According to Helpguide.org, burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion brought about by prolonged and excessive stress. Symptoms include feeling tired all of the time, low immunity levels, lack of motivation and feelings of worthlessness. Many of us work long hours, battling onwards to please our clients and customers. We work hard thinking this is how our business is going to succeed, but when we work without any semblance of a break, we are driving ourselves (and our business) into the ground.

If you have felt some burnout symptoms in your life, you need to take a step back. We have some tips here we think you will find useful, but remember to seek medical help if you are currently suffering from extreme stress and exhaustion.

Take a break from work for a while

You aren’t doing yourself, your staff, or your customers any good if you are coming into work every day exhausted. You need time off, whether for a short or longer term, if you want to beat burnout. Whether going away on vacation, or spending time reflecting on your own at home, you should find space where you can rest and unwind, recharge your batteries, and gaining some perspective of your life again. You will feel better if you give yourself the time you need to get yourself back on track and have renewed energy and vigor to deal with the demands at work.

Spend time with others

Spend time with people who lift you up, who make you feel better about yourself, and who boost your energy rather than drag it down. If you work in an office by yourself, this is especially useful. Feelings of isolation can add to the negative feelings you are experiencing, so consider the benefits of a co-working space, or get out of the office once in a while and spend time in a place where you can be in the company of others, whether you interact with them or not.

Cut down your workload

Do you really need to focus your time on everything? You need help, so find people or technological solutions to reduce your workload. Take a look at the tasks you struggle with or don’t have time for. Hire more staff or outsource those tasks to others. Use a Payroll recruitment agency, Portfolio Payroll to deal with some of the financial aspects of your business. You should also make use of apps and software to do jobs you don’t have time for. Take our article on email automation, as a useful example. The more work you can pass over to somebody (or something) else, the better, especially when it means you can focus your energies on tasks that are more within your skill level and job description.

Focus on staying healthy

Every time you say ‘yes,’ you are adding something else to your busy day. When you are working at full capacity, start to say ‘no.’ This applies to the demands you impose on yourself as well. Prioritize your work day so you only focus on the essential and time-sensitive tasks. By saying ‘no’ to unimportant requests, you will have more time to say ‘yes’ to the things that count.

To avoid burnout, put all of these things into practice. Don’t let the pressures of work come between you and your health. Life is short enough as it is, so balance your life to prosper both the longevity of your business and your personal well being.