After hosting The Daily Writer Podcast and the Daily Writer Club membership group for a few years, I feel confident in saying that most of the people in my audience are introverts.

Like other introverts, I feel worn down by interacting with people. I love people. I truly do (well, most of them!). But we introverts are wired to get our energy from being alone.

As a result, all the conversations that happen during the week leave me pretty mentally depleted by the time Friday rolls around.

So, for the last year or so, I have kept a strict rule: I try not to do any calls or meetings on Fridays.

It has been a massive help knowing that I can do work on Fridays and don’t need to expend emotional energy on conversations. This is my mental “safe zone.”

I used to feel guilty about this, as if being an introvert was a weakness. But I have come to not just accept, but CELEBRATE, the way I’m wired.

It’s important for you to put guard rails around your emotional wiring. If you don’t protect your gift, you will burn out and kill the very thing that makes you so valuable.

I admit that once in a great while, I will do a call on a Friday if it’s absolutely necessary. But I make sure Friday is blocked off on my Calendly calendar. In addition, I steer people toward meetings on Mondays, Tuesday, or Thursdays if possible.

Even if I’m feeling depleted during the week, I can relax knowing that Friday is a day when I can be my introverted self. I can reserve all my energy for writing and other work.

Today’s Challenge: If you’re feeling burned out or mentally depleted, take a look at your schedule. You might need to build a mental safe zone into your week.