We are taking on more these days with the illusion of technology making us think we have superpowers. While technology can absolutely help us be more efficient in our business, it does tend to trick us into biting off more than we can chew. You may be able to bounce back from burnout quicker than most but if you are like me, it takes several days to get back into the mental clarity and enthusiasm I once had.
When you play multiple roles in your life, burnout may be inevitable but can definitely be controlled. Follow these steps to reduce the chances of burnout so you are not taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.
Have a general plan— If you are not a planner and hate structure, this general plan can be the perfect plan for you. You may be thinking this is contradicting but sometimes we need reminders of appointments we must be at with some buffers in between. I like to write out my non-negotiables in my Push Journal then allow space for fun stuff when creativity hits or my intuition guides me in a slightly different direction. This method provides a great balance of structure and flexibility. I reduce stress when unexpected things occur knowing that I have a space for them in my daily schedule. It truly was a huge weight lifted from my shoulders when I started saying no to things that didn’t serve me and taking the time to identify the marketing tactics that weren’t working for my business. When you are consistently planning this way, you allow yourself to have consistent progress even if it is moving slowly.
Adding a strategic block to your schedule and being loyal to this block is also a great way to reduce burnout. Creating a 3-hour strategic block a couple of times per week enables you to zone in on important business activities. When you are laser-focused during this time, you can knock out a huge chunk of work. Put away the phone, close out unnecessary browsers and remove any other distractions. When you work for 45 minutes followed by a 15-minute leg stretch and movement exercise then repeat 3 times, you can get so much more done than had you tried to tackle these tasks with lots of distractions over an 8 hour day. During these 3 hours, do not even check emails or respond to texts. Save this for daily 30-minute buffer blocks.
Be sure to add in time each month for reevaluation and adjustments.
Delegate— Seeking external help is actually more affordable than you think. I have recently hired an intelligent, hardworking woman to help me with social media content and other marketing tasks. Although she may be on the other side of the world, she is able to work while I sleep and vice versa. Her skill and open communication have enabled me to focus on other parts of my business with less stress and more ease. She saves me a few hours a week which feels more like days.
Other areas to delegate are household chores, errands, and grocery shopping. If you are telling yourself you can’t afford this luxury, evaluate how much your time is worth compared to the cost of these services. If you can earn $100 per hour yet the cost of a service is $10 per hour, you are missing out on $90 per hour every time you try to take control of that task. If you look at it over time, a few hours a week may cost you $50 to delegate or $450 to do it yourself. Which would you rather pay? Release that lack mindset and recruit help. Check out Upwork for some amazing talent to help with business tasks. For grocery shopping delegation, check out Shipt.
Take periodic breaks— I recently started to allow myself 26-minute naps whenever I felt the urge. Some may think that taking a nap will slow them down. When setting a timer and using meditative audio, it helps me get into a deep sleep right away and wake up refreshed. I actually tried to see if I could go back to sleep after the 26 minutes but my body told me it was good to go and didn’t need any more rest.
At least once a month, take half a day off to treat yourself or spend time with a loved one. When you get out of your workspace and into life, it can be a reminder of why you are working to build your business. I have been noticing lately that when I allow myself time for rest and have fun, the Universe brings me more clients and opportunities. It is the trust in the Universe and the positive energy that you demonstrate that attracts abundance into your life. When you hire outside help, you will feel less guilty about taking time for yourself because you will have peace of mind that your business machine is still operating.
Often too many times, we entrepreneurs launch a business for it’s time and financial freedom yet don’t take time to enjoy these luxuries. It is possible to enjoy the fruits of your labor if you plan properly, let go of control and allow yourself some slack.
The WeWe Network 