How to Avoid Burnout as an Entrepreneur
As an entrepreneur, you are constantly juggling many different roles and responsibilities. When it comes to running your small business, you know that it takes an immense amount of work. But what does burnout look like for entrepreneurs? And how can you avoid burnout before it happens?
Here’s everything you need to know about avoiding burnout and proactive recovery as a small business owner:
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, or physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overworked and underappreciated. You may have trouble concentrating, and feel irritable and easily frustrated. Sometimes this is called “the meh”.
Burnout can happen to anyone – even if you work for yourself as an entrepreneur!
What are the signs of burnout for small business owners?
It varies from person to person and business to business, but here are some common symptoms:
You're exhausted.
You feel overwhelmed by the work and your responsibilities. You might feel like you're drowning in your business and not making enough progress.
You think you're not good enough to accomplish your goals, or that others are better than you at what they do (aka imposter syndrome).
You don't know where your business is headed and there doesn't seem to be any way out of this self-imposed prison cell of doom.
You feel like you aren't achieving your goals. Maybe you're working hard but not sure if it's worth it or if the work is having any effect at all.
Feeling like you are not progressing and don't see yourself getting better at what you do over time—or worse, that things could actually be getting worse instead of better!
The thought of working on your business makes you feel like throwing up in your mouth a little bit (or possibly more than that if we’re being honest here).
You feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel and that success might never come (even though it eventually will).
What is different about burnout for solopreneurs?
As a solopreneur, you are more likely to experience burnout than your employee counterparts. This is because the self-employed have less of a buffer between themselves and their work: they have no one else to take over if they need time off or need to move on from a particular project.
Solopreneurs may also feel isolated and lonely in their work lives.
While employees have opportunities for social interaction with other people at the office, working from home can make it difficult for solopreneurs to develop lasting friendships or establish themselves as part of an inclusive community.
On top of this, working from home can mean that there are fewer chances for relaxation; even when working from home isn't physically taxing (such as when writing), it can still be mentally draining without some kind of balance between work and play.
Burnout in solopreneurs can also be caused by overwhelming workloads; unlike employees who often receive support from their colleagues or supervisors at work, it's up to you as the sole proprietor of your business whether or not something gets done on time — so if there's no room left in your schedule because you have too much on there already, then nothing gets done!
Once an entrepreneur notices that they are burnt out, what should they do next?
Once you've identified the symptoms of burnout, the next step is to take a break from work.
This could be as simple as an hour or two where you leave your computer and phone behind to go for a walk outside, or something more prolonged such as going on vacation for a week or two. It's important to remember that this break doesn't have to be forever—if you find yourself feeling guilty about missing out on time with your team or project, then it's probably worth asking yourself why. Is it really worth sacrificing relationships and health just so someone else can have something they want?
If taking a break isn't an option for whatever reason (like a client deadline coming up), then another solution is seeking professional help from someone who understands entrepreneurship such as:
an accountant/bookkeeper/accountant advisor;
lawyer;
mentor;
coach; and/or
therapist/psychologist.
These professionals can help guide you through any issues that might be causing stress so that they don't snowball into something worse down the road!
Once these steps are taken care of we recommend doing some soul searching and figuring out whether entrepreneurship is still right for everyone involved. If it isn't then maybe this isn’t the right type of business after all! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! In fact, I’d argue recognizing that is something that makes you a good leader.
What are some proactive strategies that small business owners can incorporate into their schedules to support their mental health and avoid burnout?
The first thing to do is to take care of yourself before you start to feel burnt out. Small business owners are often so busy with work, family, and social obligations that they don't make time for things like exercise, relaxation, and sleep. This can lead to burnout as an entrepreneur because these important practices help us stay strong enough to deal with all of the challenges we face every day.
This means that the key to avoiding burnout is to set boundaries, both with your work and personal life.
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is by setting aside time each day for exercise and prioritize it the same way as you would any pressing client deadline. Exercising can help improve your energy levels and focus and reduce stress which will in turn allow you to get things done at work without feeling totally exhausted at the end of the day.
One way that many successful entrepreneurs support their mental health is by working with a therapist who specializes in helping business owners deal with these types of issues so they don't get overwhelmed by them later on down the road when their business becomes more successful. I know I’ve said this before, but I say it again because working with a counselor was incredibly helpful for me on my journey as a small business owner.
When in doubt, schedule your self-care.
Schedule time for exercise. Research shows that physical activity can relieve anxiety and stress, improve sleep quality and boost energy levels.
Schedule time for meditation. In addition to improving sleep quality, meditation has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety by increasing self-awareness and decreasing stress levels.
Schedule time for self-care. The term “self-care” has become more popular in recent years as entrepreneurs recognize the importance of taking care of themselves on all levels (both physically and mentally). It's important to remember that you're not just an entrepreneur, you are also a human being with needs—some of which may not be met by your work alone. Setting aside time each day to do something nice for yourself is crucial if you want to avoid burnout as an entrepreneur!
Schedule family time or friend outings at least once per week — even if it feels like there's no time in your schedule! Spending some quality time with loved ones will help remind you why it's so important that they remain a priority in your life even when things get busy at work (which can happen quite often). If possible, try scheduling multiple events per week so that everyone gets their fair share of attention!
Remember, self-care isn’t selfish. It’s one of the most compassionate things you can do for yourself and the people who love you.
Start small to avoid and recover from burnout.
I hope that by reading this post, you feel more empowered to take the steps necessary to manage your mental health and avoid and recharge from burnout. The most important takeaway is that burnout is a real problem for entrepreneurs—and small business owners in general—but there are steps we can take to manage the risk.
Remember: it’s okay if you don’t have everything figured out right now! You don’t have to be perfect because nobody else is either.
By taking small steps each day and keeping yourself aware of what might trigger your burnout symptoms, you can set yourself up for success as an entrepreneur no matter how big (or small) your business grows over time.
