5 Things I Changed To Avoid Burnout
At the end of last year, I was exhausted! Not just “I need an early night” tired but deep, bone-level TIRED. When I sat down in meditation, the uncomfortable truth was shown to me - I run my own business, so I only had myself to blame...ooph.
There wasn't a boss overloading me, no one was forcing me to work late evenings or miss lunch and no one was making me leave tasks to the last minute. It was all me.
That realisation stung a little but it was also very empowering. I realised that if I had created this pressure, I could also uncreate it.
So here’s what I changed...
1. I GOT HELP
After 10 years, I stopped pretending I could do everything alone and released my wanting to control everything. I hired an assistant to delegate small and large tasks to.
2. SCHEDULED SPACE
I scheduled more space in my calendar. Not “I’ll rest when everything’s done” space but protected space, thinking and breathing space. I'd fill every available hour and then wonder why I felt depleted at the end of the day.
3. SET WORK BOUNDARIES
I set better boundaries with my time and energy. No more late evening clients. No more overcommitting because I could. Just because we can stretch, doesn’t mean we should. I want to show up fully for my clients and that requires me to be resourced, not drained.
4. GOT REAL ABOUT MY TASKS
I stopped catastrophising big tasks. Bookkeeping is the perfect example of this. I would leave it for ages, then it would take me over an hour to do, so I told myself I needed a bookkeeper.
Then one day, after everything was in order, I decided to commit to doing it weekly. When I timed this task, it literally only takes 15 minutes a week! I also have a clear view of my business finances as a result.
The problem wasn’t actually the task, it was the avoidance. Breaking bigger jobs into smaller, consistent actions changed everything.
5. RHYTHMS OVER CHAOS
I started organising my business in rhythms instead of choosing chaos. Daily tasks (like replying to emails 'once' a day, not constantly), weekly and monthly tasks. When everything has a home, it stops living in our head, which means we sleep better. Working with our own rhythm is crucial. I'm mentally fresher in the morning, so I now avoid leaving important tasks, like writing this newsletter, to the evening when I'm a little tired.
I gave myself permission to lead differently and to fully step into the identity of 'business owner. By implementing these five things, I feel more in control of my business but more importantly, I feel more in control of my time and energy.
Burnout doesn’t always come from doing too much. Sometimes it comes from doing things in a way that just isn’t sustainable.
If you’re feeling stretched right now, rather than asking “How do I push through?”
ask “What small structural shift would make this easier?”
It could be any of the 5 things above or something else you need to put in place. You certainly don’t need to overhaul your life. Often it’s about systems, boundaries, honesty and, dare I say, self-discipline.
With love and light
Gwen x
