How to Avoid Burnout and Stay Motivated

August 14, 2019

No matter how passionate you are about what you do, there may come the time when it all starts to feel a bit… too much.

Burnout is very real and very serious – even the World Health Organization agrees!

And the worse thing is, it can sneak up on you when you least expect it and completely kill your motivation.

But burning out doesn’t have to be the price you pay for success.

As an entrepreneur, you have the added benefit of being able to manage your time and your business the way it suits you the best.

With that being said, there are a few things you can do to make sure you avoid burning out and stay motivated – in the long run.

1. Work smart, not hard.

You may be hustling hard for 14 hours per day and still getting nowhere.

The secret to being successful – and we’re talking about long-term success here – isn’t grinding until you’re exhausted.

It’s about working smart.

You have to prioritize. Which means asking yourself, what’s the work that makes up for the biggest part of your success?

A good rule of thumb – also known as the Pareto principle – is that the work you do 20% of the time is what brings you 80% of your results.

So what are your 20%? Find them and focus there.

2. Sleep is not for the weak!

Sleep deprivation is no fun, and there can be some serious health risks if you’re regularly sleep deprived.

Sure, sometimes you may have to stay awake a bit later than usual, but if it’s happening more often than not, you might be heading to burnout.

Getting some solid sleep should be one of your biggest priorities (I know it’s become one of mine)!! Set up a sleep schedule and stick to it – even on the weekends (basically, you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day)!

You’ll notice the difference even after just a couple of weeks.

Pro tip: Stuck looking for a solution late at night? Just go to bed… morning brain is always far wiser than evening brain anyway!

3. Do one thing at a time.

Long gone are the days when multitasking was the ultimate productivity hack.

Actually, multitasking feels so stressful to the brain that when you multitask, you end up achieving less, not more.

Again, focus on one thing at a time.

It’s completely fine to work on several projects simultaneously, but when you sit down to work, do only one task at a time. No calls, no emails, no distractions.

4. Set office hours.

When you’re running your own business, it’s never going to feel as if you’re done for the day. It’s always tempting to do just that one more thing, and then another, and another… but you have to pace yourself.

Leave the corporate mindset behind, but do set some office hours that work for the lifestyle you want to live.

The good part is that you have all the freedom in the world to decide what your office hours should be – 6-2, 10-6, 12-8 – but once you’re done, be done!

5. Learn to trust others.

Trying to do everything by yourself is probably the number one reason for burning out (it certainly was for me early on in my business).

Don’t kill yourself with work. If your business is growing quickly, it’s time for your team to grow with it.

It’s okay to delegate tasks to others. It’s okay to get more people on your team. It’s going to feel hard at first… and yes, you’ll be double-checking everything. You might even have to hire and fire a few times before finding the right person!

But over time, and as long as you have the right people, you’re going to notice just how much more you’re able to get done!

6. Unplug every once in a while.

This is the golden rule, especially if your business is online!

You know how easy it is to get swallowed up in the Internet side of things… just one more email, one more comment, one more message.

That’s why it’s crucial to set some offline hours.

Your offline hours don’t have to be the same as your office hours – but definitely try to set some time when you won’t be online. I recommend setting device-free zones around your house. For example, your bedroom is a great place to declare a device-free zone! And personally, I don’t go online or do any screen time at least an hour before bed (if not longer).

7. Don’t ignore the signs!!

Before burnout hits you hard, there are some warning signs you may unintentionally miss.

Let’s say, you may feel a bit more lethargic, procrastinate with your work, or even feel depressed!

Whenever you feel like work is getting to be too much, stop and take a break. I know it feels like it’s going to stress you out more to set work aside, but I promise you’re going to be far more productive when you return to it with a fresh mind, body, and spirit.

Find a way to recharge. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. For example, some people go on a short trip, others just take the time off to sit at home and nap!

Whatever works for you is always the right thing to do. Trust yourself and honor your needs.