As an entrepreneur, you’ve probably asked yourself this question before. Possibly more than once. Being your own boss can be so empowering, but it’s also on your shoulders to monitor your growth and recognize when the feelings of burnout are approaching.
You don’t have to wait until you’re completely overwhelmed to start taking the steps to avoid feeling like you’re burnt out and you should quit. One of the most important mindsets entrepreneurs and small business owners can develop is a, “pause mindset.”
What’s that? You are making a conscious effort to do exactly what it says, pause. Does this need to be a week-long vacay? No, not necessarily. (Although if you can, who’s stopping you?) If responding to emails is starting to be part of the day that “you’ll get to in a minute,” and then it’s 6PM and you haven’t touched your gmail, pause. Take a small block of time out of your day to sit at your desk, or maybe even on your laptop in bed, 10AM-11AM, and email away. Emails don’t have to be tedious, and it’s giving our mind a break from the other things you feel need to be accomplished right in that moment.
Pausing can also be about setting your work boundaries. Is it too much to work 8 hours a day, and be a parent, and cook dinner and get your kids where they need to go? Set your work schedule. This is the beauty we have to remember of being self employed. Maybe you’re working 10AM-2PM three days a week, and keeping weekends work free. It’s all about finding your balance, and your time to pause.
The important thing to take away from developing your “pause mindset,” is that by pausing, you’re not quitting. You’re not giving up, you’re not throwing in the towel, you’re just establishing a plan that works for you so that you won’t actually one day quit. Burnout can come on so quickly, and those feelings are powerful, so it’s up to you to take control!
That’s my few cents on how to avoid burnout, but you don’t have to take it just from me. If you’re looking for a burnout consultation with an expert, Harvest Pursuit has the pleasure of working with Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier RPsych, MBA, PhD, Leadership Resilience & Burnout Expert. She has written many blogs on the topics of mental health, resilience, leisure time and more on her website https://drmhpelletier.com
By: Alyson Jones