Feeling worn out can come from factors such as sleep, diet, sickness, stages of life, and much more. There’s so many factors that can lead to just feeling plain tired. Also, it’s winter right now in the northern hemisphere. 

But there’s something else. 

In work, which is where we spend many of our waking hours, feeling a lack of energy comes less from how much we’ve worked and more from a lack of reward for our work.

The reward can come in many forms. Money, recognition, satisfying curiosity, or making someone’s day better. 

It’s important to have a reason for doing something, and to see that reason reflected quickly. Feedback loops help us know if we’re on the right track. I once worked on a project for nearly a year, and ultimately never had a real feedback loop (unless you count navel gazing) to know if I was on the right track. It was demoralizing, caused friction within the team, and led to little opportunity to grow. 

I’ve felt burnout before and it came not from the work I was putting in, but from a complete disconnect of appreciation for the work. That can be partially on the person doing the work and not putting their energy in the right place, of not understanding the signals that the direction they’re taking is wrong, but it can also come from a bunch of factors outside their control. 

So now I look for some sort of response to the inputs, something to show that I’m on the right track. 

In work you hope to see a direct connection between your inputs and revenue. That’s one of the clearest lines you can draw. 

However, in much of my career the connection has been muddy. And when that connection is muddy you run the risk of infighting, chaos, and burnout. 

When I feel a blocker in work, I look for a way to get a feedback loop, to know if I’m on the right track. I’ve had plenty of times over the years where the answer to that was unclear. When that happens I don’t just stop trying, but I also look for methods outside work to gain energy. 

Ironically, having great things happening in your life outside work often lend to a better attitude toward the blockers you might face during work. 

For me I’ve always tinkered with some side project. It’s fun to have some thing I’m playing with that’s a hobby, that brings joy, and satisfies my curiosity. I also try to make sure I get out and run as often as possible, try my best to get enough sleep, and eat healthy. That last one’s a bit tricky for me since I’ve had a lifelong sweet tooth, but frankly I feel there are worse vices. 

I’m such a fan of the book Essentialism, and it’s followup Effortless. In the beginning chapter a man is ready to give up on his job, but decides to stick it out and only say yes to the things he really can make an impact on. The result was one of the largest raises he’s ever had in his life (feels like Office Space). 

That story stuck with me, the fact that had he didn’t have anything to lose and decided to focus on where he was the best. 

Sometimes energy comes from doing a thing simply for its own sake, sometimes it comes from helping out someone else on a small project, whatever it takes find a place to get that energy. 

Also, remember that even if today isn’t great, tomorrow could be better.