Growing Out of Burnout

It’s fitting that we discuss burnout in October. The year is waning to a close just as the busiest season looms on the horizon. And sometimes it takes us by surprise. Is burnout creeping up on you? Consider these top signals to evaluate your own business pulse:

·        Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed

·        Increasingly cynical responses

·        Trouble focusing on issues

·        Performance is slipping

·        You’re always working, even when you’re not working

·        No work seems sufficient

·        Trouble sleeping

·        Deceased social involvement

I’m not sure any of us is immune to burnout, and I also think we’re all able to see a few of these warning signs if we look at ourselves honestly. The question is how to prevent or lessen the impact.

One of the best ways to energize your business is to review your business plan. When you deviate from the goals set, marketing or financing plan, those little tracks to rabbit holes sap your enthusiasm. Experts suggest that entrepreneurs and small business owners revisit their plans periodically to review goals, marketing research, pricing and organizational structure. Tweak stagnant processes to get back on track.

If your stagnant growth and subsequent burnout is a response to employees feeling overworked, consider bringing in a temp agency to help out through the holidays. Act now to get everyone acclimated before the holiday season swings into full gear. If your business ennui is from personal overload, delegate some tasks to employees who can share the load. If shrinking capital precludes quick fixes, look for more flexible financing possibilities. Figure out how to become more competitive your market and either broaden your online presence or increase promotions.

Before you shrug and insist everything is hunky dory, realize that just five months into the year, 42% of small business owners admitted to experiencing burnout during the first quarter of 2022, and 24% said they were feeling burned out in May. It’s been five months since then and the pressure keeps mounting. Markets fluctuate. The economy is threatening collapse at every turn. There’s too much month at the end of the money. It’s no wonder we’re feeling the effects of COVID recovery. Yes, small steps to normalcy seem to be taking place, but the costs of doing business have not reached pre-COVID levels. And will they?

The norm may be the present and it behooves us all to adjust to our new reality. Realization means course corrections and employing new strategies to compensate for deviations from our original business plans. Here’s to business resets and continued growth!