Entrepreneurs work hard – there’s no doubt about it. Whether you’ve been juggling starting your own business with continuing your full-time career, are dedicated to taking your small business to the next level of development or simply feel like there’s not enough time in the day to get everything that needs to be done completed, you’re probably no stranger to the idea of feeling like your business is taking over your life.
If it’s been a while since you managed to spend any quality time with your family, do anything just for yourself – that didn’t have some kind of business networking motive in mind – and you’ve been losing sleep because you’re up every night finishing off the day’s tasks only to start all over again the next morning, then you could be suffering from entrepreneurial burnout – or on the brink of it. If you feel like you’re losing yourself in your business and it’s begun to affect your health, keep these tips for restoring balance in mind.
Get a good night’s sleep:
Sleep is essential for both your body and mind – and if you’re sacrificing it to get more business tasks done, then you’re not going to last very long, unfortunately. Eventually, a lack of sleep is going to catch up with you and it can lead to brain fog, severe tiredness, nausea, aches and pains, headaches, and a whole lot more. Now is the time to start investing in your sleep as you’d invest in your company. Say no to staying up until 2 AM every night and let things wait until the morning. If it helps, think about upgrading to a new memory foam mattress and best memory foam pillow or redecorating your bedroom in calming colors.
Understand it’s OK to say no:
When you’re desperate for business success, it can be all too easy to find yourself saying ‘yes’ to everybody. You can feel like you’ve got investors, suppliers, and even clients wrapped around your little finger and you struggle to say no to their requests because you don’t want to mess anything up. But the truth is, most people will understand if you have to say no once in a while – and saying yes is always the wrong move if you’re not sure you’ve got the available bandwidth to take a certain task on.
Set boundaries and stick to them:
Setting boundaries as a business owner doesn’t mean that you need to go hard on yourself or others; you can always allow yourself to get involved with different, new adventures, work on new projects and deepen your professional connections. If an employee has an issue and genuinely needs your help, for example, there’s nothing wrong with helping them out – but sticking to your boundaries might mean saying no to them if it becomes something that starts eating up your time or making you feel uncomfortable.
Practice self-care:
Finally, as an entrepreneur, all of your energy is going into your business – and if you’re sacrificing the energy that normally goes on yourself, then this can quickly lead to burn-out. Manage your calendar in a way that allows you to practice good self-care every day; this could mean taking some time in the morning to meditate or catch up with that book that you’ve been reading, or a good bedtime routine that helps you wind down and relax before your head hits the pillow. Making sure that you always take your lunch break. Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly are all simple self-care strategies that can get lost in the process of taking your business to the top. Make some time to start doing these again and you’ll probably find that you actually become more productive, calm, and in control.
Entrepreneurial burnout could be the end of your business, so use these strategies to regain balance and feel in control again.