A while back, I hit a wall. Not a dramatic, crash and burn type of burnout. It was quieter, more deceptive. I was still delivering, still showing up, still checking the boxes, but I had completely lost my spark. The creative energy, the strategic edge, the little “oomph” in my day, the part of me that loved this work.

So, I stepped back. I said “no” more often. I deleted apps and silenced notifications. I started doing less.

And it helped… at first. Until less turned into disconnection, too much. Procrastination disguised as rest. Avoidance dressed up as boundaries. Productivity flatlined. The pendulum had swung too far the other way and was now stuck.

If you’ve been there, you know the tension: How do you slow down enough to reignite that spark... without letting it burn too fast?

Here’s the answer.

Let’s compare it to a long hike (if you know me in the real world, of course, you’d know that I’m going to turn this into a hiking metaphor). There is a time when you’re scaling a mountain when you take a moment to stop and smell the flowers around you. We all know that we’re really catching our breath at 12,000 feet above sea level, but hey, your hike is your hike. Your experience is your experience. You’ll get to the top eventually (got to get a picture for the ‘gram, right?), and how you get there is entirely up to you.

Here’s a guide to help you stop rushing all the time, in order from the most time-consuming but transformative actions to the smallest, quickest resets that still make a difference.

Time-Heavy (But Worth It)

1. Get Support.

Whether it’s a therapist, coach, mentor, or even a coworker who “gets it,” an outside perspective helps untangle the pressure and reshape your pace. You are not alone. For AEC marketers, this might mean creating a space to decompress post-proposal submission, or just having a trusted confidant who will call you out (kindly) when you’re  taking on too much.

1. Build in Buffer Time.

In the AEC world, things always shift. Meetings run late, content trickles in, portals freeze, InDesign crashes[CN1] , you receive the estimate with 30 seconds to spare before the proposal is due[CN2]  (anyone else been there?). Instead of fighting it, plan for it. Block 15-30 minutes between meetings. Add buffer days to proposal timelines for printing. It won’t prevent surprises, but it will reduce chaos.

Medium Effort and Medium Time Commitment

1. Use Prioritization Tools.

Especially in marketing, where reactive tasks creep in constantly, task tools help protect your focus from unplanned derailments. Task tools such as Microsoft Planner, your desk planner, a whiteboard, whatever works for you — make a system and stick to it.

1. Automate Where You Can.

Create proposal and interview templates. Set up naming conventions. Organize your files and email inbox. Set up email rules. Automate status reminders or even calendaring common tasks. Every automation you build is a tiny gift to future you.

Small Adjustments, Big Payoffs

1. You Can Say No (I Promise, It’ll Be Okay)

People pleasers in the room, raise your hand.

Before saying yes, ask: What will this actually cost me? How long will it take? What other project might suffer? Clarify your decisions, especially when you’re feeling pressure to be a team player.

1. Default to Asynchronous Communication.

We all want to be ultra-connected with our team, and of course, you still have to find balance. AEC Marketers have a unique lens in most cases, where we’re connected to many corners of our companies. But meetings eat up time. Use email recaps, AI systems like Microsoft Copilot or an AI notetaker if you have it, or shared documents and shared notes. Not every update needs a 30-minute Teams call.

Light Lifts with High Impact

1. Practice Mindfulness

A deep breath between meetings. A walk at lunchtime without your phone… or better yet, a real lunch break. Or a yoga or meditation session at the end of the day. These little resets can recalibrate your brain faster than you’d think.

1. Show Yourself Some Grace!

Celebrate the proposals you submitted, the content you wrangled, the email you didn’t snap-send. You are not a machine. You are not behind. You are allowed to do your best and let that be enough. Create an “I Love Me” folder on your desktop and snip every nice thing someone says to you, snip your favorite projects or graphics you’ve created, something that you can look back on and make you feel good about… well… you!

Final Thought: It’s not about doing less… It’s about doing it intentionally.

You can’t hustle your way to peace. You also can’t rest your way to relevance. The sweet spot is intentionality: protecting your time and energy, choosing your pace, and remembering that your value isn’t tied to how quickly you check things off a list.

So slow down. Stop to smell the wildflowers. Then, choose wisely what you speed up again.

Your turn! If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear how you’re managing your pace. What tools or mindset shifts have helped you balance urgency and intentionality? Let’s start normalizing smarter pacing as marketers.