Burnout is a bitch … and to some extent, I imagine we have all felt it; usually, it feeling like it’s just on the horizon.

A part of modern-day existence? Maybe…

Although not something you have to succumb to.

Ever wake up and feel like you need another night’s sleep?

OR get to the end of the day and wonder how the time has passed?

The days bleed into one another; it all just feeling too much…

And when I say “it”, I mean the general act of living.

It isn’t to say you’re unhappy or don’t like your life. You are just tired. 

Although the word tired doesn’t quite seem to do it justice.

That’s burnout, my friend, and it is a huge part of modern-day existence.

There are many reasons for it, from social media to remote working and comparison culture to name a few … this video isn’t about any of that, though.

No, this video is about overcoming burnout; at least staying on the right side of it.

This help comes in the form of three books.

All great, and all providing invaluable lessons to keep you conscious of your relationship with Hustle Culture so the very thought of burnout remains nothing but an inconvenient one — rather than a worry that keeps you awake at night.

Let’s dive in, starting with our first book…

BOOK 1: LIVE YOUR TRUTH

Written by Kamal Ravikant, this is one of my all-time favorite books that I’ve read on several occasions. A series of essays, the lessons on offer nuanced and often hidden; there for you to interpret in your own way rather than being fed to you in the form of lessons.

It’s a book that’s certainly helped me in many ways, and one I often think about.

I hope you give it a chance, and here’s one quote, one takeaway, and one reason to help tempt you into placing it on your reading pile.

One Quote:

“I am not the outcome. I am never the result. I am only the effort.”

One of those quotes that instantly changed me.

We place so much focus on the “result”, forgetting that we have so little control over it. I sense it’s the pursuit of this that so often leads us to burnout.

One Takeaway:

Embrace WHO you are.

In my debut novel, Beyond Parallel, I wrote about the infinite lives we could live; that daunting wonderment of “what if”.

We could be so much; could become so much.

Yet we are what we are and this is the life we own.

All we can ever do is own it.

One Reason:

A short book full of daily nibbles.

This book is short, the sort written for you to pick up each day and take little bites from; not to learn per se, but to sit on and reflect upon.

A book I truly treasure.

BOOK 2: STILLNESS IS THE KEY

Written by Ryan Holiday, a great writer of many great books, yet one of his that hasn’t built the same sort of traction as others he created.

Despite this, it has great lessons to live a more gentle, wholesome, and “slow” life that allows you to keep burnout at bay.

Once more, here’s one quote, one takeaway, and one reason to buy this book.

One Quote:

“Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections.”

We spread ourselves too thin.

This, at its core, is what burnout is all about.

To sharpen our arrow and master the life we live, we need to sit, allow silence to take us, and slow down so ideas and so much more can rise to the surface.

One Takeaway:

Disconnect to reconnect.

This world we live in is so busy; too busy; too stimulating.

We burnout because we do not switch off; refuse to disconnect from life.

Yet the real worth in living is to tune in to what’s going on within.

Once we do, burnout becomes an afterthought.

One Reason:

Silence can be your friend.

As the world grows noisier, and it will only become more so, it’s more important than ever for you to find silence in your daily day.

This book helps in that regard, and a byproduct of that is greater resistance to burnout, which surrounds you at all times.

BOOK 3: BURNOUT TO BREAKTHROUGH

Written by Eileen McDargh, this book acts as a blueprint for overcoming burnout as well as keeping it at arm’s length before it’s too late.

Here’s one quote, one takeaway, and one reason to add this book to your basket.

One Quote:

“Our lives are not compartmentalized into neat boxes.”

We don’t live a “work” life, “family” life, or “personal” life … we just have life and when there are issues in one they will lap into the others.

All we can do is take ownership of our one life and give it our all.

That means being true to yourself and integrating the various aspects that make up the path you walk each day.

One Takeaway:

Identify your current blockers.

Most of the answers you need regarding burnout are inside you and in front of you; all you have to do is take a step back and get clear on what currently holds you back, takes up your energy, and generally makes you feel out of alignment.

Once you’re clear on this, taking action isn’t usually all that complicated.

One Reason:

Resilience is learned.

We’re not set up for success. Once more, this world is so busy.

We, as humans, are still the same hardware from 20,000 years ago.

Yet the society we’re in evolves at an exponential rate.

We need to appreciate this and work on being resilient because nothing will slow down. If anything, it will only speed up.

CONCLUSIONS

These three books are great, yet not miracle cures.

They offer guidance, but no more than that.

What matters is that you take control of your life and commit to staying on the right side of burnout. You deserve that, as do those around you who love you.

So fill your cup each day, and give yourself the gift of being okay.

Even if that requires you to not be okay, on some of the days.

For more book roundups like these, you may like to explore our “3 Book” playlist.

I hope you enjoy them – if you do, be sure to Like, Subscribe, and all that jazz on YouTube, and be sure to share some comments sharing your own favorite reads that inspire you to lead a better, more fulfilling life.

hi, i’m turndog and I wrote this article … i am a writer, ghostwriter, anti-hustler & a guy on a mission to ensure you too escape the hustle — come be part of the [no hustle] movement

hi, i’m turndog and I wrote this article … i am a writer, ghostwriter, anti-hustler & a guy on a mission to ensure you too escape the hustle — come be part of the [no hustle] movement