Feeling the burn? Top 5 Tips to Prevent Burnout as a Business Owner

​Feeling the burn? Top 5 Tips to Prevent Burnout as a Business Owner
 
Small business owners everywhere share a lot of the same experiences when it comes to running and managing a business. Often times it can feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. This feeling makes a lot of sense as many know it is not easy running a business. Multiple hats are worn and problems have to be solved. But before you can solve everything else you first need to solve this one thing: burnout.
 
From stress to stress about stress, many things can pull your attention away from the tasks and the reasons you got into business in the first place. No matter the business you got into, there is much to be said about managing stress and reducing the pressure of burnout. In this post we will cover the 5 tips you can implement to help curve your burnout. Let’s get started!
 
 
5. Exercise
 
Not an athletic person? No need to be when it comes to doing a few things here and there to help decrease stress-exercise being one of them. By engaging in just a few minutes per day, you can implement a exercise routine in no time. Exercise has been shown to reduce stress, increase heart health, and gives your body an activity to exert some pent up stress. Simply taking a walk, doing a 5 minute routine at the start of your day, or hitting the gym for a dedicated work-out session can all help reduce stress and clear your mind.
 
 
4. Take a “one day at a time” perspective
 
Ok this is not what you might be thinking. Businesses often take a “where are we going” or a “what does the future look like” approach- which is  all good. What we mean here is to take a one day at a time approach to tackling an aspect of the business. For instance, if you layout what needs to be done in the week to meet a goal, break it down to a task or sets of tasks a day. If you can execute a task each day, by taking on no more or no less, you breakdown the workload to a more manageable view. One day of accomplishing tasks added up equates to a full week of being productive and ahead of the curve.
 
 
3. Take unwind time
 
Notice how we didn’t say “you” time? It’s for a reason- unwind time is actually time to unwind, not focus on other things. When people take “me” (or you time), they often do things that add more stress. The pressure to capitalize on the the time you a lot adds less than perfect outcomes. So, instead of focusing on “you”, focus on doing something that helps you unwind. Reframing the time as unwind time, sort of gives you permission to do something different. It forces you to focus on decompressing and not so much on maximizing your time. Read a book, go on a walk, binge a funny show, or write a silly story that you throw away at the end. Something that takes your mind off the business and on something that is freeing.
 
 
2. Delegate
 
A lot of business owners have trouble handing over tasks to others. Many people in fact have a case of the “I've got its.” It’s key to find people in the business, or life, that you can delegate tasks to. If other people around you can email out the newsletter, can follow up after a service was performed, or can sign work orders- let them do it! People will feel more empowered, you will feel less pull in multiple directions, and overall burnout may subside. Go ahead-delegate a little.
 
 
1. Learn the art of “no”
 
One of the most critical lessons we all learn is the ability, and freedom, to say “no.” For some, saying no is like hurting someone or something you love. Saying no does not have to feel this way-nor should it. Saying no is the ability to recognize what you can or can not commit to and feeling empowered to be true to that. By saying no to projects, deadlines, or duties, you can feel more empowered when you do say yes. If things are not right, saying no can help you reshift focus and find what areas you can commit to and how to meet those expectations. So, try saying it aloud: No!
 
Burnout is a real thing. It can sneak up on you, fill your mind, and eventually take you out of your game. Or, it can be something you embrace and find ways to minimize its impacts on your or your business. By following some simple tips, you can give burnout the cold shoulder and move through the ups and downs of business like a pro. So, go ahead and give yourself permission to blow-off burn-out!