As an entrepreneur, you are the one who sets the goals. You are the one who challenges yourself to grow. It’s easy to get caught up in “working to work” rather than working to achieve goals. It doesn’t matter what industry you are working in, or what type of work you do. There will come a time where burnout will creep up on you. Whether it will be a few months down the line, or after many years of putting your all into something-it will happen.
If we’re honest, it’s hard to think of a more stressful career path than being an entrepreneur. To succeed, you will have to work around the clock and will need to be able to multi-task and come up with creative solutions to any problem that comes your way. If things don’t go according to plan you will probably have to stay up even longer to fix problems or come up with alternative solutions. That means that you have to make the decisions, work harder than a 9-5 employee, and be motivated to bring in revenue from your business and sustain it.
Reaching burnout is a dangerous place for entrepreneurs to be in. There’s no time more precious than the present and you want to make sure you are spending it on the areas that matter. And at times, it can be frustrating when your results aren’t as dramatic as you expect them to be. For someone who has gone through several different business models in my entrepreneurial journey, here’s what I will tell you; burnout is a huge trap that almost all entrepreneurs fall into. It’s easy to see why these days.
Like me, a lot of new entrepreneurs try working 15-16 hours a day, seven days a week. And to be honest, this isn’t sustainable and leads to the inevitable burnout. This doesn’t mean that you have to work eight hours a day. In fact, that will lead to an “average” performance at best. You need to find your own sweet spot where you’re working hard on your business but also enjoy life. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid burnout if you know what to expect, here are a few tips to avoid operating on burnout and instead work at your peak efficiency level.
1. SELF-CARE
One way you can avoid burnout is to take a step back and learn how to take care of yourself. According to WebMD, 50% of the population suffers from burnout symptoms, but at least doing self-care will give you a fighting chance. Setting aside time to take care of yourself is imperative. While I’m not saying you should not be working hard, I’m saying self-care and sufficient sleep are crucial for self-preservation. Here are a couple of ways to incorporate self-care to avoid burnout; make a to-do list and a no-to-do list; schedule time off each week: start working out (even if it just walks); limit social media exposure; maintain some barrier between you and your job and have a hobby or creative outlet. For a more in-depth explanation, read this article.
2. ORGANISE
There’s no denying that running a business is a lot of work, and the rewards are not always immediate. The workload and burnout levels don’t just disappear overnight. If you are running a business utilizing other people’s time to build out your vision, it’s even more important to be organised because you don’t have the same authority or avenues for control as you would when handling your business as an individual.
Organisation is essential to avoid burnout. Without organisation, you can get in a downward spiral. If you are disorganised it can impact your workload, efficiency, productivity, and health. Plan your day. Organise your office. Organise your business. Ensure your workload is shared among your team. Take breaks and organise the time limits of these breaks without stretching yourself too thin. Here’s a secret, routines help because it helps creates a more efficient lifestyle.
3. DON’T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF
I have learned the hard way not to be too hard on myself. It is very easy to burn out as an entrepreneur, especially if you struggle with self-belief.
As an entrepreneur, you veering towards burnout is almost inevitable. The stress of being on-call 24/7, the decisions that constantly need to be made, and the mounting challenges can all just add too much pressure. Although many people enjoy the freedom as an entrepreneur, others don’t pay enough attention to their own well-being. And because of this, they fall victim to being hard on themselves. Not only will this prevent you from progressing forward in your career, but it will also prevent you from seeing your long-term vision!
4. AVOID PROCRASTINATION
Nobody likes to be in a situation where they feel stuck. The feeling that nothing is changing and that you are just slogging through the same motions over and over again. You may be procrastinating which can lead to burnout. To be honest, I love to procrastinate. I love to put things off for the last minute and it’s been a rough road on some days because of that fact.
You’ve got plenty on your plate. So many tasks you need to complete, so little time. B u r n o u t . How do you like me, avoid being one of the entrepreneurs that burn out? The first step in avoiding burnout is simply stopping from procrastinating. Procras- tination can lead to burnout, but stopping yourself can stop you from getting burnt out. Challenging, I know. But it can be done!
As an entrepreneur, it is easy to begin procrastinating on your projects when you’re feeling burned out. However, this can ultimately lead to failure. If you want to postpone a project, give yourself a deadline rather than putting it off indefinitely.
Here’s a bonus tip; as an entrepreneur, you have to wear a lot of hats. You’re the CEO, CMO, COO, CFO, and sometimes even the janitor. It’s no wonder that when you get into this litany of roles you risk burning yourself out. The trick is not trying to fit every aspect of your job onto your to-do list like a madman. Instead, you should focus on your priorities – those things that matter most in achieving your objectives.
