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There’s something strange in these marketing waters.

In the past month, I’ve had too many conversations with marketers who are burnt out, overworked, and just generally exhausted.

It’s not just my network either. A trend of marketers and creators desiring an escape is bubbling up. Some coming from the subjects our marketer deep dive profiles:

There are a ton of reasons for this…

• the fact that our industry went 110mph when the world closed…

• and our work is with us 24/7…

• and we’re being asked to do more with less as the economy decides if it’s scalding hot 🔥 or tundra cold 🥶.

So today I’m sharing the best ways to combat this fatigue as sourced by…YOU.

The readers of this newsletter came together to share their best tools for overcoming burnout. The highlight is a detailed Q&A with Josh Polgardi who is on a sabbatical right now. Enjoy!

1 Strategy: Rest not Vacation

You all had great suggestions when I asked about burnout. The biggest takeaway was being able to identify the difference between vacation and actual rest.

Miriam Webster defines rest as follows:

Of course, this can include vacation. But how often do your vacations feature minimum function or metabolic activities? Mine don’t.

Once we had kids? Forget it.

Tripp Stanford from IFTTT had this to offer:

Two notable pieces here: He separates vacation from rest, and he gives a great example of what “minimal function” looks like for him.

Walking 30 minutes in silence. Nothing is being pumped into his brain. No extra stimuli. Just time to move and think. Restful.

Here’s another from Kenneth Burke of Text Request:

I really appreciate Kenneth’s perspective, because it is the easiest to overlook.

In our search for quick rest, easy ways out, and the next trend to follow - we sometimes overlook the obvious.

If you haven’t completed the work at hand everything else is a moot point. Your brain won’t allow you to take real rest until you’ve given it a clean slate. Wiping the to-do list is critical here.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer is an incredible resource for wanting to go deeper here.

1 Idea/Example:

Ok. The moment you’ve all been waiting for.

Career marketer (and reader) Josh Polgardi took the idea of “rest” to its furthest conclusion and is doing what many of us assumed is impossible: a full sabbatical.

I found out about Josh’s break and immediately had to know more. Thankfully he was willing to answer all of my questions and to share his experiences with you. Let’s dive in:

AL: Josh - can you give a quick intro on who you are and what you do?

I’m Josh Polgardi from Chattanooga, TN and I’m officially on sabbatical. Key facts:

• Folks say I remind them of Jim Halpert, with half the charm.

• I was wrongfully jailed in Eastern Europe and exonerated.

• A great cat is just as good as a great dog. Prove me wrong.

My marketing strike zone is B2B content/inbound. Show me your worst, most disastrous content problems and I’ll show you a weirdly excited, nerdy content guy with solutions and strategy. Nobody knows what they’re doing or why? Put me in, coach. That is…after my sabbatical. Right now it’s all about unbound thought and delightful rabbit trails.

AL: How did you decide to take a Sabbatical?

I needed enough space to be inspired again, and a vacation wasn’t gonna do it (emphasis added). Dwelling on ambitious strategies and the zestiest deliverables while falling asleep leaves no space for personal wonderment.

Marketing really never ends. Milestones and iterations vanish over the horizon like that desert road in Knight Rider. Which I love, by the way. But after ten years of accumulated ideas and “what ifs”…I realized these notions would never have time to breathe or get tested unless I ditched my 9-5.

It came with pain, too. I love my former clients and co-workers, and their enthusiastic support for my next step made it harder. But it was time to trade growing everyone else’s business for taking a stab at my own. Succeed or fail matters not; it’s time to actually find out.

AL: How are you structuring your Sabbatical?

Each day I pursue a rich, vibrant dose of mind, body, spirit, and self-improvement work to broaden my perspective, rejuvenate myself, and nurture my relationships.

Screw that. I’m not some sexy thought leader or influencer preaching about how I’ll optimize my way into a dream life. Don’t get me wrong, optimizing your systems is non-negotiable most of the time. But I designed this time for less structure — unrestrained thought and whimsy. Why?

Desperation characterized most of my marketing career because I started from zero. I met every opportunity, grind, and responsibility with a resounding yes. It was excellent, but exhausting.

Things are different now. I only have four requirements for this time off:

• Fight my Depression-era nature – think bigger than my default scarcity mindset and consider something with more long-term value than just compulsively taking another job. I’m not rich, but I’m also not desperate anymore.*

• Be open – take time to carefully consider every idea that now has space to boil up.

• Give – help friends and strangers, from moving a buddy’s couch to ideating a product launch strategy (I have “office hours” available for literally anyone that wants to talk – DM for details!).

• Follow through – 1 of my 4 core entrepreneurial ideas must be seen through to success or failure.

*I’m also no dummy. I’d consider a dream job opportunity.

AL: What Were the Biggest Challenges?

In the most amazing way, my biggest concern is also my most supportive cheerleader. Kristin, my wife, has been encouraging me for years to go solo on my ideas. Any of them. Not only is she ride or die, she’s Prada bag quality without a Prada bag requirement. Six pounds of love in a five-pound package. Thank you, Keers.

AL: What Are Your Plans Post-Sabbatical?

All I really want professionally is to look back and be happy I developed a better relationship with risk. Nobody thinks about upside risk – like “Hey, this could also go really well.” Maybe it will for me, too. We’ll see. Maybe that’s the subconscious self-improvement I’m doing right now…I just realized it.

What about you? How are you dealing with the idea of rest vs. burnout? Any helpful tips or experiences to share? LMK!

Thanks for reading! If you found this valuable, consider subscribing or sharing it with a friend 😊 

If you enjoyed this issue, take a look at some others:

• Dave Gerhardt: The Michael Jordan of Marketers

• How to Build a Founder Brand