Ever since I tried to plan the entire next year of Girl Scouts in June, I’ve understood my tendency to look further ahead than the average person finds comfortable. Anyone who’s organized a family reunion way in advance (guilty here) knows that people just don’t want to think that far ahead. Upon reflection, they may have a point.

With a shiny new year gleaming like a child’s newly-washed ears, the possibilities seem endless. In my enthusiasm, I could with relative ease overload myself and burn out within the month. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)

This year I’ve added a new goal: building margin into my schedule. Burn-out won’t do me or anyone else any good. With DawnSinger releasing this year, I’ll need a reserve of time to meet new responsibilities.  I also want to leave freedom to catch opportunities. And I need to make time to rest.

Note to Self: Plan your year with an eye to avoiding burn-out