5 Great Ways to Avoid Small Business Burnout

Many entrepreneurs have a similar story. A dream that they just couldn’t shake. The idea that they could succeed and create a business, to build something based on your talents and experiences. To know what you can do, and that you can succeed.

But the dream and reality collide when you’re working 12+ hour days, 7 days a week. When you leave before your family is up in the morning, and you get home after they’re all in bed. When you realize that a holiday is around the corner but you don’t have time to prepare.

Getting a business off the ground can be hard work. As an entrepreneur, you have to force yourself to find a balance in your personal life if you want to avoid burnout.

It’s all about managing your time effectively so that you’re productive during work hours—but you can still relax during off time.

Health

There are three major areas of health that will help you avoid burnout: sleep, exercise, and nutrition.

Each person’s needs in these areas will differ, of course, so there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all solution. Simply find a balance that works for you. Find a diet that gives you strength, a pattern of exercise that keeps you fit and awake, and make sure you get enough sleep that you don’t have to lean on coffee every morning before work.

If you do these things, you’re well on your way to living a happier, healthier life, as well as taking steps to avoid burnout.

Attitude

There’s nothing more important for an entrepreneur than maintaining a positive attitude. This doesn’t necessarily mean being happy all the time. It can simply mean focusing on your goals and trying to remain motivated despite setbacks.

Focus on the good work you’re doing, the people that appreciate you, knowing your strengths—and always remember the dream that caused you to start a business in the first place.

Organization

If there is a key to staying focused and productive, it’s being organized. If you take the time to keep your documents and work space organized, you’ll be able to run things more efficiently. You’ll be able to find things quicker, order your to do list by priorities, know what’s running low or urgent, and you’ll be able to be proactive instead of reactive.

Keeping your space organized will also keep your brain in order. If your space is messy, chances are your mind is in the same state. So keeping everything in its place is step one to de-stressing your life.

Schedule

Make sure that everything you need to do is scheduled out in advance. Then you’ll know exactly what needs to be done—and when.

Here are the keys to a manageable schedule:

1. Prioritize – take a minute or two to highlight your To Do list, marking the highest priority tasks first.
2. Down Time – purposefully set breaks throughout your day, say for 30 minutes. Stand up, move around – or sit still if you need to. Take your mind off of work for a little while. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle your tasks again.
3. Delegate – you only have so much time in the day, so you need to be good about delegating tasks. You don’t have to do everything yourself! Find people that you can use to maximize their time and skills, which will allow you to maximize YOUR time and skills.

Stay on Track

There will be times where you will be bombarded at times with requests, problems, side-issues, new ideas, and emergencies. Allow yourself to say no to tasks or issues that don’t align with your goals.

This isn’t easy—especially when you’re dealing with people close to you. But simply stay on track, explain your priorities, and keep your eyes set on your goals.