There are a lot of parallels between cars and people. For example, if you want want to drive somewhere you can’t do it with a broken-down engine and a gas tank that’s empty. The same goes for achieving your dreams. Your mind is our body’s intellectual and emotional engine which is the core for your success.  You need to protect it from a breakdown or blowing a gasket from becoming mentally exhausted.

The thing is, you often don’t want to think about yourself in this way.  You say “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or “Just one more thing before I go to bed”.

You are really good at going 90 mph without a breakdown or ticket – until you crash.  Here’s the thing – you can’t change the oil in a moving car but this is what you try to do.  You committee to taking action and to start work towards your dreams then suddenly it’s 8 PM and you’re brain dead.  You can’t work on what you want to work on because you are mentally exhausted.

I know this because I’ve been there. Below are a few ways I’ve learned to lay off of the gas pedal.

1.  Give Yourself a Ticket:  Admit it. You know you’re speeding.  You see the signs and you know you’re going 10 or 15 mph over the speed limit.  Now look at your life.  Is your to-do list crazy?  Do you see any unscheduled time on your calendar?  Did you just read this article and forgot what it was about?  Then write yourself a ticket!  The fine?  Unplug from Facebook, take a bath, read a book, work out to burn off that extra energy.  Do whatever you need to that slows you down. Spend some time in solitude.

2.  Change Your Oil:  You just went through an entire month that was crazy busy and you have no idea what you did.  Take 4 hours or 8 hours, whatever is possible, and step back to reflect on what you accomplished.  Reflect on what worked and what didn’t then plan for next month.  You’ll be amazed at all you’ve accomplished.

3.  Let Someone Else Drive:  You are used to being in charge.  You don’t like the way other people drive and you’re a horrible back seat driver.  The good news is that you’re not responsible for running the world so stop trying!  When you get the chance be part of the team at work instead of being in charge.  Let someone else gain an opportunity to showcase their leadership abilities and take a break.

How will you apply these tips to put an end to your mental exhaustion today?