From Burnout to Balance: The Power of Week 5

You wouldn’t sprint a marathon without pacing yourself. So why are you running your life at full speed without a break?

Last week, I introduced the concept of working for four weeks and resting for one (you can read about it here). This idea comes from How to Love a Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estés—an incredible book, by the way.

I originally planned to try this “Week 5” approach a few times, maybe even for a year, before sharing it. But as I’m in the middle of it now, I thought—why not share my experience as it unfolds?

When I brought up this concept to friends, the response was often, “Must be nice,” or, “I can’t,” or, “That’s impossible with my schedule.” And I get it.

We’re all on this hamster wheel that never stops spinning. But at some point, the wheel will stop—whether because of burnout, illness, or worse. Not to sound grim, but this is exactly why Week 5 is so important.

I think of it like running on a treadmill. You’re sprinting, thinking you’re making progress, but when you look back, you haven’t really gone anywhere. You’re afraid that if you jump off, you’ll stumble, fall, or let people down.

And for those going through a crisis, the treadmill isn’t just fast—it’s at an incline. That makes everything harder. But sometimes, all it takes is someone reminding you: Hey, you can slow it down. You have the power to adjust the speed and incline.

My Week 5 isn’t about jumping off the treadmill completely. It’s about slowing down to a pace where I can breathe, reflect, and have meaningful conversations.

I’ve tried jumping off before—I called it “retirement.” (If you haven’t read about that experience, check it out here.)

Now, I simply schedule my Week 5. It’s marked in my calendar as “Week 5 Rest – No New Meetings.” I clear my schedule of new commitments but still connect with friends and colleagues over coffee, lunch, or dinner. The difference? It’s intentional. It’s purposeful. And I genuinely enjoy it.

So, here’s my challenge for you: Schedule your own Week 5—whatever that looks like for you. Maybe it’s sleeping in, taking a walk in nature, or indulging in a spa day.

Just know that after four intense weeks of running, you have the power to slow things down—even if just for a little while.

Seed Question: What would you do with your Week 5?