Beginning a startup business or working on a current business can be one of the greatest accomplishments, but it also comes with its share of challenges, one of the most significant being burnout. As entrepreneurs, we pour our hearts and souls into our own businesses, no matter the niche or the location, and with that, the line between work and personal life often blurs. Like… one too many glasses of wine kind of blurs. There are strategies to prevent burnout and make the entrepreneurial journey more manageable, and from experience, I want to highlight all of the ways to help prevent burnout, while also learning how to honor your mind and body when you feel exhausted.

1. Set Realistic Goals 

One of the primary causes of burnout is having unrealistic expectations. When thinking about your startup business, you have a tendency to focus on every single thing at once: are your logo designs done? Do you have enough flyer prints? Are your business cards done? Is your website the right color green? Did you pay the SMM? It is very important to set achievable goals, both short-term and long-term. By setting your long-term goals and breaking them down into smaller, more immediate goals, you are encouraged to continue to work toward accomplishing them. Creating a roadmap for yourself that outlines realistic milestones helps you stay focused and motivated without overwhelming yourself.

2. Delegate and Outsource

Entrepreneurs often fall into the trap of trying to do everything themselves. We need to emphasize the importance of delegation and outsourcing tasks that are outside your expertise while also acknowledging that sometimes outsourcing isn’t within your budget. This is where it’s important to get ingrained in your community or in the community of other makers, creators, and entrepreneurs.

Building those relationships with other startup business owners and inter-referring one another based on skill sets can help your business thrive (BALLIN’ ON A BUDGET) without weighing heavily on your overhead costs. We know an incredible designer that helps us with in-depth design that we do not have the skill set for. It’s about knowing your strengths 😉

3. Prioritize Self-Care

Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is crucial for preventing burnout. You know the intrusive thoughts that pop up:

• When do I have TIME to exercise? I don’t have time to think. 
• I don’t even know what my hobbies are right now. I’m focusing on my business. 
• Relax? When I have time to relax, I have time to complete XYZ. 

Without prioritizing self-care, you aren’t able to give your best self to your business, family, friends, etc. The list goes on. It’s two-fold: if you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t take care of everything else. Make time for the things that help you do this. 

4. Time Management Strategies

Effective time management is key to avoiding burnout. That sounds so simple, right? Boomerang Consulting can help you implement time management strategies tailored to your business, but we can only give you the tools and suggestions. Discipline is a huge aspect of starting and running an established business or startup business effectively. From prioritizing tasks to creating schedules that maximize productivity, streamlining your workflows help to manage stress and time. You can check out a blog that we previously wrote on this and the resources we recommend to support you here. Another resource that has been incredibly helpful is the Full Focus Planner – you can find it on their website (zero affiliation, it just keeps my brain going!). 

5. Seek Support from Startup Business Owners

No entrepreneur should navigate the business world alone. That is one of the first things that I was told before starting Boomerang Consulting and one of the reasons that we offer support and mentorship throughout your entrepreneurial journey. Connecting with other entrepreneurs in your community can also provide resources for the best practices in starting and running your business. Whether you need advice on decision-making or strategies for growth, we are dedicated to helping you succeed while preventing burnout along the way. 

Launching a new, startup business doesn’t have to lead to burnout. By setting realistic goals, delegating tasks, prioritizing self-care, managing time effectively, and seeking support from experts, you can see the success of launching your own thing. You just have to know where your strengths lie and who you can connect with for additional support. 

At Boomerang Consulting in Knoxville, TN, we can work with you on your startup business strategy, fine-tuning your existing strategy, web design, branding, copywriting, and even a full audit of your website or branding to breathe a little bit of life into your business. Head to our Inquire page to let us know how we can help you. Let’s get this party started!