Learn to recognise the signs of burnout and restore your inner fire
You only have 24 hours in a day. Some would say that is just right. Others would say that is not enough, especially start-up founders and small business owners. Our to-do list is never ending, our inbox is never empty and there are simply never enough hours in the day to tick off all of our goals and get everything done. This causes stress, self-doubt and burn out.
At the end of last year, I completely burnt out. I was working far too much, most nights until 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, back in the office at 6am to get a few hours in before the phone and email would start and I struggled to get on top of things.
Why? As a true creator and entrepreneur who wished she had 50 hours in a day, I was taking on more work than I could handle and doing it all myself. Earlier this year I got very sick and someone in my family was involved in an accident which forced me to remove myself from the business temporarily and also reevaluate things, and I am so glad I did.
Now, I have a different approach to business, I have boundaries in place and I make sure I take time out for myself each day to meditate and journal.
Mindfulness:
Each morning when I wake up I mediate for 20 minutes. This is a non-negotiable, no matter how busy, tired and stressed I am, I know that if I start my day off right, it will not only minimise my stress levels but the day ahead will be a lot more productive and I will feel more energised.
At first, I found it really hard to mediate, completely switch off and not think about anything at all for 20 minutes. If you are like me and have multiple tabs open in your brain and find it hard to be in the present moment, mediation will be great for you. If at first you struggle with the exercises, focus on your breathing, you will be surprised how easy that will distract yourself from your thoughts and worries in your head!
There are a range of great mindfulness apps available, I suggest trying out a few and find one that works for you.
My morning routine then follows – I exercise for 40 minutes, have a healthy breakfast and get ready for the day. My day starts between 9.30-10 am and I work through till about 6 or 7pm.
This routine suits me best, of course everyone is different. It is important to identify what works for you and stick to it, after all isn’t that the benefit of working for ourselves?
Journaling:
I am sure you know the drill – you get busy, caught up in the business, problems arise, you lose sleep, you get excited about something but then don’t have the time or resources to execute it, then you lose more sleep thinking about it?
This is all completely normal and part of being an entrepreneur. However, keeping track of your thoughts, goals and your vision while hustling will enable you to achieve success.
At the end of each day, I spend 20-30 minutes journaling my thoughts; everything from what happened today to make me feel stressed? What did I achieve today? What will I achieve tomorrow as well as any personal thoughts that I want to jot down.
Not only does this help me stay on track but it helps me see situations in a new light and often makes me realise that today wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. By journaling we practice how to explore ourselves, reflect on our goals and our progress, both in business and personal life.
About the author:
Morgan Spencer is a passionate young publicist and Founder and Director of Martini Mondays – a lifestyle communications agency specialising in digital and traditional PR strategies, social media strategy and execution and content creation.
Morgan is a hard working entrepreneur who is passionate about the start-up space and educating people on marketing strategies for their businesses. Morgan incorporates mindfulness, journaling and regular exercise to ensure she is looking after herself, while running a busy business. Y
ou can connect with Morgan here: www.martinimondays.com.au