3 Ways to Avoid Burning Out on the Long Journey to Achieving Your Goals Grinding all the time makes a nub of you.
By Timothy Sykes Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Burnout is a word that I'm all too familiar with. It doesn't matter how successful you are or whether you hit record profits because burnout can and will happen. It's natural and you shouldn't feel bad about it.
But beating burnout is never easy. These are the tips I've come up with over the years to reduce business burnout.
Related: How to Recognize and Beat Burnout
Don't be afraid to outsource.
Outsourcing is a great way to keep your business going without burning out. When I encountered burnout my biggest obstacle to taking a break was fear that my business would go under. Outsourcing lets you keep everything going without worrying about what's going to happen in your absence.
It's also an excellent reason to bring in someone else to advise you. The British Government just called in the accountants PwC to advise them on government contracts. I see avoiding burnout as a good reason to outsource and grow.
Related: 3 Important Signs of Entrepreneurial Burnout and How to Overcome It
Stop checking your emails so often.
The reason why you're burned out all the time is work never leaves you. Even when you leave the computer you may be checking your emails on your phone all the time. I'm guilty of this. That's why I set specific times for checking my emails, and I leave it at only an hour per day when I'm on vacation.
Two apps I've used in the past for forcefully keeping me away from my email accounts are Cold Turkey and Focus Booster. But there's always the old-fashioned option of just leaving your work phone at home and getting out of the house.
Related: The Shocking Lessons I Learned After I Quit My Social Media Addiction in 3 Days in the Desert
Avoid distractions.
Distractions are another possible cause of burnout. You must understand that burnout is primarily caused by overwhelming stress. Studies have shown time and time again that when we are thinking about or doing multiple things at once we become more inefficient and more stressed.
Think about it like the current political climate. Breaking news hits CNN all the time. If you tried to follow everything you would tie yourself in knots. It's what happens when you are trying to trade, research, reply to emails and check social media all at the same time.
That's why I have trained myself to put my entire focus into one thing. One strategy that worked well for me was to only open Internet tabs for the task at hand. I switch off my email tab and my social media tab except when I'm specifically addressing those tasks.
Related: Why Multitasking Is a Myth That's Breaking Your Brain and Wasting Your Time
By using these three strategies I don't just address burnout I have contingency plans for when it inevitably hits. These tactics have helped me reach my financial goals, and now they can help you reach yours.
