How to avoid burnout when opening a new startup

Innovating, planning, and opening a startup business is an exciting process, and an energizing, motivating time. But in all off the anticipation, you might find yourself slipping into exhaustion, without quite realizing it. It could start to feel like completing tasks, meeting deadlines, and problem-solving new learning curves aren’t meeting your satisfaction, but you’re unsure why.

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to pay attention to such feelings of stress and anxiety in yourself and in your staff’s behavior because these could be indicators of burnout. The good news is, burn out can be both prevented and addressed, so that you and your employees can stay mentally healthy, and maintain positive energy levels for launching a new project. Read on to learn how.

Take breaks. It can be easy to feel like you just need to power through, skip lunch, eat later, and just get that one extra task out of the way. But it’s important to remember your body and mind both need rest and nourishment in order to work effectively for an extended period. Schedule breaks for food and rest for yourself and you staff, and give everyone a chance to step away, relax and replenish themselves, and then focus on work with fresh eyes. It’s a good idea to take at least a 45-minute lunch break, get some sunlight, and get away from your computer. And remember, you can’t survive on espressos all day!

Schedule exercise in your calendar. If you’re regularly physically active, the benefits aren’t  fitness alone. Exercise releases chemicals in your body known as endorphins, which scientific studies have shown to increase feelings of happiness, reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve sleep. With a this boost in energy you’ll naturally be able to maintain a much needed positive outlook during stressful periods, and better able to trouble shoot startup challenges. 

Employee perks. When you have major responsibilities, its often little annoyances that zap energy and result in breakdown. Consider providing your team with ride-sharing commuting during peak project periods, so fighting traffic is one less thing for them to worry about. Or consider including a subsidized gym membership as part of your employee benefits package.

Such perks have more long term benefits than you might realize. Innovative businesses today are known for going the extra mile to improve employee quality of work life. This not sets a business’s reputation when it’s entering the market, and attracts the growing social conscious consumer market which is invested in supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Stay organized. Support your team with an organizational structure. Planning and opening a start-up not only involve numerous tasks, but also overlapping tasks across projects. You don’t want to try and store all this information in your head, which is exhausting, and leads to additional stress. Instead, take the time to thoroughly plan an organizational framework that will effectively assist you and your team.

Make use of handy organizational applications such as digital calendars, which you can share with your whole team, so all member know who’s handling what , and can keep track of multiple timelines. Also make sure to have a team meeting when you introduce organizational applications so everyone is using them consistently. 

Positive reinforcement. As a business owner you play a unique leadership role in your team. Encouragement, constructive criticism, and rewards for task well done go a long way in boosting and maintaining team morale. The number of tasks and responsibilities that go into opening a start-up can feel absolutely overwhelming, so reminding your team that it’s doing well, and your belief that the company will reach its entrepreneurial goals goes a long enabling your staff to take pride their work. 

Contact Decisive Zone today to learn more about how to keep your whole startup plan in view, track progress, and stay stress-free.