03:20 So reflecting on the messages I received from those two people on that same day made me realise that i think about planning in a different way to a lot of people and that it would be a good idea to talk about that some more. Here's the controversial thought that I want to share with you today, if you're feeling depleted that doesn't mean you shouldn't plan So I suspect that many people would say that trying to do some planning when you're exhausted is a bad idea, that it will add pressure and fry your nervous system even more. And in extreme cases that might be true and i also think there's a way for planning to be helpful so i should say at this point i am not an expert in burnout if you are unwell and unable to make any decisions at all please seek out support from someone who is an expert but if you're feeling depleted and you have at least some capacity to do this
04:10 Then sitting down quietly in a cozy spot with a cuppa to create a plan can actually be a really good thing when it's done gently, intentionally and with a specific purpose in mind. That purpose being to help you recover! So what I think most people fail to realise about planning is that it can all about deciding what not to do giving yourself permission to say no To acknowledge that you're not firing on all cylinders and so some things will have to not happen. And to make that a choice, when you give yourself a little time to look at the things you feel you should be doing and then decide not to do most of it or at least not now... You can stop worrying about it! You can tell the people you need to tell. Clients and collaborators are usually very understanding if you tell them you're having a tough time and won't be able to get things done by the date you'd originally said
05:03 Is staying off social media for a while going to result in the collapse of your business? Will the world end if your email list doesn't hear from you for a couple of weeks. Is that more important than your well-being? Probably not, so give yourself permission not to do those things instead of fretting about the fact that you're not doing them either way if you want to prioritize your health those things are not getting done but by sitting down and making that choice you don't need to feel guilty about it Remember, planning is not about cramming loads of doing in so that you can meet your goals as quickly as possible. And it's also not about planning out exactly what you'll be doing every minute of every day leaving zero wiggle room for you to be human It's about paying attention to how you're doing and choosing where to focus your time and energy So you can move closer to your vision and take care of yourself along the way
05:53 And if that vision includes being healthy and not working yourself into the ground, it's okay to have a season where the main focus is taking care of yourself. And if that means you have a plan that feels a little empty or sparse embrace it! When you're exhausted you need space to recover and intentionally planning what gets your precious energy and what doesn't is in my experience a really great way of giving yourself that space I hope this helps you think about planning a little differently so you can lean into it when things feel tough Remembering that when done gently and thoughtfully it can relieve the pressure rather than add to it. And as always I hope that this helps and I look forward to seeing you again soon
