For many Americans, summer means grilling hamburgers, heading to the beach and catching up with family. But for those of us who own our own businesses, there’s always more work to be done—and it can be hard to pull away.
Overworking is now a national concern: In fact, July 5 has been designated National Workaholics Day. It’s a reminder for us all that we need time for ourselves outside of the office. To help you relax this holiday week and beyond, here’s some advice on why you need to avoid burnout—and more importantly, how to do it.
Burnout Hurts Your Business
While you might think working more hours will help your business, you’ll eventually reach a point of diminishing returns, where your work efficiency has fallen so much that putting in extra time accomplishes less and less.
When you’re burning out, it’s impossible to deliver 100%. You’re more likely to make mistakes that you’ll need to fix later, spend more time on jobs that you’d normally breeze though and could lose your temper with customers and staff.
Your Health—And Your Company’s—Can Suffer
Working too hard isn’t just a performance issue. It can also cause serious health problems. The stress starts to take its toll and when we’re only focused on work, we lose track of good health habits like eating right and getting enough sleep.
Also, when you try to do everything by yourself, it could hurt your company’s future. One of the most important leadership skills is learning how to delegate and teach others how to do your work. If you trust that your employees can manage the business, you can then focus on growth, like landing new clients or expanding to a new location.
While you might think working more hours will help your business, you’ll eventually reach a point of diminishing returns, where your work efficiency has fallen so much that putting in extra time accomplishes less and less.
Plus, if you ever get sick or have to take a leave of absence, you’ll need employees who can handle things on their own. Learning to delegate will be good for your health—and your company’s.
Signs of Potential Burnout
Burnout can sneak up on you. Are you exhibiting any of these warning signs?
You feel angry or irritable. When we’re tired, we have shorter fuses than usual, and that can harm our leadership skills.
You’re overly critical with yourself and others. If nothing that you or your employees deliver seems good enough, the problem could be your mindset and not the actual work.
Change in eating or drinking habits. If you’re overeating, undereating or relying too much of processed foods and alcohol to get through the week, that’s a clear a warning sign.
Feeling less excited to work. Are you still feeling that fire which inspired you to turn your passion into a paying gig?
Jobs take longer than usual. If you’re constantly reworking the same task or losing focus, it might be your body telling you it’s time for a break.
Ways to Relax
If you’re seeing the signs of burnout, how can you turn things around?
1. Exercise and eat right. Your body is your most valuable piece of equipment, so make sure to maintain it properly. Even when I’m slammed with work, I always make time for a nightly walk. Otherwise, I run into serious writer’s block. Have you gotten your 10,000 steps today?
2. Rethink your work goals.Could your work goals be too ambitious? Maybe you’re taking on too many projects or over-promising on the delivery schedule. Personal time should be a set part of your calendar and built into project expectations.
3. Get enough sleep.Those quiet hours late at night or early morning are a tempting opportunity to catch up on work. But this time shouldn’t be at expense of your sleep. The Mayo Clinic recommends 7 to 9 hours per day for the typical adult.
4. Learn to delegate. Whether it’s passing work to employees, bringing on a contractor/freelancer or outsourcing an entire project to another firm, delegating will free up your time so you can both relax and concentrate only on your most important priorities.
5. Focus on a positive future. When you’re buried under deadlines and other work problems, it can feel like a never-ending slog. But you will get through this and better days are coming soon. When something goes wrong, ask yourself, “Will I still be upset about this a year from now?” That can put things in perspective. Practicing yoga and mindfulness can also help your mindset.
6. Take time off. Above all, prioritize taking time off. You need those moments to recharge and enjoy the benefits of all your hard work. It’s a holiday week and your clients are all on vacation. What are your fun plans?
These strategies are no big secret and chances are you’ve heard them before. The key is staying disciplined enough to follow them.
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