Have you ever worked so hard that you feel as though you just can’t work anymore? If your answer is ‘yes’ then you’ve most likely experienced burnout.
Most small business owners when starting up can get carried away and want to be involved in every aspect of their business, but passing off bookkeeping or admin work to a virtual assistant is the best way forward. The start-up stage is the perfect time to give up responsibility and delegate, and by assigning responsibilities it will prevent burnout and most likely help the success of your business. Burnouts exist across all industries but more so in the world of entrepreneurship and small business.
As hard as it may be we all need to make sure we walk away sometimes and give ourselves a break in order to stay at the top of our game. Here are some ways to avoid burnout in your business:
Set clear expectations: Make sure to clearly outline what you expect from your team, for example if the occasional early morning or late night is expected then let them know upfront, this will allow for there to be no confusion. Also set clear goals and expectations for yourself, as by doing this you will prevent overworking yourself which is important as this could lead to more mistakes and lowers the quality of work that can be produced.
Prioritise first: Sometimes when thinking about everything you need to get done it might all become too overwhelming, you need to remember that you don’t need to do everything at the same time. Make a list and break it down so that at the top is what you need to prioritise and get done first, this will ease the stress and allow you to focus more on what you’re doing rather than juggling lots of tasks at once.
Keep yourself healthy: It is important to make sure you’re looking after yourself whilst also running your business as sometimes you can forget. For example, some tips are that you should drink plenty of water, restrict caffeine intake, maintain good posture and learn to manage stress. This will need long-term commitment and discipline, but once you have got into the habit of taking care of yourself you will realise how many benefits there are to your mental and physical wellbeing… remember it won’t be achieved overnight.
Take breaks: One of the most obvious tips that people forget the most is taking breaks, making sure you have these will make the time you spend working more productive and beneficial. Even just taking a few five-minute walks can help improve your mental health and boost your creativity.
Fortunately, small business owners have control over their work hours and can implement these strategies easily to put a stop to business burnout… the hardest part is just making sure you stick to them!
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