How do you quantify a good day?
Sustain issue #66 (Get Sustain in your inbox next Thursday)
When somebody asks me the first step to prevent burnout, I always say the same thing → REDEFINE SUCCESS
Success for me looks like how much I close my laptop & how much agency over my time I have. It has nothing to do with money and power.
I love this definition of success, but it can feel somewhat vague and hard to wrap my arms around.
That’s why I also use a few more quantifiable KPIs to measure my progress on a day-to-day basis.
- I focus on high-impact work → Measured by the 3x3 Rule of Work
- I rejuvenate daily → Measured by Three Good Pockets
- I fuel my body well → Measured by the compost I remove from my kitchen
Wait…
Compost?!?
How does that apply to success?
My theory: If I’m taking a nice bowl full of crisp watermelon peels, pits of juicy peaches, and stems of leafy kale to my compost bin it signals several important things.
It means I had time to plan healthy and nutritious meals for the week.
It means I went grocery shopping for food or picked it from my garden.
It means I made time to prepare dinner and/or blend a smoothie in the middle of the day.
It means I operated at a sustainable pace so I had the energy to prepare nutritious food. And not order delivery while sunk into the couch.
To me, the regularity I create compost is a fantastic proxy for how far away from burnout I am.
Do you have any unique ways, like this, that signal you had a good day? Reply and let me know!
🌎 Related: Composting options if your city doesn’t offer curbside pick-up
Ready to downsize your relationship with work and quit burnout?
Hi, I'm Grant Gurewitz. I'm on a mission to eliminate burnout at work. I've been in tech for 10 years (ex-Zillow, current: Qualtrics) and suffered deep burnout and came back from it even though I never found a playbook for doing so. So, I'm writing it myself.
✉️ Want my top tips? I share my full step-by-step playbook in How I Quit Burnout, my premium newsletter. Get the next one delivered straight to your inbox >
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