Burning The Candle at Both Ends: When Do You Realise There is No More Candle to Burn?

Over the last few weeks, probably more like 7 – 8, I have been working pretty damn hard.  I have a lot of projects on the go, several websites that I am currently developing, I have my network marketing business, I also have a local service business that I am working on growing big time in 2012.

I have recently discovered another niche product group that I am looking at getting under way shortly with my wife and of course I still have my job, but not for much longer!!

So suffice it to say that I am currently burning the candle at both ends and have been for some time now.

Wiki Answers describes it as: “Burning ones candle at both ends is often used about someone who’s working too hard with too many things, and as a consequence has to stop before he’s “done”. It typically means that one is staying up too late at night and getting up too early in the morning in an attempt to get more things done. 

A candle is intended to be burned from one end to the other only. “To burn the candle at both ends” implies that someone is simultaneously doing two things which are inconsistent or in conflict with each other (such as a married person carrying on a secret affair). The beauty of this metaphor is the visual image of a candle burning from both ends, consuming itself as it burns; and the danger of being burned.”

Well, nature has a way of telling us that we need to slow down and take a break.  I developed some serious tooth ache and it seems that a filling I had put in many years ago had now decided to crack on me.  I have experienced pain before but never anything like this, I can now sympathise with anybody who has had toothache.  The problem was that I did not stop or even slow down.  I worked harder, once the initial pain was over with a few pain meds.

I then developed flu last weekend, flu like I have not had in 10 years.  I was bedridden over the weekend, and all I could hear in the background was my wife saying “I told you so.”  And she had been telling me to slow down for quite a while now, but I did not listen.  How many of you out there are doing the same, burning the candle at both ends?  How many of you are ignoring those tell tale signs that are telling you to take a break, slow down?

I have not been putting in enough time with the kids or the wife recently, all I do is work!  I am quite sure I am not alone in my endeavours?  Most entrepreneurs generally work harder than your average citizen, but then again, none of us want to be average do we?

What this little episode has taught me, is that there is time for work and there is time for play!  When it is time for work, I work my backside off, and when it is time for play, I go mountain biking with my two boys!  Life is too short, you gotta enjoy it!

I will, however when I work be working smarter than I am now.  My schedule will be getting a lot tighter and more refined as to what and when I do things, I have purchased a timer and set blocks of time, typically in hour blocks, work hard for that hour and then ten minutes break.  Do the same for another hour and then have a longer break, probably about half an hour and the back at it for another two hours.

I find this way, I get a lot more productive and I am much more relaxed as I know at the start of each day exactly what I have to do and by when I have to do it!

Are you burning the candle at both ends and if so, when last did you take a break?

alan [at] alan-turner [dot] net

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Tagged as: burnout, candle, network marketing, stress, vacation