As a startup ourselves, we understand the hustle involved in running a business and helping it grow. We also understand the toll that the grind can take on small business owners. Small Business Burnout is very real, and it is very serious.
To avoid burnout, small business owners and founders need to be proactive in organizing their team and their workflow in sustainable ways that support both long term success and the mental health of everyone in the organization. That might sound difficult but trust us: with a little planning (and a little help), it is absolutely do-able!
We asked our Founder and CEO Alexandra Dawes, CPA, how she avoids burnout in her role. Keep reading for her insightful tips.
Get Organized To Avoid Small Business Burnout
How could you not get stressed out if every day you came into a cluttered office, sat down at a cluttered desk, turned on a cluttered desktop, and opened a cluttered email inbox?
And how can your company stay nimble, when operations like managing your finances start piling up, with no one on your team adequately managing them?
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to take some time setting up your office and operations for success. Find 10 tips for setting up a productive office here.
And small business owners are often dreamers, thinkers, and doers. In our experience, they’re often great at making sales, motivating people and taken chances … but maybe not so great at the nitty-gritty work of payroll and accounting.
But having your finances in order takes a big, burnout-inducing weight off your shoulders. Using a virtual finance team to manage your finances and accounting can really help you build a strong foundation so you can scale your business (not to mention how much easier it can help you sleep at night!).
Get Support
We get it. Your business is your baby, and it’s tempting to want to do everything – and we mean everything – by yourself.
But you don’t have to do it all alone. Trust your team to do what you hired them to do. Consider speaking to counsellor if you think you’re getting overwhelmed, and look for other tools or systems that can help you with your day-to-day.
For example, Alexandra paired up with Pansy of The Visual Narrative Company to create the Startup Kickoff Kit. It’s an all-in-one resource that can help you get clarity on your finances, while also perfecting your pitch deck.
See? You really don’t need to be all things to all people. You just need to know how to find the right people to support your small business or startup.
Take Breaks
Let this sink in. The more you’re able to take breaks to refresh and reset, the better you’ll perform, and the more present you’ll be for your company. It’s not selfish to schedule in some much-needed downtime – in fact, it’s a necessity!
Self Care!
And it’s also not selfish to take care of your own mental, physical and emotional health and well-being. Eat right, get exercise, prioritize sleep, maybe take up yoga or meditation. Get time in nature. Take walks. Connect with loved ones. Everything you do to make your life better will have the added benefit of making your company better in the long run, too.
And have a little fun. It’s why the Jeopardy!® game made it to our list of the best apps for keeping remote teams connected, and why we’ve also recommended community conversations and Friday afternoon rituals to foster a healthy workplace culture.
Remember, you’re not just a small business owner. You’re also a team leader. It’s important to keep your employees happy and healthy, and it’s important to keep yourself happy and healthy, too. The more you can do this, the more everyone can thrive.
