Entrepreneurship is no joke and preventing burnout is at the top of the list. It’s a big responsibility to tackle building a business. While the idea of working for yourself and starting a company entirely on your own tends to be glamorized online, that’s not always the reality. Financial pressures, market challenges, operational setbacks, competition, and numerous other demands can be a heavy burden for one person to manage.
If you’re an entrepreneur, consider this your guide to mental wellness to prevent burnout while your build success. Here are just a few ways that you can prevent burnout while building a successful business.
Delegate and Set Realistic Boundaries
One of the hardest junctions entrepreneurs face is when to hire. For many, building a business is a moment of pride, and the idea of turning over any part of it to someone else can be scary. However, delegating certain parts of your work to someone else can free up your time while also letting you take breaks from work. Assign mundane tasks to AI-powered tools, onboard a virtual or personal assistant to schedule your calendar, or hire a chief operating officer to scale your business. Doing so isn’t only beneficial for your own mental health, but can also be a turning point for your company.
More employees will lead to increased productivity while also providing for a diverse array of perspectives. Someone on the team may have a new solution to tackle a problem, one that you wouldn’t have thought of on your own. Hiring will also enable you to set realistic boundaries. Instead of feeling guilty when you’re not working, you’ll be able to take days off knowing that your business is in good hands. This can look like going on a proper vacation for a long weekend or even focusing on your mental well-being by doing outpatient therapy at a treatment center, such as the Pathways Rehab Center in Utah.
Letting go by delegating tasks and setting realistic boundaries helps in preventing burnout and allow you to refill your cup. Your team will feel empowered to take on challenges on their own, while you recenter yourself and come back with more energy and inspiration than before.
Prioritize Physical Health
Entrepreneurs can’t create, inspire, motivate, or succeed if they aren’t feeling 100%. While there is a time to grind, there is also a time to rest, recover, and restore. If you aren’t taking care of yourself and preventing burnout, you won’t be as focused on building your dream business.
In typical “hustle culture,” success looked like staying up into the wee hours of the morning, thriving off caffeine and energy drinks to power through the day. Although these may be the images you see on social media, this isn’t a sustainable lifestyle. Soon enough, you’ll crash and your body will take a hard hit. You may get incredibly sick or feel so drained that you can’t continue to get sick throughout the year.
To avoid this, cultivate a positive, healthful routine. This will enable you to show up in all the ways without burning out. Start with being consistent with your sleep routine, going to bed at a reasonable hour every night, and waking up around the same time each morning. This will set your circadian rhythm, allowing you to feel rested and restored.
Then, move on to your nutritional habits. Getting takeout for every meal may be the easiest solution, but it’s probably not the most nutritious option. Instead, focus on a balanced diet rich in protein, vegetables, wholesome carbs, and healthy fats. If cooking isn’t feasible for this season of your life, look for a nutritious meal delivery service. There are numerous brands available today that can deliver healthy pre-made meals designed to meet your nutrition goals.
Lastly, in preventing burnout, remember to move your body. As an entrepreneur, you’re likely sitting in front of a screen for multiple hours a day. Set a reminder on your phone to take a break every hour, even if it’s just to refill your water bottle or take a lap around the block. Exercise when you can, and remember that movement can spark energy and creativity, which can reenergize you once you head back to the office.
Seek Support
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey which is why preventing burnout is so important. If you’re building a business from scratch, you may start with just a few outsourced employees. You likely won’t be going to an office every day, and therefore won’t have the proximity to lean on others as much as you would in a traditional corporate job. Even still, those that you do employ won’t be able to fully understand the personal and professional hurdles you face as a business owner and leader.
That’s why seeking support and connection is so important. Finding support groups of other entrepreneurs to share experiences can be beneficial to your mental health and also your business’s success. You can lean on and learn from one another, even if your companies’ missions and visions are drastically different. Look for entrepreneur groups on LinkedIn, attend the networking events in your city, and reach out to friends and family members who are entrepreneurs themselves. You never know what one conversation may spark in terms of an idea!
Additionally, therapy can also be advantageous. Navigating the demands that come with a leadership position can take a serious toll on your mental health. Having someone to talk with in a non-judgmental way can allow you to fully express your feelings and process your emotions. Instead of waiting until you’re burned out and completely exhausted, find a therapist that you’re comfortable with now. Doing so will help avoid these feelings of overwhelm, or at least lessen the impact of them when they do occur.
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