Burning out is a very real problem
Most entrepreneurs believe that their startups are their babies and spend endless of hours every day nurturing it. Every waking minute goes thinking about the startup, and sometimes even while sleeping (dreaming about it!). Moreover, owing to a scarcity of resources, they try and do everything themselves.
No doubt, enthusiasm and passion play a pivotal role in driving an entrepreneur toward achieving their vision. However, it’s also very important to know the limitations of your own body, because after a point, you’ll completely be burned out, and this in turn, will prove counterproductive for your startup.
Also Read: How to manage your time and become more productive while running a startup
Being over-stressed and burned out leads to a lack of ideas, as well as health problems, including depression, in the long run. The key is to work ‘smarter’, and not necessarily ‘harder’.
Take time to step back and look at the bigger picture
It is vital for entrepreneurs to take a step back from their business and look at the bigger picture. While you may be working hard, it is important to assess that there may be some things that you need to change to get better results. If you keep yourself over-occupied with day-to-day work, it’ll be difficult for you to disengage and find time to do some ‘real thinking’, which can be instrumental in taking your startup closer to its vision.
Prioritise
It is important to prioritise things rather than focus on everything at the same time. Multi-tasking too much means your efforts will get diluted and not yield the desired results. Also, multi-tasking doesn’t work well all the time. By focusing on one task at a time, you are likely to get better results.
Learn to delegate
It’s impossible to do everything yourself, so it is imperative for you to learn to delegate. In fact, if you delegate to the right person with the right expertise, they may even do an even better job of executing that work than you.
Also Read: How to manage your remote team once the workload grows
So, hire the right people, recognise their strengths, and your job will become much easier. While being passionate about your company is important, it is equally important to find the right people who are as excited or passionate about your company to get things done.
By delegating you can free up some time for yourself and focus on other important aspects of your business.
Take a break
All work and no play will only leave you exhausted. You need time to unwind, so you can come back rejuvenated and with fresh ideas. Learn to meditate — this can give you a few seconds of peace to refocus, and become more productive. Meditating for a few minutes each day can help improve your focus, memory, and mental health.
Overworking can leave you drained and will sap up all your energy and creativity. Entrepreneurs should, therefore, learn to leave work behind, and recharge themselves by relaxing, indulging in their favourite hobbies or sports and spending quality time with family and friends.
Schedule your day
It is important to keep day-end deadlines, and avoid working until odd hours everyday. Working 14 to 16 hours day can have a negative impact on your physical as well as mental health. It’s best to work during your most productive hours. This can vary for every individual, so pick the time that works best for you, whether its early morning or during the day.
Also Read: 7 management strategies that have changed the way these entrepreneurs do business
Just like setting clear goals and deadlines for others, it’s important to set them for yourselves, too, and stick to them. With better clarity, you’ll be more focussed in your approach and not get distracted with everything that comes your way. This will help keep overworking in check and will prevent you from getting burned out.
Make work fun
Being an entrepreneur comes with its own set of stressors. With a constant battle for resources and endless targets to meet to realise the ‘big dream’, over a period of time, most entrepreneurs forget the fun in starting their own company.
However, by doing small things like having a weekend coffee party or just having an hour each week to unwind will help you, as well as your employees. It will also help in boosting the morale of your team, thus ensuring better job engagement, and give you a better pulse of what is happening at the ground level.
The takeaway
Overdoing anything can be bad, even — or especially — if it has anything to do with work. Overstressing yourself will only burn you out and hamper your productivity in the long run. That’s why it’s important to strike the right work-life balance. While maintaining a work-life balance may seem like a distant dream for entrepreneurs when they are building their startups from the ground up, it is noteworthy that defining clear boundaries between your personal and professional lives can be the key to become more productive, healthy and successful in the long run.
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Image Credit: andreypopov / 123RF Stock Photo
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