The Fantastic Life

Burn Out

We’ve all been there — pushing past our limits until burnout hits, and suddenly, we realize we have met our max. When we’re constantly juggling work, family, and goals, it’s easy to think we can keep going without breaks. But the truth is, setting boundaries isn’t about doing less — it’s about making space for what matters most. Over my career, I have “been there, don’t do that” way too many times.  Mike Malone and I used to call it ‘The Edge’.  We lived on The Edge for far too long. 

Here’s what I have learned (over and over and over—ha):

— Recognize the Signs Early: Burnout sneaks up on us. Catching it early, when we first start feeling drained or unfocused helps us course-correct before we hit a wall.  Not only recognize it, make changes, do something to cool you off, stay away from The Edge.

— Say No to Protect Your Time: Not every opportunity deserves a “yes.” Creating boundaries helps us focus on the work that aligns with our priorities.  I am learning this right now.  In fact, I am currently tracking my “no’s”. Saying no helps me maintain my focus on the things that truly matter.

— Make Time to Recharge: Rest isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or unplugging for a few hours, recovery helps us stay sharp.  Click  here to view a great graphic on the 7 Types of Rest you can practice to avoid burnout.  I love this thought:  Self Care is not Selfish Care.

If we don’t set clear boundaries, we end up running on empty — and that doesn’t serve anyone. When I was on The Edge all the time, I thought it was helping me be more productive.  That was not true.  The goal is to show up at our best, not just grind until we crash.
 
What’s one boundary you can set today to stay ahead of burnout?

 

 

The Fantastic Life Rule #4:
Play Where You Can Win

You can’t win if you burnout. Recovering from burnout is far more time consuming than stopping and resting earlier on. Learn your limits and honor them. 

 

8 Ways to Go From Burnout to Balance
Business leaders share how they’ve gone from balance to burnout
EXPERT OPINION BY YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR COUNCIL @YEC
MAR 25, 2024


Photo: Getty Images

Achieving a balance between work and well-being is necessary for sustained success and fulfillment. Yet, burnout always seems to catch up to the best of business owners and industry professionals before they even know it.
Here, eight entrepreneurs and mental health professionals share their best work-life strategies and tips–and what you can do to go from burnout to balance.

1. Set small, meaningful boundaries.

Business owners often feel the need to work on their business around the clock, but setting meaningful boundaries may help sustain better work-life harmony.

“I started small,” says Chris Christoff, co-founder of MonsterInsights, a WordPress plugin for Google Analytics based in West Palm Beach. “I set boundaries like no work emails after dinner and actually taking my lunch break. If you’re in a similar position, start setting small but meaningful boundaries to better balance your time and your life.”

2. Trust others to do the job.

According to Dr. Givona Sandiford, CEO and founder of Melospeech, a mobile speech therapy startup in Temecula, CA, you can find a balance between work and personal life by simply delegating tasks and trusting others to do the work for you.

“One of the last tasks that I released, which caused so much stress in my home and I was also not very good at, was billing,” Sandiford says. “I would look at the numbers, run them multiple times, and the task would take days, with me working long into the night. Finally, I passed on this task to our team. It freed me up to engage in hobbies that I had let fall away, including writing and spending more time with my 4-year-old.”

3. Make time to learn something new.

Blair Thomas, co-founder of eMerchantBroker, a high-risk merchant account provider located in Los Angeles, sees the need to carve out time within a busy schedule to learn something new each week.

“Never stop pursuing hobbies and knowledge. Continued growth is so important for your emotional and mental health, and will boost your productivity elsewhere,” says Thomas.

4. Set a clear endpoint for the workday.

Burnout can sometimes be brought on when there is no end in sight. That’s why setting a clear endpoint to a workday can be a turning point for combating burnout.

“I realized I was constantly tired and not spending enough time around the people I love,” says John Turner, founder of SeedProd, a coming soon page builder for WordPress based in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. “I knew this had to change, so I decided to no longer work after 6 pm unless it’s an absolute emergency. This one small change helped me get back control of my life and beat burnout once and for all.”

5. Leave work-related items at work.

Adam Horvath, a registered psychologist at Personal Psychology, a psychology clinic in Sydney, Australia, agrees that setting an alarm to stop working can help create a healthier work-life balance. He also suggests another strategy.

“Limit work-related activities outside of office hours by leaving all work-related items at work and turning off work notifications on phones,” adds Adam. “Initially, it always feels wrong to set boundaries. However, setting these boundaries can help prevent future burnout.”

6. Schedule exercise classes or social outings.

Scheduling exercise classes or social outings in advance and treating them as non-negotiable commitments when the inevitable “important” work items pop up may be hard to do, but pays off.

“Self-care through physical activity and hobbies became my solace,” reflects Kristin Kimberly Marquet, founder and creative director of Marquet Media, a New York-based PR and branding agency. “I recognized the signs of my exhaustion, refined healthy habits, and embraced a digital detox.”

7. Learn how to say no.

Sometimes, getting started with setting realistic goals and scheduling downtime starts with learning how to say “no” to business and personal opportunities.

“Saying ‘no’ is crucial to protect your time and focus on what’s truly important,” explains Benjamin Rojas, co-founder of All in One SEO, a WordPress SEO plugin from West Palm Beach, Florida. “Or you can get advice from third parties and organizations that offer such services or support systems.”

8. Balance looks different for everyone.

“Balance looks different for everyone since we all have unique challenges and circumstances, but the essence remains the same: self-awareness, balance, and self-care are paramount,” says Suzi Evans, a mental health first aid facilitator and founder of KAIZEN Business Support, based in the Murray Mallee in South Australia. “The key is to understand the brain-body connection and to learn your triggers to manage emotions more effectively.”

 

 

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