Are you feeling burned out today? Many service-based business owners are feeling the same. Know you are not alone. High grocery and gasoline prices, along with sales in downward projection, have left most of us pretty burnedout. That is why I am sharing 7 tips to help you overcome your burnout.
What is Burnout
Yes, it’s definition time again <wink>. Although the World Health Organization says burnout is not classified as a medical condition, it is an “occupational phenomenon.”
“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” –World Health Organization
They go on to characterize burnout by three dimensions:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism
- Reduced professional efficacy
Symptoms of Burnout:
I included the three above in our list of symptoms and added a few more that I believe are appropriate symptoms of burnout.
- Reduction in Your Work Output or Success
- Feeling Maxed Out or Overworked
- Hitting a Revenue Wall
- Dissatisfied with Work &/or Life
- Diminished or Loss of Focus (& Possibly Purpose)
- Self Doubt
- Overall Exhaustion
Overcoming Burnout:
It would be easy to tell your self-care is the answer, but that is too broad an answer. Self-care is good in helping to overcome burnout. I’m not sure it is the only answer if you have a stressful workplace, a harsh boss, and deadlines looming.
Tips to Overcome Burnout
- Hire a Coach
- Journaling
- Prayer/Meditation
- Set Boundaries
- Hire Help – Team Member
- Quitting or Transitioning
- Take a Trip (Time Away) [Schedule Future Time Off Regularly]
Hire a Coach
Hiring a coach seems obvious, but not everyone does. The most successful businesses and entrepreneurs have business coaches. If they do, then all the more reason that we should as well. If nothing else, consider that there is a great return on your investment with a business coach.
Why?
Business coaches can help your service-based business in many ways.
- Accountability
- Mindset
- Help Setting Up
- Direction to Grow
- Scaling Your Business
These are only a handful of the numerous ways business coaches will help you with your business. If you do not have one, please take time today to reach out to one (set up a free session with me to see if we are a good fit).
Journaling
Journaling is a great way to pour out on paper what you are feeling. I’ve done this since I was a child. I love writing out poems and lyrics mostly. I also use my Bullet Journal’s (Scribble’s that Matter version) blank pages to plan out articles, live events that I want to host, as well as courses and speaking opportunity sessions.
There is something about writing on paper that can make a big difference and connection. It can help you sort out business decisions, brainstorm, and more. It brings out the creativity in us.
Schedule Regular Time Off & Vacations
The next tip to overcome burnout is to take a trip or time away from the office (work). As online service-based business owners, it is not easy for us to take time for ourselves, let alone time away. This is, however, one of the most important things you can do to help yourself overcome burnout.
If you take time away from a stressful situation at work, it can help you clear your mind and rejuvenate you. As difficult as it is to schedule time away from our businesses it is a necessity. Try scheduling regular time off and vacations to get your mind off of work and reconnect with others outside of your business. It is especially important if you have a family.
Prayer and Meditation
Your mindset may be completely different upon your return. You may approach a project with a new perspective.
Prayer is my go-to always in any situation. Perhaps yours is meditation. These have proven to lower blood pressure and calm down the body’s systems. Try it out the next time you start feeling stressed. STOP and start to pray or meditate. Set your focus on God and His ways. Speak to Him; He does answer if you are open to hearing Him.
What better business plan than to get direction from our Father above? He will never lead you in the wrong direction (as long as you are a Christian and listening to Him).
Set Boundaries
The next thing that can help your burnout is to set boundaries. This is a crucial item to break free of burnout. Too often, as entrepreneurs, we consistently work overtime, and because we do it so much, it becomes the norm. So, when a client asks for more work outside of the normal hours of business, you do it. It doesn’t matter that you had plans with the family to watch your son’s baseball game.
“He is used to your missing it,” you think. “Besides”, you tell him, “it will not always be this way. It’s only while you are building the business.”
Before you know it, he is off to college and wonders where the time went. I can say from experience of having three children (now grown), you cannot put a hold on their growing up.
“Overworking had become my subconscious way of boosting my sense of self-worth. As my health began to suffer, I recognized that I could no longer say yes to every request. I started setting clear boundaries, kindly declining or offering to handle tasks later when needed. This shift in mindset helped me regain control over both my time and health, ultimately leading to a much healthier work-life balance.”
beth berry
Like Beth, set clear boundaries now with work and your clients. They will appreciate knowing your boundaries.
In my contracts, I include a section that indicates no work outside of regular hours. I include my regular hours spelled out. I give an exception of “unless given permission ahead of time, IF we have the available time.”
Setting clear boundaries, whether in a contract, on your website, or in a “How We Work Together” document, is crucial to working successfully with your clients. They appreciate the clarity and freedom for you both. When there are clear boundaries, everyone knows the expectation.
Quit Your Job or Transition
If you are unsatisfied or underworked (not having enough work or projects to do), quitting your job or transitioning to a new position could help overcome burnout.
All of us need to feel useful and necessary. We also want to believe the services we provide are helping our clients excel. If any of these are lacking, it can lead to burnout, depression, and/or stress (where your health can be affected).
- Talk to your supervisor and let them know you are dissatisfied with the work you’ve been doing.
- Ask for more challenging work. Even if your boss has never considered you for more challenging work by asking you’ve now put the thought in his/her mind; therefore, when the opportunity becomes available, she/he may give you the chance to prove yourself on a new level.
- Talk to a professional. A professional who can help with burnout could be a career advisor, someone in HR you trust, a pastor or priest, a psychologist, or a business coach experienced in the industry you are working (or hope to work within).
Take every opportunity to confirm this is the answer. How would you do this?
Note*: This is NOT the answer for all who are experiencing burnout, nor is it this advice intended for everyone experiencing burnout because they are unsatisfied or underworked. Please discuss this with a professional before making a final decision.
Hire Help
Another great way to help overcome burnout is to bring on a subcontractor to work with your clients (or start to build your team/agency). This is one of the best ways to free up your time and start to scale your business.
Add a subcontracted team member that has the skills and also has good character, and you will both be happy. This frees you up to work ON your business, not always working IN it.
Bringing on team members will help you take that regular time off and vacations.
How Long To Overcome Burnout
You are probably wondering now, how long will it take to overcome burnout?
“A person’s recovery from burnout will differ from one to another.
“It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years,”
says registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke, MA, RP.”
As you recover from these symptoms, your feelings will improve. As you step out in setting boundaries, you will gain a sense of freedom and boldness, so your self-doubt may diminish, as well as other symptoms.
Final Thoughts
Take it one step at a time and remember to get help when needed. There is no shame in reaching out to a professional, especially if these feelings linger or feel like self-harm is an option (always call someone if you feel this way).
Until next time!
Tammy Durden is a thought leader, speaker, and business coach for online service solopreneurs.
Tammy has established herself as an authority figure over the last 16 years of owning several online service businesses. She specializes in helping solopreneurs scale by outsourcing – adding a virtual team to grow your business.
Book your free Mini-Coaching Session with Tammy
*This article contains both facts and opinions. It is not intended as medical advice. The author heavily researched this subject and has experience with it herself, but she is not a medical professional. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose or cure anyone suffering from burnout. The author wishes to help those with burnout through the facts and advice provided in the article. Please seek professional help from a counselor, minister, psychologist, or coach if you are suffering from burnout. Please seek help or call 911 if you have thoughts of hurting yourself or anyone else.