Ivelisse McBride 
Running a business is like a rollercoaster! There are moments when business is great, and then there are times where you feel like you are failing as a business owner. Running a business is hard work! Especially if you are a solopreneur. You are juggling every project, every client, every task, and every detail all on your own. It’s not surprising that many business owners experience business burnout!
So, how does it feel to have business burnout? It feels like loving your clients, industry, and business but still not being able to find the energy to get anything done that is work-related. You feel emotionally and mentally exhausted. Even with your never-ending list of things to do, you would rather curl up in bed with a book and read the day away. Or maybe that is just me speaking!
The biggest culprit in feeling this way is a lack of balance. Focusing too much on your business that you forget to focus on yourself and other important aspects of your life. You are always putting your clients and their needs above your own needs and priorities. Sometimes we can see the burnout coming a mile away, but other times we don’t realize how exhausted we are until it is too late.
So how do we avoid this?
Get Out of the Business Burnout and Get Organized
If there is one thing we need to come to terms with from the very beginning, chaos will never give us success! Disorganization has to be the biggest flow killer ever when it comes to a business.
Personally, just looking at an unorganized space will mentally shut me down no matter how motivated I am to be productive.
Take a look at your workflow.
Analyze your list of things to do and how your business flows. How could implementing a new process help keep everything tidy and organized? Implementing a functional business system can help you cut out all those time-wasting tasks.
As your business grows and evolves, so should your systems.
Look at your workstation.
Is it a mess? Make sure to organize that too! Any clutter on your desk can make you feel like you are suffering from a severe case of ADHD. Surround yourself with a clean and organized area, and you will feel more productive instantly.
Re-Evaluate Your Goals and Priorities
The greatest thing about being your boss is the ability to step back and re-evaluate your goals and priorities within your business. Things tend to change as your business grows. What worked for you six months ago may not be efficiently working for you right now. Take this freedom to shift your systems to work for you. Figure out what isn’t working and unapologetically get rid of it!
Take as much time as needed to sit and write down all your goals.
These goals may be different now than they were when you first started your business. Take this time to figure out who your ideal clients are. Write down what keeps you motivated in your industry. Most importantly, write down the things that are most important to you. Your priorities!
Now that you have a list of what you want to focus on within your business, start visualizing ways to make this list a reality. By putting together a great plan, you will take all the guesswork out of your day. Now, remember to do this as often as needed! There is no proper timeline to changing things around within your business. Some people may need to re-evaluate once a year. Others may need to re-evaluate every month! There is no right or wrong way to prioritize your business.
Business Burnout Disappears When You Set Boundaries and Learn to Say No
When you are a solopreneur, one of the hardest things is that you don’t have that person to fall back on. You end up saying yes to everything because you have no one else to do it if you don’t. Opportunities are always there; you will be tempted to say yes to everyone, but realizing that it is ok to say no is the most powerful thing you can do not just for your business but also for yourself.
Set boundaries, especially with clients! Be selfish with your time and how you spend it. Just because you are a business owner does not mean that you are working 24/7.
Make a schedule and block off work time and family time. Schedule some time away from the office, computer, and even phone, so you don’t get tempted to check your emails when you should be playing playdough with your child.
Make Time for Yourself
With all this setting boundaries talk, let’s end with making sure to take time for yourself. Do you want a harsh reality check? Your business can fail in a heartbeat if you don’t take care of the most critical aspect. YOU! Without you, there can be no business! Not making time for yourself is a sure way of burning out.
Give yourself a break!
A brain break doesn’t have to be a weeklong vacation away from it all (or go ahead and book that weeklong brain break!). It can be some time to grab an ice cream and sit to enjoy it instead of rushing back to the office. Close up early and grab dinner and some drinks with friends and family.
Plan a weekend getaway, preferably somewhere where Wi-Fi connection is low and forget about business burnout.
Check out my favorite spot to get away here! Get a pedicure. Drink more water and eat your vegetables. Schedule that workout you have been putting off. All of these are great ways to reward yourself for all the hard work you have put in. Just remember, away from the office means no work in your brain. Getting away will help you come back completely refreshed and ready to give 100% to your business.
When things are going well in business, you can be riding a tremendous high wave, but when things are not looking so good, you may need to follow these steps to keep you going.
Remember, having a successful business is so much more than just what happens within the wall of your office.
It also has to do with how your mental wellness is. Take care of yourself to have the right mindset to make your business everything you envisioned it to be.
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