As an entrepreneur, under pressure, working long hours, and feeling driven to succeed, burnout is a very real thing. A 2019 Canadian Mental Health study of entrepreneurs found that 62% felt depressed at least once a week, and nearly half of respondents felt that mental health issues interfered with their ability to do their work. So, you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed.

What can you do about it?

The good news is, there are ways to manage burnout and get back to enjoying your entrepreneurial life. Here are ways to move forward, with ease and purpose.

  1. Set realistic expectations. As an entrepreneur, you are used to setting lofty goals and working nonstop until they are achieved. But, maybe some of these goals, in these timelines, just aren’t realistic. This is a situation that leads to burnout. Re-evaluate some of these goals and rejig your timelines. Factor in time to relax and recharge, get some extra hands to make them happen and then re-focus on these new, more achievable plans.
  2. Change your perspective on failure. Instead of thinking of failure as a setback and a stressor, try to think of it as a teachable moment, a learning strategy you can take a lesson from. Look at what happened, what went wrong, and what you can do in the future to change things. Don’t stress over what has already happened but move forward with positivity and an assurance that you have learned from the past, and the future looks bright.
Take the time to rest. This is, perhaps, the most important lesson. As an entrepreneur, you can’t do your best work unless you have regular times of rest, to recharge. Working 24/7 does yourself and your business a disservice, as you can’t be your best self without taking a break. Make sure you get regular sleep, regular breaks during your day, and regular breaks during the week and year to get away from work and give your mind a rest. 

Sleep, in particular, has been shown to boost your immune system, reduce stress, improve memory, and increase knowledge retention. Burning the midnight oil is not going to help you, or your business to succeed. Fitting eight hours of sleep a night into your routine may well be the best thing you can do for yourself, and your business.

These tips are simple things you can do to keep yourself and your business in tiptop shape. Finding a community of other entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off of, and blow off steam with, is also an important part of the successful entrepreneurial journey. Sharing ideas and energy with other people who understand is a wonderful way to feel empowered and supported.

Connect with other entrepreneurs today at Creative Nomad Studios.

Creative Nomad Studios is An Entrepreneur, Innovation and Creative Space.
Be the first one to leave a comment!
Sign in or join to post new comments