Balanced Lifestyle

How can I build a business and lifestyle that doesn’t burn me out?

Last updated 2023 March 22 | More of my big questions

Sub-questions

• How can I run a consulting business that lets me work on interesting projects without consuming all my time?
• How can I run an author business that doesn’t take too much time away from writing?
• Is it possible to run a business successfully without social media?
• What does it look like to build rest and recovery into my lifestyle?
• What builds energy and what uses it up?
• How does my mindset need to change to overcome social conditioning to achieve and conform?

Bookshelf

Books I’ve read to think about this question since 2021. Links go to my book review.

What Works 👍👍
by Tara McMullin
(productivity)
neurodivergent author
2023-03-08

Wintering
by Katherine May
(memoir)
autistic author
2023-01-17

Rest is Resistance
by Tricia Hersey
(non-fiction, memoir)
Black, queer author
2022-12-15

How to Keep House While Drowning 👍👍
by K.C. Davis
(non-fiction, organization)
neurodivergent author
2022-09-11

Notes on a Nervous Planet 👍
by Matt Haig
(self-help)
2022-09-09

Designing Your Work Life
by Bill Burnett + Dave Evans
(non-fiction, career)
2022-07-14

How to Live
by Derek Sivers
(self-help)
self-pub
2021-10-10

Four Thousand Weeks
👍👍
by Oliver Burkeman
(non-fiction, productivity)
2021-08-30

Your Music and People 👍
by Derek Sivers
(non-fiction, marketing)
self-pub
2021-05-29

Keep Moving
by Maggie Smith
(memoir / self-help)
2021-05-24

Burnout
by Amelia & Emily Nagoski
(non-fiction, self-help)
2021-04-03

Hell Yeah or No 👍👍
by Derek Sivers
(non-fiction, self-help)
self-pub
2021-01-08

How to Be Fine
by Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer
(non-fiction, self-help)
2021-01-03

Workshops, podcasts + videos

Other media I’ve watched or listened to in considering this question.

• Attended The Yearly Bento
• We Can’t Go Back
• Attended Goal Setting and Business Planning
• Watched Interview with James Clear
• Goal setting considerations
• Watched How My Mental Health Affects My Productivity
• Rethinking time to build happiness

Articles

Articles or longer responses I’ve written thinking about this question.

• Swimming outside the lanes
• Build a reputation instead of a personal brand
• A Life with More Buffer
• It Doesn’t Count If It’s Not Hard

Notes

Bookmarks and quotes from articles I’ve read related to this question, with my commentary.

Rethinking career

• Post-portfolio career
• Transforming ambition
• Making Outside of Capitalism
• Three Phases of a Creative Career
• Is this high impact?
• Using a sabbatical to grow
• A diverse pool

Slowing the pace

• The courage to stop
• Changing Your Life by the Season
• Things You Must Beware Of Right Now
• Chronic stress recovery
• Mechanical Time vs Body Time
• Microwave days

Balancing life

• The work is not enough
• Create space for yourself
• Take the good days for yourself
• Let Go of the Impossible
• Live in fullscreen mode
• Self optimization is not the answer
• Why are you speeding?
• Weekly check-ins for your values
• Maintenance supports change
• The Importance of Maintenance

Psychology of success

• Catching perfectionism
• Evaluating your fears
• Let it be easy
• Toxic self expectations