Being an entrepreneur has massive benefits like the ability to grow at your own pace and having control over your job, however, the uncertainty and workload it brings can be as exhausting as it is exhilarating. Just when you start feeling comfortable, there is another shift into the unknown.
“Running a startup is like chewing glass and staring into the abyss,” said Elon Musk. “After a while, you stop staring, but the glass chewing never ends.”
This wonderful yet unsettling cycle of growth and innovation mixed with uncertainty means that entrepreneurs need to learn healthy ways to find work-life balance. Burnout culture is significantly problematic so let’s figure out how to feel better every single day, so you don’t need that 2-week vacation just to rejuvenate yourself… not that you don’t deserve a 2-week vacation! But take that vacation because you want to, not because you’re dying to feel better because you’re so burnt out.
Here are many practical ways to help entrepreneurs—or really anyone—to keep doing what they love without burning out.
Pause your inbox at night
Do you find yourself checking email during the evening or right when you wake up? Use an email add-on software like Boomerang to pause your inbox and avoid work after you’re all finished for the day. You can set up auto-pause every night, or pause your email manually when you like.
You can also use this software to schedule sending emails later. If you are emailing late at night, your recipient will usually appreciate receiving it the next morning instead. (Not that we promote typing emails late at night, but sometimes, it’s hard to avoid.)
Schedule mini-rewards
Taking a 15- or 20-minute break between tasks to stretch, take a walk, or make a healthy snack can help you feel refreshed and ready to continue ticking items off your to-do list. Avoiding breaks leads to burnout much sooner in the day, making it impossible to stay productive. See how often we should be taking breaks.
Perform like tasks in batches
Maximize your productivity by scheduling related tasks together rather than jumping between vastly different tasks all day. You will be able to focus more quickly/easily and suffer less mental fatigue.
Take time to focus on the big picture
It can be really hard to focus on your “big picture” when you have a list of mundane tasks on a list in front of you with deadlines. Step away from your computer or your office every once in a while and think broader.
Are your daily responsibilities moving you closer to your goals? Is there something else you should be doing to make moves towards your goals? You may discover a few small things that could help you e.g. scheduling a few reach-out calls, asking your clients for referrals, or signing up for networking events.
You might even discover some things you DON’T need to be doing!
Meditate
Meditation can be very powerful. It can be as simple as taking a 15-minute walk around your neighborhood while focusing on your breathing pattern, the colors around you, or the sounds around you. There are also plenty of guided meditation videos on YouTube. Here’s an excellent article that includes a list of guided YouTube meditations.
Meditation goes hand in hand with taking the time to focus on the big picture, too. Epinephrine (adrenaline) causes vasoconstriction in your brain when you are stressed, making it difficult to process emotions and creatively problem-solve. After meditation, stress levels go down and it becomes easier to achieve a helpful macro mindset.
Delegate tasks
Have a team helping you? Delegate until you feel you can handle your tasks effectively. If you don’t have a team and you’re often finding you have too much to do (or don’t like doing some of the tasks owning a business requires of you) it might be time to look for hired help.
You could delegate tasks like accounting, sales calls, email marketing, managing social media accounts, or even answering inquiry emails.
If you do hire, find a business or individual (freelance/contract or full time) that will take the time to learn about your goals and values before they get started. Ensuring they learn about your business first helps to avoid problems in the long run.
Cut ties and save your sanity
Not every relationship is beneficial… This is true in both your personal and business life. If you are finding it’s more stressful than beneficial to keep a relationship going (perhaps with a client, business partner, influencer, etc), it may be time to cut ties. Here are some tips for how to do this while staying professional.
Never feel obliged to stay in contact with people who are especially negative, accusatory, demanding, or emotionally draining. You may feel like you’re narrowing your opportunities by cutting out clients but that’s not true… you’re just making space for new and beautiful relationships.
Make decisions quickly
Make it easy on yourself and learn to make decisions more easily. Remind yourself that you DO know what you are doing. Even if you feel as if you don’t, your intuition is usually correct. If you truly aren’t sure about a large decision, consult a trusted friend and decide together.
If something feels too stressful and you’re already withdrawing and hesitating, the answer should probably be “no.” And if it doesn’t feel right, there isn’t any point in saying “maybe.”
Efficient decision-making is key to moving forward. If it feels right, you will know!
