How to Manage Burnout as a Business Owner

As a business owner, it’s easy to overwork— one night a week becomes three; a quick check of your email on a Saturday turns into a three-hour distraction; and even though you’re OOO, you're still peeping at that inbox.

With great responsibility comes great reward, but it can also be extremely difficult to know when to say no, close your computer for the night, or intentionally take breaks throughout the day. Burnout can exist anywhere, but it’s particularly common among business owners and entrepreneurs.

Burnout is a cycle of stress, exhaustion, and overstimulation; therefore can affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. If you’ve ever been a college kid during finals week, you know exactly what I’m talking about here. While hard work isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s important to have balance in your life to avoid burnout, potential health problems due to stress, and mental un-health issues. To help my fellow business owners, I put together a list of tried-and-true tactics I do to avoid burnout in my own business (and life in general!).

Take Breaks

Taking breaks may sound simple, but we’ve all been in the middle of a hectic workday: a full inbox, projects with looming deadlines, phone ringing every five minutes, a mile-long to-do list…the list goes on. It seems counterintuitive to take a break when you have so much on your plate, but hear this: it’s completely necessary and should be a non-negotiable part of your day. You’re a human, not a robot/machine. You aren’t made to function at full-speed all day, every day— you need a break to stay inspired, passionate, and healthy. 

Here’s how to practically do this step: set a reminder on your phone once in the morning and once in the afternoon. When your phone alerts you, step away from your desk, set a timer for 10 to 30 minutes, and take a break. During this time, you could go for a walk, make yourself something healthy to eat, do a thought-download, call a loved one, etc. 

It’s essential this is a restful time, so I’d suggest staying off your phone or computer during your scheduled break. Give this a try, find a rhythm that works for you, and start scheduling breaks on a daily basis. It may seem like a small step, but these consistent breaks will sustain your mental, physical, and emotional health over time.

Move Your Body

Health is wealth when it comes to owning a business, and exercise is key for long-term physical health (it has mental health benefits, too!). If you’re able, incorporate exercise into your weekly schedule. I’m not suggesting you ditch your meetings and spend two hours in the gym every day— this will look different for everyone. For some of us, this could look like a 20-minute walk before work. For others, it may look like an evening gym session to burn off the stress of the work day. 

Find what works for you and make moving your body a priority. Exercise will also help you sleep better, allowing you to manage stress better, and improve your overall health.

Say No

Of this list, saying no may be the hardest, but it also has the greatest potential to help you avoid burnout. If your plate is overly full and you’re hanging on by a thread, it’s likely time to say no to new opportunities and put your health first. The extra income may sound nice, but if you have to sacrifice your mental and physical health for it, it’s not worth it. 

Saying yes when you don’t have the capacity to take on more is a one-way ticket to burnout. Practice saying no— and if you absolutely can’t, find options to help you manage your workload (e.g., hiring help, automating your processes, raising your prices, etc). 

Burnout does not have to be inevitable as a business owner. Running a business is hard work, and burnout can affect your personal and professional life. Taking practical and intentional steps to stay healthy will help you show up as the best version of yourself— for your clients, customers, employees, and yourself. 

If your plate is full and you need some help, you know where to reach me. I can help you manage more than just your brand’s Marketing— let’s get control over your schedule, your business’ development, and more— so you can get back to what you do best!