As an entrepreneur, you’re at a higher risk of burnout than almost any other group, especially as a solopreneur. Studies have shown that burnout in entrepreneurs is more likely to show up in the body than in the job.

Jade Barclay, a psychotherapist who recently completed her MBA Thesis on Entrepreneur Burnout said in an interview “There were a whole raft of cognitive symptoms that would show up, so just not being able to focus and things like that, brain fog, that kind of thing. A lot of people actually had body symptoms. It was common to have people say, "My body just completely shut down. I couldn't work anymore."

So how do you prevent this all too common occurrence? We’ve found 4 helpful tips to help you avoid entrepreneur burnout.

Entrepreneur Tip 1: Learn How To DELEGATE
You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. Delegate the tasks that you don’t enjoy or that you don’t excel at. Work to move anything off your plate that is repeatable and create a simple process to hand that off. Trust your support team to be able to tackle the work efficiently and effectively. Empowering your support team can be the most effective way to avoid burnout. Learning how to delegate can be a huge challenge for entrepreneurs. To learn what and how to delegate, check out our list of sample tasks to delegate:

Entrepreneur Tip 2: Exercise
One of the best ways to beat stress and avoid burnout is to get moving. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Scientists have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem.” Block 30 minutes a day to step away from work and get moving. Take a walk, join a yoga class, try that spinning class you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t made the time. It doesn’t matter what you do just get moving.

Tip: Implementing a delegation strategy from step 1 will help carve out the time needed for daily exercise.


Entrepreneur Tip 3: Remember Why You Started In The First Place
As entrepreneurs, it’s far too easy to get caught up in the daily grind and the stress of building your own business but you have to remind yourself why you became an entrepreneur in the first place. Look back at what fueled your passion in the beginning, where the fun was, and try to find ways to reconnect with that energy in your work each day. Use this not only to inspire you but to inform and structure your work day. As you explore how to delegate tasks, fill the time you get back with this type of work. When you do work that gives you energy, you reduce your risk of entrepreneur burnout and you have a bigger impact on your company.


Entrepreneur Tip 4: Give Back
They say if you want to refill your cup you should pour it out to others. Giving of your time (rather than of your pocketbook) is one of the best ways to avoid burnout. This may sound counterintuitive, as your time is already limited. However, being the good in your community and serving others gives a renewed sense of purpose and rejuvenates the spirit. Like in Entrepreneur Tip 3, meaningful work creates more energy than it takes. 

These are just a few of the ways you can avoid entrepreneur burnout. The biggest key to avoiding it is to recognize it and implement delegation strategies and personal strategies that help you feel excited about the work you are doing. When you feel excited and like you are doing your most meaningful work, you can do more and struggle less!

 
Contributed by our Team Member, Amber