How to Prevent Burnout as an Entrepreneur

How is it May 31 and this is the first piece of content I’ve created? Whoops? I’ll do better next month (I always say this, half the time it’s actually correct).

Did you know May was Mental Health Awareness Month?

It seems fitting that this month I took a slight step back from marketing myself to make space for everything else going on in my life.

As entrepreneurs, we are prone to doing all the things. We usually start our businesses as a party of 1 so we wear so many hats. This month alone, I onboarded two new clients and brought on another part-time content creator. While also hosting family 2 consecutive weekends, and doing all the other mom things I don’t know how to say no to (see: how I ended up coaching my son’s soccer team.) We’re less than 2 weeks from the end of school with a slue of school events to get through and I’m already cringing over all the time I’m going to lose working which will result in me working later… and it’s just… a never-ending cycle that ends up in burnout.

That being said, I’m focused on slowing down after this is all done to take time to recharge and make some plans for future offerings from Heidi Schmidt Creative and take some time to come to terms with my own (likely) ADHD, create some routines for myself, and get my kiddo some summer support his dyslexia and ADHD (we’ve been out of OT for too long and it’s time to go back).

But this is all necessary because when you sense burnout coming on, it’s something that you need to address.

What Does Burnout Look Like?

Tending to your mental health is especially important in the social media space. Social media burnout in the marketing world (for my fellow social media marketing pros) is a very real thing and when it’s your livelihood, it’s even more prevalent. Burnout is “defined by chronic mental, physical, and/or emotional exhaustion formed from unmanaged, work-related stress.” These are also, generally speaking, the symptoms of generic burnout (not necessarily attributed to social media specifically) While this shows up differently, there are a few common symptoms that include:

• A feeling of overwhelm or cynicism

• Fatigue or other physical manifestations

• A sense of inefficacy or an inability to complete tasks.

• Loss of motivation or an overwhelming sense of defeat

• Loss of job satisfaction

Burnout is common among people in high-stress, and high-performing roles - such as social media (or really, any type of marketing IMO.). In a 2022 survey, The Hustle surveyed more than 300 entrepreneurs and 63% reported that they’ve dealt with or are currently dealing with burnout (via Hubspot).

How to Recover from Burnout

This month, for me, taking time away from my own marketing so I could be present elsewhere was a big step to preventing burnout for myself. I’ve learned over the past three years that I am one person, and while I do have a couple of part-time contractors that I work with, I can’t just delegate client work if they haven’t worked with that client yet. I have a couple of clients that I very much CAN NOT delegate that work (for another agency, and for an hourly client of mine).

But managing your lifestyle, and adding support systems can help. Make changes to your life, and set boundaries. For me, when I sense burnout, I have to reassess my boundaries and I have my husband hold me accountable to maintaining these boundaries. Remember your business is just one facet of your life, you need to prioritize

Here are some strategies to consider to recover from burnout as an entrepreneur

1. Create a morning routine
   Whether that’s a workout routine or a routine of journaling, or meditation, start your day with a routine that helps you start off on a positive note. I personally start most days with a 2-mile walk after dropoff to get my endorphins moving.

2. Let Go of the Comparison Trap
   Comparison is the thief of joy. You are your own worst critic. But if you’re wasting time comparing yourself to the person down the street doing the same thing, you’re not doing your own thing. Focus on YOUR why, and YOUR audience.

3. Prioritize Your Self Care
   What rejuvenates you? What does selfcare look like to you? For me, it’s scheduling acupuncture, going for long walks and fitting in workouts, taking time to paddle on the Magothy, making time for friends, and getting enough sleep. For others, it might be scheduling a monthly manicure or pedicure, or taking time to meal plan so they know they are going to eat healthy throughout the week. Whatever self-care looks like to you, schedule it and make it a priority.

4. Take breaks
   When was the last time you took time off? Whether a day? A whole weekend? A week? Schedule time off to recharge. You can not recharge your body and soul without turning off. Focus on what brings you joy outside of your

5. Set boundaries

   If you find yourself working too late too many days of the week, set a limit. Maybe only one or two nights per week. Set a time that you stop (and Start!) working each day.

6. Focus on the Top 3
   I saw someone share this somewhere, specifically as a way to manage ADHD as a business owner - focus on your top 3 priorities and set a to-do list and focus on those three things. If you’ve ever created a to do list with a dozen tasks, you know how daunting it can feel to look at that. Overwhelming can be an understatement. Distractions and emergencies always pop up. Three priorities however? That’s attainable. Accomplish those three things? Tackle something else OR give yourself the space to take it easy.

7. Don’t force it

   I mentioned how I didn’t really post much on social media for my business. It’s called not forcing it. If you’re struggling just to log in, to show up for your business or whatever it is that’s burning you out, take a step back. Don’t force it. If you need a day? Take a day.

Remember your company thrives when you do. Make yourself a priority - whether that’s outsourcing business tasks such as bookkeeping, marketing, or hiring - or just planning more time off to recharge and rest. Learn how outsourcing your marketing can help you alleviate burnout by taking something off YOUR plate.