Deliberate Freelancer #34: Recognize and Relieve Burnout with a Refill Plan, with Latisha Carr
Today’s guest is Latisha Carr. Latisha is a trained life coach and self-care strategist who helps entrepreneurs build both a healthy personal foundation and healthy business cultures. Her signature framework allows her to help business owners find their essence—all while addressing thoughts and behaviors that are ineffective in helping them reach their goals and dreams. She leads events that help creatives and entrepreneurs develop new businesses, reach higher goals and create effective self-care plans. Latisha has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling and then completed an intensive life coach and leadership training program.
After earning her master’s degree, Latisha realized she wanted to help people “create a life that they love” so she became a life coach instead of a therapist. She now focuses on helping entrepreneurs and business owners embrace self-care and wellbeing practices.
Latisha experienced burnout herself when she was working in the mental health field. She says we can lose our passion for the thing that we love very easily because being an entrepreneur or solo business owner is so tiring. She has “found it in my heart” to help people create a structure in their business and life that makes self-care and wellness part of the foundation.
Latisha explains what burnout is and how it pops up in your business. Signs of burnout include resentment toward your work, colleagues or family, or a feeling of being lost or a loss of passion for your business.
Burnout can be a normal part of your life experience. But when you’re an entrepreneur, it might bother you more because your work typically “sparks joy” and suddenly it isn’t.
It’s best to recognize burnout when the symptoms first appear. And that means knowing the signs of burnout to watch out for. When you first recognize signs of burnout, Latisha recommends first writing down what you’re feeling in that moment. What is going on in that moment that is different from other times?
Once you recognize burnout, identify the things in your life that make you feel “refilled” and that spark joy in your life. What makes you happy? Learn how to hit the reset button on your purpose and your passion.
If you’re not fully burnt out, but if you’re just burnt out that day, Latisha recommends having an emergency self-care kit. She created a “happy playlist” of music that peps her up. Maybe you need to treat yourself to some chocolate or go for a 15-minute walk outside.
She also points out that a lot of people neglect drinking enough water and go through the day dehydrated. Take some time to drink water, focus on your breathing, sit and relax.
Latisha has created a “refill plan” that aims to help people replenish their mind, body, spirit and business. She encourages people to look at the practices you can build into your lifestyle and business that help you stay refilled and replenished.
In the area of your mind, you should set boundaries in your life and business, like setting specific business hours. You might want to adopt mindfulness practices.
In the area of your body, adopt healthy sleep habits, have a nutrition plan, drink plenty of water and have exercise goals.
In the area of spirit, do you have a connection with your God or with nature or do you have a spiritual component in your life? Consider building spiritual-filling practices into your lifestyle. For some people that’s prayer; for others it might be meditation. Being in nature can also be spiritual for many people.
In the area of business, set boundaries like business hours and the way you allow your clients to reach you. Create effective systems in your business that help your self-care. For example, are you on your computer all day long taking care of everything—including administrative tasks like invoicing—without getting any help (like a virtual assistant or an accountant)?
When discussing setting business hours and boundaries—not answering client emails 24/7—Latisha gives the analogy of Target’s business hours. If Target opens at 7 a.m., you can’t show up at 6:30 a.m. and knock on the door and expect to get in. Solo business owners and creatives should think the same way.
Latisha also talks about imposter syndrome. She sees it from two perspectives: feeling like you don’t belong in the room, but also the flip side of the coin where you are “playing small” in your business. You might actually be the big fish in a small pond and could do more but you’re “sitting in your comfort” instead.
Ask yourself: How do you show up as your full, equipped self in every space you go into? Not playing too small but also not feeling like the little kid at the big kids’ table.
Acknowledging your imposter syndrome, especially for women, is important. For example, women minimize themselves often by saying “just.” Let’s delete minimizing words in our vocabulary. And acknowledge your achievements and experience and recognize that you are qualified for a certain task or project.
Create affirmations to say each day. Saying “I am” statements can be powerful: “I am a leader in my community.” “I am a talented and creative ________.”
Latisha says we have to stop minimizing our achievements, even in our day-to-day lives because it can have a big impact on your self-confidence.
Biz Bite: Build self-care and wellness practices that work specifically for your lifestyle and business.
Resources:
Latisha is offering listeners a free 30-minute consultation. Go to latishacarr.com/schedule and click on “Discover Call 30 minutes.”
Latisha’s The Refill podcast