Running your own business can take over your life, leading to entrepreneurship burnout if youโre not careful. In the fast-paced business world, it sometimes feels like thereโs no letting up. Because if you slow down, you miss out, right? Lose your edge to the competition. Not necessarily so, according to Angela and Emmanuel Williams. Listen to them discuss burnout in a podcast episode of More Details, Please. Joining them is Marc Villella, President of GryphonHR, a specialist HR tech company. Marc has over 20 years of experience in business and IT.ย
Listen to the episode: Race Against Time: How to Avoid Entrepreneurship Burnout.
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
If youโre driven, ambitious, and juggling a heavy workload, work can fill every minute of your day. Angela knows firsthand how easy it is to fall into a workaholic mindset. She and Emmanuel started DetailXPerts, their mobile cleaning company, over 20 years ago.ย โEarly on in the business, I felt there was so much to get done, from finding clients to marketing the business to networking, which took a lot of time. It got to a point where it was overwhelming. It felt like a never-ending situation. And for me, I clearly realized I had to get help.โ Angela Williams.ย
As well as that overwhelming feeling, here are other signs to look out for:ย
- At the startup stage, you feel you must do it all โ marketing, bookkeeping, customer service etc. That can be exhausting and lonely!
- Youโre making all the decisions, which can be stressful.ย
- Feeling the financial pressure.
- Donโt want to take time off in case things fall apart.
- Wonโt delegate because you are used to doing it all.
Emmanuel gives an idea of what burnout feels like. โYou feel exhausted all the time. Wake up tired. Need coffee all the time. Canโt focus on simple tasks.โ If you can relate to any of these symptoms, the โburnoutโ podcast episode is for you. Also, you might like the Williamsโ conversation on a business management mindset.
Supportive Leadership
As you build your team, look out for those around you. Supportive leadership also means recognizing burnout signs in others.ย Podcast guest Marc Villella shares his insights based on over two decades of experience in business and the IT world. He admits heโs also felt the pressure. โI’ve dealt with burnout at several levels as an employee, as a leader, and now as an entrepreneur.โ
On the podcast, Marc also talks about the importance of observation in the workplace. For example, looking for signs of stress on peopleโs faces. ย โAs a leader, help them alleviate that stress. Is it time off? Reducing their workload? Sitting down and talking through what specific things are causing them the most anxiety?โ says Marc.ย
So, communication is a big part of protecting your team from stress and burnout. Angela shares 5 tips that work for DetailXPerts:
- Donโt micro-manage. Trust your team to make decisions.
- Provide ongoing tools and training. A well-trained team is a confident team. And the latest systems and tools can boost productivity, creating a feel-good environment. Listen to our episode on How to future-proof your business.
- Celebrate progress. For example, our monthly employee newsletter has a section that acknowledges the small wins and daily efforts of our teams.ย
- Lead by example. If you donโt rest, your team wonโt feel they can either.ย
- Like Marc said, check in with your team โ ask how theyโre doing. And listen!ย
Use Software Tools to Reduce Your Workload
Growing your business often means putting in more hours, which can lead to more stress. But Marc reminds you to make the most of the available software tools. For example, discover what can help with sales, marketing, administrative tasks, and your accounts. Basically, tools that let you get more things done in less time.ย
Marc grew a multimillion-dollar company in four short years, so he knows how to work efficiently. He also builds software related to employee onboarding, ensuring an efficient process that takes a lot off the employerโs plate. This is key to avoiding burnout. Utilizing tools that let you get more things done in less time. Equally important is using software to keep your business compliant without spending hours on paperwork.
Learning to Manage Deadlines
Thereโs nothing like a deadline to make your stress levels spike. Marc says heโs been there when he was working for a company doing a 70-hour week for months. It was exhausting and impacted his family time. He didnโt get the support from management heโd hoped for, so he quit his job. โIt was difficult. I ended up going from doing IT work to mowing lawns for a while because I had to do something. And it gave me time to reset. I had to find a new gig. But it was worthwhile. I wasn’t going to sacrifice anything more than I already had, especially family time.โ ย
That said, not everyone can quit their job. So, the key is to manage deadlines better. Marcโs advice is to ask: Are they realistic deadlines? He says, โThere are deadlines you must meet, certainly in the compliance space, but oftentimes they are self-imposed deadlines that you’re trying to hit just to get things done. And those are the ones that I tend toย let slide.โ
Tips to Beat Entrepreneurship Burnout
Avoiding burnout doesnโt mean you have to put your entrepreneurial dream on hold. It is about working wiser, so you can take time back for yourself. Emmanuel and Angela are big on meditation. Theyโve discussed the benefits in another episode: How to work smarter, not longer. Here are some other tips.
- Set your working hours and try to stick to them. You canโt run a business 24/7 on your own.
- Have offline time. Step away from your phone and computer for regular breaks.
- Listen to uplifting and motivational podcasts, like Living with purpose in life and business and How to find your joy in entrepreneurship.
- Get enough sleep. Quality sleep is one of the most effective ways to avoid burnout. But if your sleep problems persist, it could be stress or anxiety. Talking to your doctor or a therapist may help.
- Itโs okay to say youโre struggling.
Marc also has tips to share if youโve been feeling the pressure lately. One thing is not to feel guilty about taking a vacation! He also shares Angelaโs advice on delegating and trusting your team with some of your workload.ย
Another thing Marc does is play video games. โIt might not be relaxing because I can get worked up, but Iโm not thinking about work or the things I need to do.โ The tip is to find a good distraction that takes your mind to another place, even for an hour. In Angelaโs case, itโs watching an episode of Columbo! For more insights, tune into the podcast episode Entrepreneurs share their secrets and tips.
Conclusion
To sum up, pursuing your passion and building a business can be both exciting and exhausting. So, be mindful of entrepreneurship burnout. Emmanuel, Angela and Marc share their experience and plenty of tips on the podcast. Whether it is using software to automate tasks like your billing process or watching your favorite detective show, little things can lead to a happier, healthier you. Tune into the episode for more tips, including scaling your business without going under with stress.ย
Special thanks to Marc Villella, at Gryphonhr.com, who specializes in I-9 and E-Verify compliance.ย
Watch the Full Podcast Episode
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