans uploading less often. Im sure your loyal fans will understand. Stress can really get a hold of a person at times. I'm going through a very very bad and stressful work situation. I need to get rid of the stress (the job). My stress level is quite high and my blood pressure is elevated. So my dr has me on blood pressure meds. Hopefully when im rid of this job ill be able to get ride ofbthe stress. Im Just getting started with therapy. Take care🎨❤️
Great that you share and that you can consider making changes
Last night, for the first time, I saw one of your w/c painting technique tutorials, then this morning I watched this video. Until this video I didn't realized I'm dealing with burn out for several years, this video brought tears recognizing I've been overwhelmed with high stress, burned out – dreaded painting, sketching. You've given me impetus to begin again. Thank you for making, what must have been, a painful video.
We love you, life is short, enjoy yourself with your husband and grandkid.
There is more in life then just painting…I want to paint more then I do, I am a beginner, but a perfectionist don’t like anything I do they were over it and I take all my joy away and so just enjoying it and having fun I can’t seem to do that so I hear you I understand your pain in my heart goes out to you take time to read, stay close to God.. I am hard on myself also. Soooo proud of you.💕
That’s right, if we don’t have are health we don’t have anything… yes….
I love how organized you your room as I hate my room because it’s such a mess
Hi Louise, sorry to hear of your struggle. Have you heard of scolio-pilates? This is great exercise especially if you’re sitting all day.
I’m so glad you’re going to hire a content writer. That should take a lot off your plate. I hope you can also hire some other people to take over some tasks so you can spend more time on self care.
Que bella persona!
Se merece lo mejor.Gracias por todo lo que nos enseña.
Saludos desde Argentina.
Louise, thank you sharing your personal struggles. I can only imagine how demanding it must be to do your art, film and edit it, and worry about social media algorithms while trying to be creative. You have an abundant amount of tutorials online and in patreon! I can't get to all of them now! Please do take care of yourself first and trust that those of us who love your art techniques will be here even if you take some time off!! I also sit at the computer and work at home as a college professor. I have had 3 pinched nerves in my neck so years of computer work does wear out the body. I do take off the weekends now and try hard not to check email. I also stop work around 4-6 now and do something I like and want to do and that's art. Don't allow yourself to burn out!! You're no good to yourself, family, or your fans. Take time off and find ways to recycle some of the older videos!! We'll be here!
Thank you for sharing Louise. Your schedule scares me, I hope you can enjoy what you have achieved. I have burnt out several times and I know I can never do again, what I did before burnout. When I discovered art, it helped me so much. I've recently joined your patreon and I've learnt so much already. Thank you so much for all you do. Viv
I hear you. I too have scoliosis and severe osteoporosis. I try and paint every day, but my huge flower garden ( a whole acre) and disabled partner and pets I care for takes up a lot of time. I work every single day all day and haven't taken a day off in over ten years. We also rescue animals. I cannot afford help in any way, nor can my back issues be repaired. It is a constant struggle. I often have wondered how you do what you do. Thank you for great videos. It is my dream to be a watercolorist and learn to also use gouache and colored pencils to enhance my work. I only recently started painting in my sixties.
Dear Louise, the same happened to me during the last twenty years: First it was the children, then my creative projects. I got completely burnt out, my marriage almost failed, because I didn't have any time for my husband anymore. I had to ask myself, what my priorities are: The answer for me is my husband and my family and myself. All else (creative projects, parents, friends etc). come after that. Please think and ask yourself too, what your priorities and values are, and organize your life accordingly. Career is good, but not if you sacrifice your health and family life. It's not worth it. You don't need to be perfect. Take more time for painting, make unprepared videos, be spontaneous, post less. Take time for yourself, for painting, your health and above all for your husband. I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart.
Great tips
So many YouTubers are feeling this burnout lately. So unfortunate how YouTube has changed its algorhythm in such a punitive way. It's turned the lot of you into YouTube slaves. Ruining your mental and physical health. Please take good care of yourself, Louise. Don't wait for the YouTube model to break you. With care,
We love your videos and hard work Louise! This personal share is extremely valuable to us as your followers. It really struck a chord with me on so many levels! Thank you is not enough, but thank you! Melinda, In Alaska
I really appreciate the effort that goes into your business. It's important that you take care of yourself because I would love you to continue with your videos and blogs. You are an artist first and foremost.
You produce professional level art videos, for which I am grateful. But I work from home also and understand how damaging sitting for long periods of time can be on our bodies, especially as we reach a wise age. I hope you find a daily exercise practice that you look forward to, and is restorative. Yoga, waking, tai chi… and some form of resistance training to maintain strength. Thank you for all you do. Lora
❤
Thank you 🙏
Precious Louise, you are a gifted instructor and have greatly increased my skills. Please remember that balance is just as important in life as it is in Art; but even more so.
❤&🙏🏼!
I liked this video because I sympathize, empathize. Creative entrepreneurs don't often have the luxury of 9 to 5 (and it does feel like a luxury, doesn't it?). And the demands of succeeding via social media and course platforms can be overwhelming. I hope you find ways to draw boundaries and recapture the freedom and fun of your creativity.
I’m also an older woman with an at-home desk job. I’ve struggled repeatedly with depression over the years, and I’ve never enjoyed exercise. I kept reading about how exercise is essential for both physical and mental health, but I couldn’t stick to an exercise routine. Then I decided to rescue a dog. We go walking morning and evening, and it has been so good for me. It gives me the motivation I need, and she brings me a lot of joy.
I’ve also learned that it is essential to take a full day off every week. I used to be able to just push through when I was busy, but now if I don’t take time to rest my body forces me to and I crash for a few days, unable to do anything. I like the advice in Ecclesiastes 4:6 – “Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and a striving after wind.” Enjoy your handful of rest. You need and deserve it.
Thank you for sharing your strategies. You are a-maz-ing! Take care of yourself.
WOW. You just described me. And I don't even have the benefit of making a living or working on my Art. I work on my house doing repairs. Every day. 7 days a week. I do everything myself. I have Serious health issues and I push myself anyway. I can't hire anyone and there's no one to help.
I really appreciated this video Louise, I have a lot of the same feelings for different reasons. But, thank you for this! Liz M.