Every Operator Needs a Shutdown Routine

Hey Friend,

I’ll be real with you:
Even now, I still feel guilty when I rest.

Whether it’s taking a day off or just stepping away to hit the gym, part of my brain still says, “You could be doing more.”

Because like a lot of operators, I’ve internalized this idea that if you’re not working… you’re falling behind.

But that mindset?

It’ll walk you straight into burnout and convince you it’s progress.

Always “On” Isn’t Sustainable

When you're locked in 24/7, chasing the goal becomes the only thing that matters.
You stop asking if you're fulfilled. If you're enjoying the process. If any of this even feels good.

You just keep going.
And yeah, maybe you get there.

But when you do?

It doesn’t feel like anything.
The win is hollow.
The moment is numb.

Because you didn’t experience the journey: you just survived it.

Why Shutdown Routines Matter

High performers talk about morning routines, systems, strategy…
But no one talks about how they shut down.

The truth is: if you don’t know how to power off, you’ll never be fully on.

A shutdown routine doesn’t have to be fancy.
But it does need to exist.

Something that tells your mind and body:

“We’re done for the day. We’re safe to rest.”

For me, that looks like:

• Logging wins from the day
  

• Closing loops for tomorrow
  

• Doing something slow and human (a walk, a stretch, even silence)
  

• And then stepping away, fully

If You’re Always On…

You’re not winning.
You’re accelerating burnout.

And if that hits close to home, here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way:

Rest isn’t a distraction from the work.
It’s what makes the work possible.

Jonathan