Article Contributed by Cameron Johnson
As a startup owner, you’re used to working hard. Long hours, late nights, and no social life is the norm. It’s part of the life you choose when working to get a company off the ground, but it shouldn’t last forever; after all, once the business starts going, you should be able to ease off the gas and breathe a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In the process of finding success, many startup owners burnout and lose all motivation to keep going. It’s a common problem when there is no work-life balance, but combating it isn’t easy. Here are a few ways you can fight burnout.
- Find your passion once more.
Doing work you enjoy doesn’t feel like work. It’s only when the work becomes drudgery that you begin to think of it as work. While almost all jobs will have tedious, boring tasks that sap your energy, a huge part of the way you feel is your mindset. Even if you don’t enjoy the specific work you’re doing, take pride in doing the best you can no matter where you are.
If you’re feeling so burned out that you can’t imagine ever finding passion in your work once more, look for opportunities to vary things up. Is there a way you could do something new that would make work more interesting? Even if it means relegating some of the day-to-day tasks to an assistant, this can be a helpful way of combating burnout.
- Sell your business.
Maybe the burnout you feel is because your interests have shifted. If you no longer want to run your business or want to start another one, why not sell the one you currently own? Depending on the company, it may be worth a very substantial amount.
A startup called Elastica faced a similar situation. After growing for several years, they were acquired by Blue Coat for $280 million. Not bad for a three year old company. If you want to sell your business, take the time to make sure it’s in tip-top shape. Look for as many bidders as possible, since the competition will drive up the ultimate cost of your company. It’s also a good idea to seek out the advice of an investment banker or broker, particularly when that much money will be changing hands.
- Rebalance your life.
If you’ve lost your passion for what you do, try to find the right work-life balance once more. While it may seem strange, schedule in time for yourself and your family. Doing so will ensure you spend time with those close to you and spend time relaxing. During these scheduled times, put away your phone and computer. To properly combat burnout, you have to leave your work at work. Don’t bring it home with you. Spend some time exercising and getting the blood pumping. Enough time away from the desk, and you’ll feel your energy and passion returning.
Fighting burnout is easier in theory than in practice. It takes actual work to fight the effects of work. While it may seem like an oxymoron, learning how to combat burnout — or better yet, avoid burning out — will allow you to maintain your enthusiasm and passion over a much longer period of time. It’s vital to the success of your company that you focus your energies where they’re needed most. If you’re able to relegate some of the work to an assistant and give yourself some breathing room, do so.
About the author:
Cameron Johnson is a business consultant and entrepreneur. Over the course of his career he has conducted case studies on both social media optimization and non-profit marketing. Cameron has also had the opportunity to speak at international business conferences and was recently recognized as one of the world’s top 100 advertising experts to follow on social media.