Preventing a business burnout

If you’re the kind of business owner whose average working day consists of feeling anxious, exhausted, helpless or stressed, then you may be teetering on the very brink of burnout.

Burnouts are a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. They usually occur when owners feel overwhelmed or unable to meet the constant demands of running and managing a business.

In addition to negatively impacting on a business owner’s individual work performance, burnouts can also create secondhand stress for the owner’s employees or coworkers.

While running a business can take up much of an owner’s time, it is important for owners not to neglect their responsibility of staying physically and mentally healthy. To avoid burnout from happening to you, here are five tips to creating a happy, thriving workplace:

Realise that you can control your emotions
A person’s thoughts ultimately determines their feelings. We have 100% control over what we think i.e. the way we interpret situations, the expectations we place upon ourselves, so make the conscious effort to find a benefit from every situation and go easy on yourself if things don’t necessarily go to plan.

Focus on goals
Becoming goal-oriented instead of time-oriented can help to maximise efficiency and stay focused on your business’s key objectives. Regularly think about your reasons for starting the business to make sure they align with your professional and lifestyle goals.

Establish boundaries
Try to avoid working beyond a set number of hours each week, make sure you unplug from technology when you get home and spend some uninterrupted, quality time with family and friends.

Avoid multi-tasking
Multitasking has been found to reduce productivity by 20-40% and can increase the chances of making mistakes or errors. Try developing the habit of single-tasking throughout the day so you can focus completing a task with maximum efficiency.

Nurture your health
Being healthy can shield owners from stress and improve their resiliency. Regularly exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night are all small changes that can make a big difference.

Categorised in: Firm journal

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