{"id":118188,"date":"2023-05-26T04:54:20","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T04:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/?p=118188"},"modified":"2024-10-22T07:35:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T07:35:21","slug":"business-owners-guide-to-avoiding-burnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wellness\/business-owners-guide-to-avoiding-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do when it feels like it\u2019s all up to you: a business owner&#8217;s guide to avoiding burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Burnout. It shows up as an unintended short reply, unexplained fatigue, or the inability to function at full capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">If you\u2019ve ever faced it, you\u2019re not alone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/about\/insights-center\/small-business-outlook-fall-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research<\/a> from Capital One shows nearly half of all small business owners struggle with burnout and seven out of ten experience mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion due to the stress of running their businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">How do you know if you have burnout? What causes it? And how can you, as a business owner, avoid burnout or recover from it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In this article, we\u2019ll take a look at the burnout business owners face and what you can do to overcome this common challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Exhausted entrepreneur at desk\" class=\"wp-image-118201\" title=\"Business owner burnout consequences\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-2.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is burnout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The World Health Organization defines burnout in their <a href=\"https:\/\/icd.who.int\/browse11\/l-m\/en#\/http:\/\/id.who.int\/icd\/entity\/129180281\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023 International Classification of Diseases<\/a> as a syndrome resulting from unsuccessfully-managed \u201cchronic workplace stress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Though not an illness, burnout can lead to serious health problems, broken relationships and even the loss of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Here are just a few of the health-related symptoms that can occur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty sleeping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Low energy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of focus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Changes in appetite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased alcohol or drug use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Left unchecked, burnout can lead to hypertension, heart disease, obesity, Type II diabetes, arthritis, depression and anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">When it spreads throughout a company, owners and managers struggle with low-functioning employees and missed workdays. Left unchecked, burnout results in costly high turnover rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Business owner organizing work\" class=\"wp-image-118221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-3-2.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What causes Burnout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You brought your business from dream to reality. As an early founder, you may have taken on roles in marketing, sales, and product design. You may even have written ad copy or swept the floor at headquarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As your business grows, so do the demands on your time, attention, and resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Burnout happens when your resources fall short of those demands, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4911781\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">researchers<\/a> Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Burnout can also appear as a byproduct of the ongoing stress occurring when basic needs such as sleep, relationships, or job security are at risk or when any of the following work imbalances are present:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>How much work you have to do<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much control you have over your own work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your reward for work completed (e.g., profit, paycheck, recognition)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The community, cultures, and values of those you work with<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your perception of fairness at work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How your work lines up with your values.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">So how do you know if you might be experiencing burnout?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Looking for signs of burnout\" class=\"wp-image-118241\" title=\"Symptoms of burnout\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-4.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the symptoms of burnout?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The same study found three major signals of burnout: exhaustion, detachment, and feeling ineffective in your position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Sleep deprivation, 18-hour days, and lack of nutrition and exercise, along with the psychological stressors of starting a business, can leave business owners feeling tired, depleted, and in need of retreat. As you shoulder more responsibilities, it\u2019s easy to overlook all you\u2019ve done and continue to do. Without that feeling of success, it\u2019s harder to stay motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Think you may be on the road to burnout? Look for one or more of these 14 signs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dreading Monday morning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased caffeine or alcohol intake<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor sleep<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Persistent fatigue&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exhaustion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A change in eating habits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cynicism about work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Negativity at work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Irritability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Withdrawal&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling less connected to coworkers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Struggling with focus and productivity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling ineffective in your role<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Being overly critical of your own performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Note: If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, fatigue, or other ongoing health issues, seek the advice of a qualified professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Now that you\u2019ve successfully recognized the signals of burnout, it\u2019s time to pull back, recover, and rediscover the energy and enthusiasm you had when you first started your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Business owner organizing work\" class=\"wp-image-118251\" title=\"Symptoms of burnout\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-5.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Setting priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Balance is the number one challenge entrepreneurs face, according to a NodeSource <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestechcouncil\/2018\/01\/25\/entrepreneurs-need-to-pay-more-attention-to-work-life-balance-heres-how\/?sh=56f3553b46b3\">survey<\/a>. Joe McCann, CEO, offers three ways business owners can recover a sustainable work-life balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Prioritize: <\/strong>Make a list of all your activities. Decide which are the most important. Then cross out everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Delegate:<\/strong> Which tasks can you assign to someone at home or at work? Do you need someone to walk the dog, prepare a healthy meal, or design meeting presentations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Schedule:<\/strong> Prioritize personal and family time by adding it to your calendar. Build recovery and reward into your schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">However, what if you\u2019re already in the burnout stages?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Business owner playing guitar\" class=\"wp-image-118261\" title=\"Burnout recovery\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-6.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Setting priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">If you\u2019re already struggling with burnout, it\u2019s not too late. Here are three steps you can take to recover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Set boundaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Creating a firm divide between your personal and business life can be a struggle when you\u2019re the owner \u2014 especially if you\u2019re working out of a home office.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Set office hours.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop a practice of shutting down the office every day.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And spend time in active recovery from work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Have a plan for active recovery\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Instead of leaving recreation to chance, plan ahead so you don\u2019t find yourself sitting in front of a screen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Get outside and take a walk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get the sleep you need<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the gym<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visit a local park, beach, or mountain trail&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Draw a sketch<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pick up a musical instrument&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spend time with people you care about<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7-1024x486.png\" alt=\"Business owner with team\" class=\"wp-image-118271\" title=\"Burnout recovery\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7-300x143.png 300w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/How-to-avoid-burnout-as-a-small-business-owner_Illustration-7.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building your team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Instead of leaving recreation to chance, plan ahead so you don\u2019t find yourself sitting in front of a screen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Reach out to other business owners, networking groups, and community groups. Find the people and resources available to support you in your community. And build a team you can rely on.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">If you need more support for your business, consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/services\/hire-virtual-assistant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tawk.to Virtual Assistant service starting at only $7 an hour<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Burnout. It shows up as an unintended short reply, unexplained fatigue, or the inability to function at full capacity.<\/p>\n<p>How do you know if you have burnout? What causes it? And how can you, as a business owner, avoid burnout or recover from it?  <\/p>\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll take a look at what you can do to overcome this common challenge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":118191,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"webinar_types":[],"class_list":["post-118188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118188"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118392,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118188\/revisions\/118392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118188"},{"taxonomy":"webinar_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tawk.to\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/webinar_types?post=118188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}