You knew going into this that it was going to be a lot of hard work. With often little money to invest, starting a business means you’ll be doing a great deal of the work yourself. You’re the secretary, accountant, IT professional, marketing expert, and business owner. And it works – for a while. However, wearing this many hats for too long can essentially lead to entrepreneur burnout and the end of your business.

 

How do you know when you’re working yourself too hard? Here are a few signs that starting your business has got you on the verge of a burnout:

Your Passion is Now Your Frustration

Passion is necessary at the core of any successful business. It is what drives an entrepreneur to take an idea and turn it into a lucrative opportunity that benefits the masses. When passion is no longer driving you, the business starts to fail. 

Many entrepreneurs who are trying to do too much too soon and too fast start to feel overwhelmed by it all. The long hours, lack of social interaction, and thirst for cash, become too much and the business is now the source of your frustration. 

You’re Using Alcohol to “Cope”

Everyone has had a day where they come home and finish the night off with a few beers, glass of wine, or other alcoholic beverage. Yet, when you’re drinking increases to daily, and is used as a means to cope with the overwhelming pressures of running a business, it’s a problem. If you’ve reached a point of self-medicating or addiction, it is best you find addiction treatment San Diego or wherever you live to get clean. Numbing the pain with drugs or alcohol will only add to your problems. It will push your loved ones away from you, cause you financial troubles, and ruin your business. 

Your Quality Has Decreased

Have you found yourself making silly mistakes over and over again? Have your clients or customers started complaining about projects being inefficient, deadlines being missed, services being sub-par, or products unsatisfactory? This is a sign that you’ve taken on too much and the quality of your efforts are suffering because of it. Continuing at this rate will most certainly lead to an entrepreneur burnout. 

You’re Stressed at Home

If you’re stressed about work chances are you’re going to bring that stress home. If you’ve been having more arguments than usual, isolating yourself from your family, or even feeling irritated by things that you once enjoyed, it is very possible that you’re dealing with a lot and could be on the brink of a burnout. 

You’re Your Worst Critic

Is nothing ever good enough for you? Do you find yourself pointing out every negative thing you do? This is a sign that you’re working yourself too hard. Though it is great to want to provide quality results, perfection is impossible and striving for it can decrease quality and productivity. It can also lead to mental health issues. 

What to Do About it?

Think you’re on your way to an entrepreneur burnout? It’s time to reassess things and get back on the right track. To be quite honest, a little stress is good for business. It’s what drives you to do your absolute best while pushing the envelope. Essentially, you need to learn how to focus your stress on generating positive outcomes for you and the business. 

  • Hire help – You can’t do it all on your own. Hiring help can take some of the load off you. Whether you outsource, hire a remote team, or an in-house team, you’ll have more time to focus on your responsibilities as an entrepreneur. 
  • Take care of you – Your business won’t go very far if you’re mentally or physically not well. Take care of you by eating right, exercising, getting enough rest, and knowing when it’s time to take a break. 
  • Find balance – You know what they say about all work and no play. It’s time to find some balance in your life. Set a time for working and a time to socialize and spend time with others. 

There’s no denying that the life of an entrepreneur is a stressful one. Running a business requires a lot of time and energy and can become overwhelming. It’s true that some stress can be the very source from which you pull your drive to succeed, but when it gets out of hand, and you feel like you’re on the verge of a burnout it’s best to get help and make changes like those listed above.