Whether you are in your first iteration of your first big business idea or you are a serial entrepreneur with a lot of business under your belt, your new passion for fixing one of the world’s problems through tech, with a product or by inventively evolving basic business practices could get you into trouble. While you are trying to change the world, your mind and body is trying to keep up and if you don’t let it catch up once in a while you are at risk of burn-out.
Burn-out is when your passion becomes a bigger burden then you can handle. You get tired instead of inspired. Problems seem like insurmountable hurdles and your momentum crashes because of physical and mental fatigue. Don’t let this happen to you!
Set Aside YOU Time
Yes, a start-up is going to take up a lot of time. More time than most full-time jobs and more energy than most people put into their work. Yes, it will be worth it in the long run when your idea comes to full fruition and you get to lead and live the way you want. But, only if you actually get to that point.
Set aside some YOU time – whether it is a few minutes every day to decompress or a bit of time off when you reach certain milestones, take care of yourself. Exercise, eat right, sleep well or else you are going to crash and all your hard work will crash right along with you.
Take Care of Your Creativity
It is hard to be creative when you are bogged down in to-do lists, deadlines and the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Find a way to care for your creative self – that is what came up with this idea anyway and what will get you to your final goals. Don’t ignore creating space to dream, to envision, tore-iterate, to problem-solve. Plan your schedule with time to walk away from the “Must-dos” and be a dreamer.
Work Smartly
We’ve all heard “Work Smarter, not Harder,” but what does that mean for a young entrepreneur? It means pulling in the people who can help you when you need to.
Don’t be slow to admit that someone else needs to be part of your dream and don’t be slow to admit that someone else needs to take on part of your project. Reach out to people who have gone before you and ask for their advice. The successful and the unsuccessful have all learned along the way. Implement best practices from the beginning and try not to be sloppy with your foundation. Scale wisely. Don’t listen to naysayers.
Celebrate Often
Getting bogged down in what is left to accomplish is a heavy, heavy feeling. Choose to celebrate with your team often. Celebrate milestones, important contacts or significant feedback. Celebrate opportunities and communicate these positive movements with your team to help keep momentum and motivation up. Celebrate the personal goals of your team and highlight their accomplishments. Balance what needs to be done with recognition of all that has happened on your way to your goal.
Have advice to avoid the burnout? Comment here and talk to us @StarterNoise
