Get Serious about Fun
How do you move from burnout to a big beautiful life? The answer is not very romantic but, uh, it’s planning. Kinda sounds like more work, doesn't it? I know, I know. But hear me out. Burnout leaves you exhausted and uninspired. When you’re exhausted, it can be so easy to give into your couch. The activation energy required to get to the front door of the gym can feel more challenging than the workout itself. Having plans in place helps tip the scales toward a more fulfilling course of action when Netflix beckons.
Step one: Clarifying our objectives
We start the planning process by considering what would be more fulfilling than our typical go-to leisure activities. Though we’ve spent countless hours trying, scrolling, video games, or watching tv probably has not cured our burnout. So what would be more effective? Luckily, philosophers, scientists, and psychologists agree on common elements of a big beautiful life: meaning and purpose, interpersonal relationships, physical and emotional health.
Start by journaling about each of these domains:
Meaning and purpose–What is most significant and important to you? Articulate your personal values; shoot to define 3 to 5. How aligned are your actions with our values?
Interpersonal relationships–What might you like to see change in your romantic, platonic, and familial relationships to make them more supportive and fulfilling? Where would you like to feel a greater sense of belonging?
Physical health–What domains of physical health–nutrition, physical activity, sleep, substance use, and medical/dental care–are needing attention?
Emotional health– What emotions would you like to experience more of, e.g. gratitude, engagement, equanimity, creativity, fun, and other positive emotions?
Step two: Develops tasks to meet our objectives.
Most New Year’s resolutions fail, right? The gym is packed in January and the crowds are thinned by March. Resolutions feel like more work, which is the last thing we want when we are burnt out. So to enhance our likelihood of successfully reaching our goal of a more big beautiful life, we are gonna make it fun. We are gonna turn our objectives into a game: 2026 Bingo!
We will make a five by five Bingo card with tasks in each square that we want to complete within the year. The tasks have to be a) informed by your reflections on the good life and b) have to be fun, creative, and/or inspiring. Should they push you out of your comfort zone! Yeah, totally! Hopefully. Will they require effort? Also yes. You gotta work. I’m not saying you can’t make un-fun goals. I love doing the Year Compass every year. But our 2026 Bingo card is not the place for resolutions that are simply serious.
Now is the time to brainstorm items that spark joy, excitement, pleasure, amusement, levity, whimsy, or fun. Write down as many items as you can think of. Go crazy. Some helpful questions to consider:
What’s on my bucket list?
What would I like to do more of?
What are fun ways I can serve or help others?
What are fun things I could do to improve a sense of community?
What did I used to do when I was younger that I haven’t done in a while?
What did I want to be when I grew up and how can I manifest that in my life now?
What enjoyable things have I been putting off?
What would improve my life?
What items (clothing, food, drinks, gift cards) have you been saving for a special occasion?
What do I want to explore more?
What terrifies and fascinates me?
What can I wear or do with my appearance that would feel like radical self expression?
What is aligned with my values?
What ways do I want to celebrate certain holidays or seasons?
What could enhance my material comfort?
What personal strengths can I build upon?
What art or craft projects do I want to try?
What kind of get together would I like to host?
What hobby would I like to try?
What games do I want to play?
What natural phenomena or part of nature do I want to experience?
What do I want to do to show people I love them?
What sounds like a fun thing to learn?
What places am I interested in visiting, either locally or far afield?
What seems too silly to include on this list?
Choose the 25 items that seem like the most fun, inspiring, and engaging. You might want to choose one or two things that are pretty challenging, that require time, effort, or organization but really capture your imagination. Something like, “Run a Marathon” or “Travel outside of the US.” Some stuff should be gimmies, i.e. things that are not hard, time consuming, or expensive. For example, “Host a game night,” or “Try a new recipe.” All of the items should be within your control. Instead of “Fall in love,” consider, “Snail mail a love letter to someone I love.”
Play on your strengths. Are you driven, maybe a little type A, and struggle with perfectionism? These things predispose us to burnout. Luckily, these traits are also likely to make us want to WIN bingo. Would it be motivating to add a little friendly competition? Involve your friends in this process and see who can get bingo (5 in a row) and/or blackout (complete all 25 squares) first.
The card itself doesn’t have to be pretty but it can be if that would make it more fun or motivating. Make a physical copy with a pen and paper or a digital copy and mark off the items as you complete them.
Step 3: Write things down on your calendar
Some items may not require any planning. For instance, I might include, “Go thrifting,” on my bingo card. Singing along to adult contemporary classics on the radio, the screeching sound of metal hangers sliding on metal racks while searching for treasures. It’s my happy place. This is an example of a task could be done whenever.
Some items on my bingo card, however, may require more planning. For instance, “Go tide pooling.” Similar to thrifting, I love the thrill of the hunt in tide pooling, searching for treasures like colorful nudibranch, neon anemones, and the elusive octopus.
There are only so many really good, super low tides in the year and some of those low tides are too early in the morning or too late at night. Some low tides conflict with my work schedule or other plans. Sometimes it’s storming or the surf is high which makes conditions unpleasant or unsafe.
To increase my chances of a really good tide pooling experience, I make plans. I put the super low tides in my calendar, I started a WhatsApp group (shout out to my King Tide Kweens!) to coordinate outings with fellow tide poolers, and I keep my schedule clear.
Maybe you want to go to a monster truck rally. Search for when the Monster Truck Jam is coming through your town and put it in your calendar. Maybe you want to hike to the top of Half Dome. Put the date that the permit lottery opens in your calendar and schedule some training hikes. Maybe you want to see a shooting star. Research meteor shower dates and book camping reservations. Request time off work, start recruiting your friends for adventures, and know when you need to get the ball rolling.
Socrates says “the unexamined life is not worth living.” So good job. By thinking about what you want, you’re already one step closer to a big beautiful life. Now get to work on completing your bingo card!