TOTM September 2015 - Burnout

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ghrit, Sep 1, 2015.


Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    No, your abode didn't burn, but you may have. It has been said that being prepared is a lifestyle with some good arguments that it is such. But I tend to think it's less that than a way of thinking, just to remove the "style" from the equation. We know it is possible to fry your brain if one aspect of life becomes an obsession. How do you avoid overemphasis of prepping to the extent that the goal cannot be reached, it has become too all encompassing? Do you shift mental gears into a different aspect of preparedness, or do you drop back and do something entirely different? What do you do that is entirely unrelated to preparation for something other than the daily routine? Are your pastimes truly unrelated to preparedness, or are they linked, even remotely?



    With a wink and nod to @Motomom34 here's a brain fryer for you from our good friends at FEMA.
    America's PrepareAthon! |
     
    Hanzo, Dallanta, JohnSteven and 7 others like this.
  2. oldawg

    oldawg Monkey+++

    I have been an active prepper since'73. Burn out does happen and having experienced it I have a couple of tips. Do not make it your lifestyle but rather let it ride alongside your lifestyle. Simple less stressful ways of doing it are there. Don't run out and buy a 4-5,000 dollar food storage not even knowing whether it will sustain you or give you appetite fatigue. Buy and use preps a little at a time and decide which works for you AND YOUR FAMILY. Take first aid courses as they come along and get your supplies as your knowledge and skills increase. A fully equipped E.R. is no help if you don't have the skills to use it and not necessary for a hang nail. Don't let the talking news heads determine the speed at which you prep. That seems the biggest reason for burnout. You have the stress of the news itself added to the money and time needed to the mindset of GOTTA GET IT ALL RIGHT NOW!!! That just stresses the relationships with your family. Make time to turn off the news, make it a quick check of new post here at the Monkey tree, and then go to Youtube for some "hold my beer"vids or outside for a walk or game of catch with the kids.Camping trips are for family fun. A little learning in bushcraft is fine every trip but don't turn every minute of it into a "super duper commando" qualification test every time. Camping and bushcraft along with hunting and fishing is supposed to be fun and relaxing. Let it be that and knowledge is still gained.
     
    duane, TXIII%, Hanzo and 10 others like this.
  3. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Buy a new motorcycle.
     
  4. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    I like to work with wood and building things....it takes my mind off of the days minutia and puts me in a happy place. I find that once I am covered in saw dust.... nothing else really matters. Turn off the PC, the TV and just crank up some tunes in the shop and get to work. :cool:
     
    duane, Hanzo, ditch witch and 8 others like this.
  5. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    My secret drug.... crochet pot scrubbers I will find one and post a picture

    Maggie's Crochet · Nylon Pot Scrubber - Free Crochet Pattern

    Her pattern takes more nylon netting, mine arent this pretty. I chain 8 make a circle and the every other loop hook with a chain 2. (greek I know)

    Its amazing how calm doing this makes me. They are also handy on a plane to pull out when you dont want to talk to someone sitting next to you. I try to look domestic and like a little old housewife on her 1st plane ride =) seriously people wont sit next to you on unassigned seating
     
    Hanzo, kellory, JohnSteven and 4 others like this.
  6. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Same for me,except it's more with steel or gun work.
    Wifey has decided she wants one of these..
    Boxcar Ellis Console | Vintage Industrial Furniture

    I plan on using reclaimed oak pallets for the wooden top.
     
    Hanzo, Dallanta, kellory and 5 others like this.
  7. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    All linked.
    Me? I just live life. [bateye]
     
  8. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    Well, I started prepping about 10 years after oldawg and my attitude is a lot like Tracy's.

    When I started, it sort of grew out of a lifelong habit of accumulating things I thought I might find a use for...and finding that use. I had just started building what was planned as our vacation/retirement home and sort of added retreat to the mix. My wife still thought I was crazy at the time about the world headed downhill so I had to kind of disguise the retreat part behind the retirement part...that kind of set the stage for the way I kept from burning out for a long time.

    My basic advice is to not let prepping for the fall become your whole life. While I was building and stocking our retreat, I was also building our retirement home in the woods...and a lot of my life was building the resources that would make a comfortable life if the S never did HTF in my life. I am not sure I could have found a career as far from prepping as the one I pursued and it ate up a lot of my time and energy, not to mention putting me far from home about 60% of the time...frequently on the other side of the country. When I was working, the house, tree farm and storage was not even close to on my mind, but there was always a plan to get my loved ones there if something happened while I was away.

    After I retired, it became much harder to separate my lives and I eventually did burn out when I really did run out of reasons to keep going. My health was such that regardless of how I prepared, my time in a collapse would be limited by the shelf life of drugs that keep me alive, so it was about ensuring life and comfort for my wife and kids. Eventually, my wife died and our youngest (mid 30s now) took over taking care of the property and rotating the stocks.

    A lot of words and explanation for a small and simple piece of advice, but that is why I don't offer much of it the last few years.

    PS...for those of you who still have a spouse that thinks you are a little crazy, be patient, mine finally came around in the first couple of years after we retired and was very glad to learn of stuff she had never realized I had done. One of the last things she told me before she died was that I was her hero for the things I had done to protect her and the kids.

    [peep]
     
    TXIII%, Hanzo, GOG and 17 others like this.
  9. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Early on in the 90's, I would always have a "bug out bag" with me, and lived life as normal as I could. I guess "prepping" really is more of a lifestyle than a hobby, but it may just start out as the latter. I know I turned away from large stores of canned goods and switched strictly to freeze-dried, simply because it alleviates much of the burden. A two year rotation versus twenty year shelf life or longer really was a "no-brainer" for me. I now have more time to write, paint, sculpt, do leatherworking, gunsmithing, and anything else I find time for.

    I think the primary goal is important --to be more self-sufficient. No matter which path one may choose to take to become more self-sufficient, always try to leave time to enjoy life a little bit.

    Or buy an old one and fix it up. ;)
     
  10. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    The above pretty well sums everything up..:)
     
    Hanzo, stg58, Motomom34 and 5 others like this.
  11. JohnSteven

    JohnSteven CHUNKY MUNKY

    ---

    Yeah,
    I think I feel similarly regarding "Working with Wood" -
    honorable tradition. ... AND it's needed in a post-apocalyptic kinda way.
    Gotta build "Stuff"- facilities / barns / N... n-stuff... !
    I'm thinkin'.... TINY-Homes... (BIG barns)- potties- N... "stuff".
    :)

    of course.... sittin' and whittlin' could be OK also.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2015
  12. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    I work as a damage control professional and never even consider getting burned out on prepping, it is something that I use more than I care to admit. Prepping has become a necessity, as I am always faced with some new crisis. I didn't know it was a choice? It just is something you have to do to protect your family and life. It is not, nor has ever been a hobby or fad with me, it is the only way I have ever lived or will continue to.
     
    duane, Hanzo, Motomom34 and 4 others like this.
  13. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    For me, 'prepping' is just an extension of growing up in places with bad winters. Always made sure we could manage being snowed in for a while. And also growing up poor and having a monotonous diet for long periods of time, 'appetite fatigue' isn't a problem for me, having only 5-10 different meals to eat is fine. Especially if I don't have to cook, and chocolate cream pie is in there somewhere ;)

    And someone earlier mentioned the GOTTA GET IT NOW! mentality encouraged by media, and just yesterday was talking to friend about how people seem to forget every year they live in storm(as in tornado/hurricane) prone areas, because when the alert goes out, the store shelves get emptied in record time. Be better to just stock up a little at a time during good weather.

    My goal is to be self-sufficient as possible, so outside 'crises' don't affect us. This year I am kind of taking a break from alot of it, just to 'regroup'. House needs to be seriously cleaned/reorganized anyway, I need to have an environment conducive to de-stressing. And cat-proofed.
     
    BlueDuck, Hanzo, stg58 and 7 others like this.
  14. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Started prepping very modestly almost 30 years ago but it became less prominent in my life during the 90's. Y2K was not really a big concern but it did get me going again and opening the thinking of my wife. Ebola was great for really getting my wife and daughter much more engaged (let no crisis go to waste, eh?). Started following several blogs and websites but frankly, I get tired of the hype and fear mongering of many that really offer little new or unique, just rehash the same conspiracy as a bunch of other sites. I suggest quit reading a lot of those crap websites. Focus on projects, DIY, etc. and keep it fun, not fear focused.

    AT
     
    Hanzo, vonslob, Motomom34 and 4 others like this.
  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Until 9-11, I did much the same on a plane, but I was weaving chainmail. Now I can't bring the required hand tools on the plane with me.:(
     
    Hanzo likes this.
  16. Dallanta

    Dallanta Monkey+

    I am a retired electronic engineer. Long as I got something to build or tinker with I can relax. Of course, many books online do that for me too.

    Sorry for your loss man. I think the same way though. Got a pacer/defibulator so prepare for the family and just see where it goes.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 5, 2015
    Hanzo, Tully Mars and Ganado like this.
  17. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I don't know if burnout happens but I get tired. This new life that I am trying to lead certainly takes more time, effort and energy then the old way or at least until it becomes routine. I have taken an approach of trying to learn to be more self sufficient but work and children are still as time consuming as they always were. One thing that helps is I am able to say, "this can wait". I am not one of those people that starts something and has to complete then and there. I can leave a project half done and circle back. Some may say that is a flaw but I can have a half dozen things half complete but I will not drive myself nuts trying to complete something that can wait. I actually have found that with some tasks if I walk away it gives me time to think and stream-line a process, thus things go easier. One thing that happens is I may not burnout on a task but the kids may. Example: I had set a goal to set aside XX amount of rice every week for XX months. Every week it was process rice. Since I bag the rice in X cups per bag it takes time and work. I was fine but the kid finally said no more Mom. That was a huge lesson to me. I failed to think if I was burning out those that are on this change/journey with me.
     
    Hanzo, kellory, Ganado and 2 others like this.
  18. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    The thing about food prep is its never ending. A mechanical project has a clear beginning and end. Food is consumed, grown, preserved in a cycle. There is no clear end, its on going and seasonal, it has to be done when the food is ripe. So getting burned out on food prep is easy to do.

    I don't think anyone is completely self sufficient today. I could be wrong but I know I'm not self sufficient and I'm ok with that.

    I'm like @Airtime I started small along time ago. 1st was indoor pots of herbs and my interest grew. It probably comes from how I was raised. Now I have a full blown small garden which takes a little time each day. (of course canning is a PITA but I just set aside the time) @Motomom34 you are a brilliant mother and woman. I love what you posted about thinking about the people around you. Its great that your kids can say 'no' to you occasionally and you listen.

    I do a lot of planning before I move on something. ATM I am working on what to expand in my medicinal garden. I am prolly not going to use a keyhole bed this time. I will probably go with a hugal bed so I don't have to water it much. Am I going to dig these beds myself. Hell no! I am planning for ease of use after the beds are in place.

    There are so many common weeds that are great medicinally. My point in telling this story is I do what interests me. If I fall into survival mode and live in fear I'm done. So if it ain't fun for me I ain't doing it! (with the exception of canning when the time is ripe, somethings you just cant rebel against ;)
     
    Motomom34, Hanzo and Tully Mars like this.
  19. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Moto, you might find that changing your measurement method would help. Figure out how much you want in one container, then cut a piece of PVC that fits that volume. Add a baffle at top and bottom, and a funnel at top, and it will premessure each "charge" for you in a second. Slide on your bag and open the bottom baffle, only the contents of the tube will fill the bag.
     
    Hanzo, Tully Mars and Motomom34 like this.
  20. stg58

    stg58 Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Looks like 70 year old Neil soon to be divorced (in California $$$$$) has a different opinion) since Rust Never Sleeps..



    Neil Young selling Hawaiian mansion for $24 million | Toronto Star
    .....

    ....
    The rock'n'roll spirit is not survival. Of course the people who play rock'n'roll should survive. But the essence of the rock'n'roll spirit to me, is that it's better to burn out really bright than to sort of decay off into infinity. Even though if you look at it in a mature way, you'll think, "well, yes ... you should decay off into infinity, and keep going along". Rock'n'roll doesn't look that far ahead. Rock'n'roll is right now. What's happening right this second. Is it bright? Or is it dim because it's waiting for tomorrow - that's what people want to know. And that's why I say that.


    "My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)"

    My my, hey hey
    Rock and roll is here to stay
    It's better to burn out
    Than to fade away
    My my, hey hey.

    Out of the blue
    and into the black
    They give you this,
    but you pay for that
    And once you're gone,
    you can never come back
    When you're out of the blue
    and into the black.

    The king is gone
    but he's not forgotten
    This is the story
    of a Johnny Rotten
    It's better to burn out
    than it is to rust
    The king is gone
    but he's not forgotten.

    Hey hey, my my
    Rock and roll can never die
    There's more to the picture
    Than meets the eye.
    Hey hey, my my.
     
    Hanzo likes this.
  1. Dunerunner
  2. Dunerunner
  3. Dunerunner
  4. Dunerunner
  5. DKR
  6. Dunerunner
  7. Dunerunner
  8. Dunerunner
  9. Dunerunner
  10. Motomom34
  11. Motomom34
  12. Motomom34
  13. Dunerunner
  14. Dunerunner
  15. Dunerunner
  16. Motomom34
  17. Motomom34
  18. ghrit
  19. Motomom34
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7