Run a Startup? Here’s How to Avoid High Burnout.
Startups are highly demanding. Entrepreneurs start with an idea and work tirelessly to kick it off the ground. Harder yet, the road to creating a successful startup is rarely straightforward or easy. To help make the process slightly more manageable, startups rely on the support and knowledge of a hard-working team. However, keeping your team engaged, appreciated, and not overworked may be one of the greatest challenges your startup faces.
Many startup employees admit to working extremely long days with overwhelming workloads. The pressure is almost always high and people struggle with finding a harmonious work/life balance. 15 hour days plus a stressful, never-ending “to-do” list is a perfect recipe for burnout, because let’s face it, we can only work at an ‘all-out’ pace for so long.
So how do we manage the high demands of startup life? I like to think there are three ways that help make the startup life more manageable: communication, collaboration, and rest. When we are communicating with our team about what we are working on, we are opening the door up for feedback. Bottom line, your team has your back and should always be willing to help point you and your work goals in the right direction—so don’t be afraid to tell your team you have questions or need help. They will be happy to guide you in the right direction.
With open communication comes the ability to collaborate. If your team knows you are in need of a helping hand, they can partner up with you to help make your workload a little more manageable. Lastly, get some rest. No matter what sits on your plate at work, you need to be able to recognize when you’re overworked and take the steps necessary to relax, unwind, and recharge. You’ll be doing yourself and your team a huge favor by taking some time for yourself.
Burnout rates can be high for startups, but they don’t need to be. If communication is open, collaboration is built into the work culture, and regular rest is a part of our schedules, we are more likely to feel less burdened by the pressures of working at a startup. If you feel like you’re crashing, take a minute to think about what you and your team can do to help lighten your workload.
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Derek Rundell, is a successful business leader, operator, and serial entrepreneur. Derek has founded, managed and sold businesses in the technology, media and finance industries. He sits on several boards and serves as an advisor/investor to numerous established businesses and startups. Startups are Derek’s real passion, and in addition to building his own portfolio of technology, media and financial ventures, he invests in and mentors startups and entrepreneurs. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping other businesses succeed.