If you’re a hard-working entrepreneur, follow these five things you can do to avoid burnout. Burnout is real, and it’s nothing to be ignored.
Entrepreneurs are passionate people. They often decide to start a business to pursue something they love doing. They aren’t afraid of working hard to realize a dream. The down side of that is that they often end up pouring their heart and soul into their business to the point of experiencing burnout.
It is important to set boundaries and create structure in your day to avoid burnout and know what to do if you start to experience the signs.
Why You Might Be Experiencing Burnout
There are several reasons why you might be experiencing burnout.
- You are working all of the time. While you probably enjoy your work, it’s important to give your body and brain a break from time to time. Set firm work hours and use the rest of the time to relax or hang out with family or friends. If it’s hard to turn off your brain, keep a notepad close by and jot down your thoughts so you can focus on whatever you are doing.
- You never take a vacation. This point is similar to the last. By taking some extended time off, you will be more refreshed and focused when you do come back. You may even have new ideas to implement in your business. Strive to take several vacations throughout the year. Some might be a long weekend, while others might be for a full week or more.
- You are trying to do everything by yourself. Maybe you haven’t taken a vacation because you don’t have a team to keep your business operating while you’re gone. Whether this is the case or not, it’s time to enlist some help so you can step away for a day or even a week.
- You’ve taken on clients who aren’t paying your worth. As you take on new clients, it’s important that they pay you your worth. If they pay you what you are worth, you can reduce the number of clients you take on which will help improve your focus and the hours you work.
What You Can Do To Prevent Burnout
- Set boundaries for your clients. I can’t say this enough! Boundaries are vital to your physical and mental health. Decide ahead of time what you are willing to do and what your ideal day may include. Be sure to communicate these boundaries to a new client in a welcome email. Keep in mind that with some clients you may need to remind them of your boundaries frequently. But stand firm.
- Set boundaries for yourself. Yes, this is sometimes needed. As entrepreneurs, we could easily get wrapped up in spending way too much time working. So decide what hours you will be working each day and if you’ll be working on the weekend. Then be firm with yourself. Find an accountability partner if you need one.
- Listen to your mind and body. God created our bodies to communicate with us when something’s not right. There are days when I work intensely and just need time away from my computer. If you’re not feeling well, take some time to let your body heal. Very rarely is something in the online world an emergency. If you take care of your body now, it will be there for you later. Have activities you can do that will give your mind and body a quick refresh.
- Connect with others in the online space. When we work from home, it is easy for work to consume our days. For that reason, it’s important to connect with other entrepreneurs. This is one of my favorite parts of working online. I’ve set a goal to have 2-3 coffee chats each week. By doing this, I’ve met some very nice ladies who have become my business besties. We bounce ideas off each other and encourage one another to keep going. Find your tribe!
- Outsource personal or business tasks. You can’t do everything. If you are pouring your time and energy into your business, hire someone to help you out around the house. As your business grows, you’ll also want to be sure to find help with business tasks. You will have to spend money to hire someone, but entrepreneurs often discover that when they make that commitment, their business grows.
Take Steps Today To Avoid Burnout
It’s important to put these ideas into place sooner rather than later when you are in the throes of burnout. To start, decide on one of these five things you can do to avoid burnout. Whatever change you decide to make, be sure to commit to that change.
By avoiding burnout, you’ll be more focused and productive in your business. You may even find you enjoy your business more.
