Burnout and how to avoid.

by Sarah Murphy

So if you're reading this you’re either already a business owner or you’re probably thinking about it. Or you just like reading my ramblings, and for that I am very thankful. 

If you have the pleasure of being one of my clients you will know that I used to run on burnout all the time, this being because I never give myself a break, as I also worked in a dentist as well. However working flat out 7 days a week was taking its toll on me so I had to do something to stop this.

The first thing I did was to leave my job at the dentist and put some very easy basic things in place to stop any future burnout in my own business. 


So how do we avoid burnout I hear you ask. Well being organised is the key factor to the whole thing, and yes these blogs are super honest and I tell you now I AM NOT the most organised person hence the burnout, but putting some boundaries in place and just having more structure to my business has given me the balance I need in my work and home life.


So firstly you have to be super organised.


How do I know if I am burning out, you ask.

 

So if this is you right now…..

  • Your performance and motivation are lacking and you just feel stuck in a rut.
  • Your passion for your job is subsiding and work is a chore.
  • You feel that all you have are issues and can’t see past all the negatives.
  • You are unable to switch off and become easily irritable at home.
  • You are not spending time with your family and loved ones enough.
  • Your emotions are all over the place. You cry at the most insignificant things (This one is definitely me. When I cry more often I know I’m in burnout. But I’m a soft arse and cry easily anyway. I can cry at an advert on the telly. I'm an emotional soul but hey that’s me and makes me who I am. But I want to stop the emotional cry because of burnout)
  • You feel like giving everything up and wonder if it is all worth it.
  • Low self worth and just believing you aren’t good enough.

If any of the above sound familiar then lets work on how we are going to change it. But let me first say you are not alone in the way you are feeling. At one time or another every business owner will have entered burnout. So please don’t think you are alone in how you are feeling. For one I am with you and fully understand.


So how are we going to avoid burnout in the future?


I for one knew the first thing I needed to do was leave my other job. So if you are working two jobs and your passion is with your own business then you first need to have a really good think about is the time right to leave your employed job and put all your focus on your own business. It ‘s bloody hard juggling two jobs for sure, and I applaud you if this is what you are doing right now. 

Of course leaving an employed job is scary and you may not be at the right stage in your own business to give this up. But they are definitely things we can put in place to help you navigate working two jobs or just working one job and avoiding burnout. Because you can balance your personal life and work life so you can live in harmony.


So here are some tips that help me void burnout. These work for me but I am aware not everyone's the same so just take away what will work for you.

  • Firstly become organised. How do I do this? I use a calendar, I  just use my google calendar on my phone and every phone has a calendar option. Or if you're old school you can still have a paper diary too. I put everything in my diary, this way I know what I’m doing and when things need to be done. I have different colours for different things so at a quick glance I can see what my day involves. 
  • Every evening I set out my upcoming day. I set time scales for what I need to do that day. The trick is to be realistic with what I have put in. I dont list loads and loads of things so that it's inevitable I’m not going to achieve them. But if I don’t achieve them all I don’t panic, I just move them to another day. If I don’t assign it a time on another day, guess what it won’t get done. I'll forget about it then yes you’ve guessed it I’ll have a pile of things that need to get done and i’ll put pressure on myself, then I’m on that slippery slope to burnout again. So I always assign a day and time to get it completed. 
  • I get up earlier than I used to. Even if this is just 20/30 minutes more. Having some chilled time in the morning on my own is the best thing I ever did. I just feel more ready for the day, more relaxed and not rushed.
  • Meditate, I do this throughout the day. If I feel myself getting overwhelmed I'll take 10 mins to just sit and listen to a guided meditation and this grounds me and calms me down.
  • Go for a walk, get outside in nature. I love this but I never used to have the time. This is one of my favourite things to do now.
  • Listen to podcasts. My favourite is Beauty Growth Academy who is my personal coach and has helped me so much in my business and just in my life in general.
  • Read, read books that are going to inspire you and will help to keep you in the moment. I’ve learnt so much by reading and this has helped me massively in becoming more relaxed, but has taught me so much too. (Keep your eyes peeled for another blog on which books I read)
  • I have boundaries, if my working hours are 9am till 5pm then I stick to them. (they aren’t 9 till 5 but you get the jist) If a client wants an appointment at a time that i'm not working hours then I have learnt to say NO. 
  • Making sure I give myself time off. We all need days off.
  • Do something that is just for me. Go for a massage, go get my nails done. 
  • Food prep, plan meals out, this will stop that dreaded, what are we having for tea drama that we know we have all had. If you are prepared this will take away the frustration of meal times especially the evening meal. Who wants that stress after you have just done a full day's work. So having things planned is key.

These are just some of the things I do to avoid getting into burnout mode, and they are very simple things. I know some of you are thinking I don’t have time for this. But believe me you do, I used to think this but really you I was just not giving myself the time. This is why I sit down and plan my days out work. 


You will be surprised how much you can fit into your day if you are just organised and STICK TO IT.


To avoid burning out in the future, implement some or all of these tasks into your routine and see how just little changes can help with a more healthier work life balance.

Back to Burnout and how to avoid.