By Evan Vitale
In my recent blog posts, we’ve been writing about business burnout: What is it? How to avoid it? And what happens when burnout has set it.
For many solo entrepreneurs and those who own and operate small businesses, the end result of burnout usually means a business will close and the entrepreneur will re-enter the workforce as an employee.
Sometimes, when you’re creeping into burnout, you can see the signs and change your approach to avoid it. It all comes down to balance and making sure that you’re not working yourself out of your business.
The No. 1 challenge for business owners isn’t revenue or growing sales. Instead, it’s balance. How much time can you really spend on your business? How much time do you have left at the end of the day or on the weekends to spend with your families? Friends? Or even doing sometime non-work related with yourself?
Some thoughts:
Working all the time isn’t a sign of success, but it’s also not a sacrifice. You will eventually wear yourself down physically and mentally.
Some business owners limit themselves to a specific number of tasks per day (say 5). That way, they know when the five tasks have been completed, it is time to stop.
When is the last time you took a Friday off work and really enjoyed a three-day weekend?
When is the last time you went on vacation?
Do you have any outside interests besides work? Perhaps, you once enjoyed a specific hobby, but now you spend little or no time on it because of your business. Carve out some time to re-introduce yourself to your hobby (or a new hobby), whether it’s reading, watching a documentary, gardening, fishing, etc.
Are you spending time with your family? They do like to see you and be with you, especially when you’re not tired and worn out from numerous back-to-back-to-back 18-hour days. You’re missing out.
Take care of yourself and your family. Quit wearing yourself down every day and every week. Take a break. Spend time with your family again. Do something that doesn’t involve work. Go on vacation.