The A La Carte

Right now, I’m in that awkward space between hustle mode and uh-oh-I’m-running-on-fumes.

I’ve been working hard lately, juggling client projects, newspaper deadlines, and trying to get new blog posts out into the world. The to-do list keeps growing, and I keep telling myself:

“If I just work a little harder, I’ll catch up.”

Except… here’s the truth:
That “catching up” feeling?
It’s a mirage.

Why I’ve Been Pushing So Hard?

Part of it is the work itself, but part of it is the year I had before this one. 2024 was brutal.

• In March, I lost my nephew. Helping my sister navigate the devastation of losing a child was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I took over what I could, helped her through the chaos, and tried to keep her afloat.
• In July, I was told I would never be able to swallow again after learning that my esophagus muscles had 100% failed due to advanced Achalasia. That was blow number two.
• In August, my brother-in-law was in a horrific propane tank explosion that landed him in the Harborview Medical Center burn unit for over six weeks, followed by months of healing at home before he could do much on his own. There is much healing still to come.
• By September/October, the stress had stacked so high that I had a heart incident, likely from carrying the weight of all those months without real rest.

So yes… I started 2025 feeling behind.
Behind on work. Behind financially. Behind on life. Behind on anything that felt “normal.” And when you feel behind, it’s easy to believe the solution is to push harder.

The Sprint That Never Ends

When you’re behind, working at sprint speed feels justified. Urgent. Necessary.
The problem is… when does the sprint stop?

For me, this week has been full of “just one more thing” moments:

• I’ll just finish this draft before I take a break.
• I’ll just answer these three emails before I get up from my desk.
• I’ll just power through dinner and work tonight so tomorrow’s easier.

Spoiler: Tomorrow’s not easier. It’s just another sprint.

Burnout Creeps in Quietly

Burnout doesn’t always announce itself with a big crash.
Sometimes it tiptoes in while you’re busy “catching up.”

You don’t notice it at first, it’s just little things:

• Brain fog when you try to start a task.
• Snapping at people for no real reason.
• Feeling “done” halfway through the workday but pushing on anyway.

And then one day you realize you’ve been running on fumes for so long, you’ve forgotten what it feels like to not be exhausted.

The Realization

Today, I caught myself in the middle of it.
I had this moment—coffee in hand, cursor blinking on the screen—where I realized I was about to spend my “break” time starting another project.

Not because I needed to. Not because anyone was asking.
But because I’ve trained my brain to believe that if I just keep going, I’ll finally get to that magical place where everything is done and I can rest.

That place doesn’t exist.

What I’m Trying Instead

Here’s the shift I’m working on (and yes, it’s hard):

• Taking a break before I feel fried instead of after.
• Stopping work at a set time, even if the list isn’t empty.
• Making peace with an imperfect “done” instead of a perfect “finished.”

Because if you wait until you’ve earned your rest, you might never get it.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been sprinting for weeks, maybe it’s time to pause.
The work will still be there tomorrow.
Your energy might not.

xo,
Ande