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Are You Suffering from Business Owner Burnout? How To Spot The Signs And 7 Ways To Work Through It

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Tired, stressed, and ready to throw in the towel on your business? You’re not alone. In recent years, business owner burnout has fast become a common condition, made even more prevalent with the onset of COVID 19.

For the first time, many small business owners faced a difficult set of challenges in dealing with the pandemic, as well as keeping up with continually changing government rules and regulations. Combined with trying to stay on top of advancements in technology, many small business owners suffered mentally and emotionally, with some losing all motivation to carry on.

Burnout is a type of chronic stress that may cause physical, emotional, and psychological distress in varying forms. If left untreated, it can lead to serious negative general health and wellbeing.

How to spot the signs of business owner burnout:

  • You’ve lost sight of the end goal
  • Not feeling in control of your own business
  • Working excessive hours
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Making too many mistakes
  • Functioning on autopilot
  • Neglecting your health and wellbeing
  • Forgotten who you are and what makes you truly happy
  • Suffering from anxiety or panic attacks
  • Fantasise about giving up and walking away

How to deal with business owner burnout:

The first step is to acknowledge and address the ongoing stress in your life. It’s natural as a business owner to feel like you can’t slow down or let go of some areas of the business, however ignoring the signs and continuing to soldier on is only likely to make you feel worse.

While it is recommended that anyone in mental distress seeks medical advice and support from their GP, following are some effective ways to reduce the stressors and triggers that can lead to excessive fatigue or burnout.  

1. Take a break

If it’s all become too much, you may need to start by taking a complete break and freeing up some time from your everyday routine. If possible, remove yourself from the business for a reasonable amount of time and avoid being contactable by phone or email, except for emergencies.

If you’re struggling with a lack of enthusiasm or purpose, talk to colleagues or a business coach for support. If possible, connect with people in the same industry so you can seek and share support with those who may be facing similar challenges.

2. Identify and tackle stress triggers

While you have some distance, list the things that are causing the most stress to you and figure out ways of meeting your goals differently.

For example, if being available to clients on phone, social media and email at all hours makes it impossible to switch off, establish some boundaries and communicate these with employees and clients. Implement solutions such as using out of office or auto responders to let people know when you will get back to them.

3. Outsource

Outsource or delegate tasks that are stressful and take up large chunks of time such as bookkeeping and marketing. This will help to ease the workload, free your mind for more creative business pursuits and create more space in your day.

It’s essential to modify your workload in the long term so you can recover properly and keep relapses at bay. This includes ensuring you have a healthy balance of working hours, leisure time and sleep.

4. Reassess your goals

Do you have clear business goals for the short-term and long-term?

Take some time to evaluate where you’re at and restructure where necessary to ensure your goals are achievable and will get you to you where you want to be.

When your goals are clear and realistic, it’s much easier to align your everyday work routine with these targets and bring your business dreams into fruition.

5. Make time for self-care

Think about what it is that gives you joy or provides a sense of calm and relaxation in your life.  

Whether it’s exercise, spending time in nature, learning something new just for fun or improving your diet, including simple self-care activities on a regular basis can be all it takes to reenergise and nourish the mind and body. These lifestyle changes will help you tackle your work commitments with a sense of renewed vigour and motivation.

Be sure to fuel your body with healthy food and reduce caffeine and alcohol intake to help stabilise your blood sugar and improve your sleep.  

6. Learn to say no

Saying yes to everything that comes across your desk is a common business mistake. Learning to politely decline requests or say no to things that cross your boundaries can be the hardest lesson for many small business owners who feel they need to pursue every opportunity.

Listen to your gut when you receive a request. If you instantly feel stressed or conflicted, or you know it will undo the progress you have made in setting boundaries, then it may be best to just say no.

7. Celebrate your achievements

Part of burnout is losing sight of what you have achieved in your business.

Remember to look back over your business and remember the milestones you have achieved as an entrepreneur, such as paying yourself a regular wage, onboarding your first employee, or receiving positive reviews from customers.

As you recover and clear your mind, it will become easier to recognise just how far you have come, making it more likely that you will continue your business journey with great success.

Are you needing extra business support?

Connect with Numble today and learn how we can help you navigate your business journey, including managing systems, technology, payroll, and financial and administrative management.

Acknowledgement of Country
In the spirit of reconciliation Numble Pty Ltd acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.