Starting a new small business is a whirlwind of emotions. Budgets, planning, hiring, training – there’s so much to think about and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. However, even with a never ending list of things to do, it’s important to remember that pushing yourself too hard can lead to burnout and potential business problems in the future.
What is burnout?
Burnout can present itself differently for different people, but overall, it’s a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, usually coming from prolonged periods of stress.
Why is it important to avoid business owner burnout?
Business owner burnout can result in a lot of symptoms, but most notably, a lack of motivation and decreased productivity – two things that have a big impact on your business. If you are a small business owner, and it’s just you, your business needs you to be doing well for it to ultimately succeed. If you have a small team around you who are looking to you for guidance, it can take a hit on the whole team when you’re feeling burnt out. You also don’t want to do anything to ruin the relationship you have with your customers, or let them down by not being able to keep up with job requests and orders.
What are the common small business owner burnout signs?
Burnout can be different for everyone. It can present itself in many different ways, including exhaustion, lack of motivation, decreased productivity, mood swings, emotional detachment and physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach problems. Small business burnout signs can sometimes creep in on you, and by the time you’ve realized, it can be too late. So, make sure to check in with yourself regularly and the rest of your team.
What can you do to prevent business owner burnout?
Burnout is something none of us want to experience. But at this point, you may be thinking: how do I avoid this before it even becomes a problem? Let’s have a look at a few things you can do to help:
- Take regular breaks – It’s easy to think you have to be switched on all the time, but make sure you have breaks throughout the day. Even if it’s just 5 minutes here and there, it will make a difference.
- Stop with the extra hours! – Working excessive hours isn’t healthy for you or your business, and you can’t be on top of your game after back-to-back 12-hour days.
- Try not to get overwhelmed – If you find yourself with endless to-do lists and struggling to complete all your tasks, then it might be time to take a step back, reassess and prioritize the important stuff.
- Making mistakes? – We all make mistakes from time to time, but if you find yourself making them more regularly, this can often be a sign of burnout. Try taking time out and come back to the task with a fresh head.
- Set some goals – Sometimes it can be so overwhelming trying to reach your business goals. By setting smaller, more achievable goals, you’ll feel more motivated and be quickly rewarded for your hard work.
- Get your priorities straight – Work out what’s important and what should come at the top of your list. Though your top priority should always be your health, and don’t forget it!
What should you do if you experience business owner burnout?
Quite often the first step to treating business owner burnout is acknowledging it’s happening. Once you accept it, you can focus on fixing it! Here are some things to do as a small business owner experiencing burnout:
Get some rest
Step away from your business to give yourself some well needed rest, and please don’t feel bad about it. Ultimately the best thing for your business is a healthy you, so give yourself all the time you need to recover.
Ask for help and delegate
Accept you might need some help to get through this and delegate your work to a colleague to give yourself peace of mind your important jobs are still being done even when you’re off.
Get your passion back
Burnout can cause you to lose the drive and love you had for your business in the first place. Make the time to get that back, so when you return to work, you’re returning to something you love.
Set better boundaries
If you fall back into the same habits when you start work again, you’ll just end up repeating the cycle. Set yourself some new ground rules so you can avoid a future burnout.
Rethink your business goals
Business owner burnout can be caused by doing too much, and if your goals have been giving you mountains of stress and forcing you to work extra hours, then it’s time to reassess. Strip it all back and really think about what’s important and achievable. There’s no shame in taking slightly longer to reach those goals if it keeps you happy and healthy along the way!
Let VoiceNation help you focus on what matters
Burnout is a sure sign you’re taking on too much. At this point, you should know what to look out for when it comes to the signs of business owner burnout and have tried and tested ways to prevent it ever happening. One easy way to lighten the load would be to outsource your business phone answering.
By using VoiceNation to answer your calls, you’ll have America’s best virtual receptionists giving your customers a fantastic service, while you focus on looking after yourself and your business. To discuss our pricing packages, call 866-766-5050 today!