Hard work is one of the major driving forces behind every successful entrepreneur – it’s what makes it possible for them to produce the results that are their goals, raise the capital they need for their projects, start new enterprises & keep going until they see success. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs eventually find themselves at the point of burnout, lacking the creative spirit, drive or energy to keep moving forward at the pace they set for themselves.
It’s important to realize, however, that this stress & burnout can be avoided. Here are 6 ways you can successfully keep burnout at bay.
Identify Your Stress Triggers
Stress decreases our mental capabilities, leaves us feeling drained and exhausted, and can even cause us to become physically ill. To avoid burnout, learn to identify your stress triggers by taking note of what you’re doing when the stress arises. Once you’ve identified the tasks that are causing your stress, you can start to eliminate it by delegating those tasks to others, or finding a way to automate them.
Maximize Your Mental Prime Time
We all have a time of day where we work at our absolute best – a time where our minds are fully focused, alert and engaged. The key, if you want to avoid burnout, is to use that mental prime time to accomplish your most high-priority tasks. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted with other, less important tasks as that will only lead to more stress down the line. Rather, train yourself to use that time to reach your highest level of productivity.
Build a Strong Team
If you’re trying to do everything yourself, you can be certain that you will experience burnout sooner or later. Instead, build a strong support team of people you can count on to do the job correctly. It may take more effort in the beginning, but it is well worth the payoff.
Prioritize
We can never be certain about the future, know what may come up or what we will have to deal with when it does, which brings us to prioritization – a vital aspect of avoiding burnout. If you make it a habit to get the important tasks done first, then it is easier to adapt and reorganize when faced with the unexpected challenges.
Delegate
As an entrepreneur, you may find that burnout most often occurs when you’re dealing with tasks that you simply do not enjoy. If you want to keep those entrepreneurial fires burning, focus only on the projects or tasks you have a real passion for, and delegate the rest. Don’t try to do everything yourself – do what inspires you, and allow others to take care of the rest.
Take Time Off – Guilt-free
Entrepreneurs will often work much longer hours than most people in regular 9-5 jobs, sacrificing their free time, hobbies and time with family and friends to work towards their goal. While their passion & drive is admirable, no one can keep on going endlessly without taking time to relax. Some advice from Richard Branson on this topic is: “Ditch any guilt you might feel about stopping work. Make this relaxation time a priority.”It may be tough initially to prioritize that time off, but as an entrepreneur, it’s vital for you to maintain a healthy work-life balance in order to actually reach the success you’re looking for. Make sure you take that time – guilt-free.
