4 Tips for the Overworked and Overwhelmed Entrepreneur
Bottom line: it’s your business and your name on the door. You have to do what it takes to run your company and sometimes that means feeling overworked and overextended.
We get it. CommonGrounds is home to hundreds of entrepreneurs and start up companies so we have seen this case many times.
What we don’t want is for your passion to be overturned by stress and overwhelm due to the amount of hours you are putting in. They say if you love what you do then you won’t work a day in your life. That’s not necessarily true. Sometimes to do what you love, you have to work like a dog to make it happen.
If these overworked feelings are hitting close to home, maybe it’s time to take a step back and see how the situation can be resolved; if there might be another solution to just working all the time and missing out on other parts of your life. Maybe there is another way, maybe we can help.
If you’re willing to listen and willing to try, consider these five options to bring balance back into your worklife.
1. Be honest with yourself
To get to this point, you have probably talked yourself into thinking that all of these hours are normal and feeling overwhelmed is just temporary. You’ll be able to give yourself a break and not be so overworked once things start to slow down with the business.
Let’s be honest, yes your business needs a lot of attention, but so do you! The first step is to be able to admit to yourself, “this isn’t working for me and I need to try to make a change or two.”
2. Map out a schedule
Again, bring honesty into this task. Write down a schedule that you would feel comfortable with. Sometimes having it all on paper and in front of you will help you to see just how thin you are stretching yourself.
Your business will do better when you are on top of your game. You cannot do productive and meaningful work if you are exhausted and running on empty.
Map out the hours you think it will take certain tasks to get done, but also write down the hours in which you can have some free time, take breaks, enjoy meals, and spend time with others. You should be prioritizing your personal life, not just your professional life.
3. Take small steps
Change doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t expect yourself to break your ways just by thinking about it.
On the first day of implementing these changes, try leaving at a set hour. Once the clock strikes, make an effort to leave then and there, instead of attempting to wrap up one or two more things. Set boundaries for yourself, but in doses that you can handle.
4. Cut yourself some slack
Remember to be proud of yourself and your accomplishments at the end of the day. It is so easy to be wrapped up in all the things you haven’t done, instead of seeing all of the amazing things you have achieved.
When we feel overworked and overwhelmed, those feelings can cloud our eyes and we aren’t able to see clearly. So keep your eyes wide open, take a look around your office, and pat yourself on the back. You’ve come this far and you are going to continue even farther!
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember why you chose to follow your passion in the first place. Why you decided to start your own business and create something new in the world. But additionally, it’s important to remember that you ultimately need to enjoy your life.
So, take the initiative and find balance. It might be easier than you think to take back control of your worklife.
