4 Ways to Solve the Burnout Problem
Even business owners can get burned out. What once felt like a dream come true can begin to feel like a burden. At some point, burnout is experienced by every business owner. For some people, it may not last long. Yet, for others it could be enough to make you shut your doors as a business and find a job working for someone else. Giving up on your dream isn’t the answer. Here are 4 ways that you can solve the burnout problem.
Learn to Recognize When You’re Experiencing Burnout
Psychology Today put together a list to help people recognize when they’re experiencing burnout. This is important because most people may not realize what’s happening. Burnout is caused by nonstop stress. Usually, it’s a combination of stress between your personal life and your business concerns. Some symptoms of burnout include:
- Anxiety;
- Depression;
- Loss of enjoyment;
- Becoming detached;
- Anger;
- Physical symptoms such as profuse sweating;
- Sleep disruption.
Learning to recognize when you’re becoming burnt out and the likely cause of it (personal or business stress) can help you come up with a plan to improve your day to day life. Look for triggers that cause these feelings. Did they start when you took on a certain new client or when you do certain types of projects? Is it because you are overloaded with work? Is there something stressful happening at home?
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a word that describes how we engage in our present situation. It means that we get involved in the here and now as opposed to thinking about something that happened in the past or in the future. It keeps us focused. Mindfulness has been shown to increase productivity. This is because we are more fully focused on what we are doing in the moment. It means that we pay more attention to the conversations as they are occurring. Mindfulness can also improve your relationships. Mindfulness is easy in theory, but it can be hard to put into consistent practice. However, once you begin to do it and make it a habit, you’ll notice that you feel less stressed and that you’re making better decisions.
Learn to Say No
One way to stop the feelings of burnout is to learn to say no. Saying no can be difficult, but it is a necessity to make sure that you aren’t taking on more than you can reasonably handle. The world will not end if you say no. To start, find a block of time on your calendar and block it out. Make sure that no meetings, phone calls, or appointments are booked during that time. If people ask, you say, “I’m sorry, but I can’t meet at that time.” Then, suggest another time. You do not owe anyone an explanation. Then, use that free time to do something that you enjoy.
Get Someone to Help Out
